What is the deal with dirty negs?

[Paolo Bonello]

What is it with dirty and blemished negs? Why/how does it happen?
First I felt that the lab was scratching them when I got prints done so I stopped getting prints and asked for neg sleeves and told them not to cut the roll as I wanted to cut them in six frame lengths myself for scanning on the Epson v700.
But now it seems these ugly smears showing up on the scan as a white cluster of spots and smears still happen although there is definitely less minor scratches and dust now since I took the above measures. Unfortunately the last or first couple of negs are more prone to blemishes.
Do you think I ought to change labs or is this sort if thing common place with colour processing?

 

[mahleu]

They probably never clean their processor. Sounds like chemical marks which often come from dried up spots of chemicals on the film. They also probably don't care which doesn't help.

 

[Shane Guthrie]

Bad experiences too

Bad experiences too

I've been through several of the few remaining labs in Jakarta, now settling on one that hasn't messed up my photos as much as the others.

One that I used to take all my digital printing to, Adorama, processed film once a week, so I took rolls to them when I returned to using film. They scratched the negatives with what looked like a tear through the middle of them. I put this down to staff not having training in this anymore and the management not seeing it as important business.

Another lab, more traditionally run, presented processed negatives with what appeared to be streaks along the sides and missing patches. After discussing at length with the owners of Jakarta Foto it turned out that it happened during scanning the negatives. The rubber wheels that drive the film through had deteriorated and leave a sticky residue on the negatives. Then their way of cleaning the negatives partially ruined them. They freely admitted the mistakes and were sorry, but were also clear and blunt that they would not be investing in a new scanner, as it wasn't worth it for them.

Now I use Emerald. I have noticed better developing from them. The only problem is the scanning I get from them (I'm too lazy to do it myself at home.) If I have intentionally under-exposed a frame, they always allow the scanner to automatically alter the exposure, effectively ruining the scanned image. They don't seem technically adept at resolving this.

Unfortunately all this means I'm getting tired of a once-exciting return to film.

Shane

 

[Shane Guthrie]

Also...

Also...

I also get the chemical marks, I suppose. Looks like water drop marks, only permanent.

 

[_goodtimez]

I had been scanning my negs myself and I have been around this problem over and over, and even replaced my scanner with a supposedly better one, only to discover that the problem is still there.
At the same time I process my own enlargements in the darkroom and with the same negs I have no problem at all.
I think scanners tend to accentuate more what is on the surface of the emulsion rather than the content itself.
I just stopped scanning and focus more on darkroom processing.
At the end I conclude that I'm not a digital guy, since I can't cope with virtual imaging.

 

[Paolo Bonello]

Thanks for the replies. I basically reduced the processing handling to the bare minimum. I want the lab techs to handle the negs as little as possible so a 'do not cut' instrcution is my answer. What I do find though is that trying a new lab is like a lottery. Beter the devil you know as they say. If I can only stop the cluster spots or smears of undeveloped film then I would live with a little dust or the odd scratch and use the clone tool. Trying to rebuild an image that is missing larger areas is not going to happen for me. I just don't have the time or will to do that.

 

[acheyj]

Try as I might still get spots on my negs when I scan them. I never had the problem to the same extent with a wet darkroom enlarger. I get my local lab to not cut the negs to no avail.
What does work is to get the lab to scan to a cd, they are completely clean, trouble is only abt 2-3 megapixel res.
A tip may be useful from my old darkroom days. If you rub your finger alongside your nose and cheek there is a waxy deposit there that your finger can gently rub on the neg to fill scratches etc. It really does work for mono negs in an enlarger, just remembered it, dont know if it will be any benifit for scanning ?.

ron