What went wrong?

[AndyC]

I’ve had some films developed and scanned by a reputable UK lab, and one of the frames (35mm HP5) has come back with some very strange damage or artefacts.

I’ve not seen the negative, only the scans, but have never seen anything like it before. The film had one pass through a carry-on baggage scanner at Ancona airport in Italy.

Any ideas?

 

[Coldkennels]

That looks like something's punched straight through the frame, like it's where it's been connected to the processing or drying equipment.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Was this at the very beginning or end of the roll? Films are spliced together, end to end, when sent through processing equipment. Squeezing out that 37th frame does not leave the lab room to splice your film without damaging the last frame. Same for shooting off fewer than two frames at the beginning of a roll. I speak from unfortunate experience, and now rewind after 36 frames, period.

 

[AndyC]

It could very well have been frame 37.

I suppose if it was done when it was being developed, I’ll have to put it down to experience. If it was done when the clips were being put on to hang it to dry, that’d be really annoying!

 

[newtorf]

Looks like the holes punched by the metal film clips when I hang dry my films (https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/70804-REG/Kalt_NP99FC_Stainless_Steel_Film_Clips.html)

I’ve had some films developed and scanned by a reputable UK lab, and one of the frames (35mm HP5) has come back with some very strange damage or artefacts.

I’ve not seen the negative, only the scans, but have never seen anything like it before. The film had one pass through a carry-on baggage scanner at Ancona airport in Italy.

Any ideas?

 

[AndyC]

I spoke to someone at the lab when I collected the negatives, and was told it was from hanging the film up for development. I guess it’s a “dip and dunk” method.
I’ll just need to remember not to shoot past 36 with that camera in future.

 

[Retro-Grouch]

Yes, good procedure with all cameras. That 37th frame can be false economy. Glad you solved the mystery!