Marks on negatives - what is the cause?

FishyFish

FishyFish

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A few rolls of film that I've got back from processing recently have had streaky, soap-like marks on them when I see the scanned results. See the example below.

What causes this (I'm assuming it's resisue from the developing process), and is there anything I can do to remove it (other than cloning it out in Lightroom or whatever)? I've noticed it most on rolls of expired film - these often have a pronounced curve running the length of the negatives, and the streaks are usually close to the centre of the frames, running horizontally.

Thanks.

Film marks.jpg
 
FishyFish said:
Any tips on flattening the curl?
Click to expand...

Curl can be a bit of a mystery requiring Potteresque levels of skill to overcome, and everyone seems to have their own magic spell.

I've had most success by re-wetting and hanging to dry, with weight attached to bottom, in a humid atmosphere.

Overnight under heavy books is worth a go too.


FishyFish said:
I know they're supposed to be scanned the correct way up, but would it make a notable difference?
Click to expand...

Dunno. Worth a try.
 
you've gotta suppose that focus may become a bit iffy scanning really curvy negs
turning them around might not be the answer, though this, from the little we see looks right enough
the marks we see are called newton rings, i've had a few on 6x6 but never on 35mm, they must be proper buckely...:)

"buckely" is a word btw.......invented......but still a collection of letters that spel sumfin..:confused:
 
Is that the same as brollocolloccolli?
 
broccoli newton rings on 6x6 = poo

Scanned in 2009 before I got fed up with scanning

353cdgy.jpg
 
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So, I squashed the negs inside a very heavy book last night and this morning the curve was much reduced. Not enough to resolve the issue though - the rings were still there, although not as bad as before.

Anyway, I then had an idea which turned out to work ok - I just folded a small piece of paper to make a wedge about a millimetre thick and placed it under the edge of the negative hoder on the scanner which lifted the negs just enough to remove the rings. I've compared the before and after versions to see if it resulted in any loss of focus, but if there is any, it's negligible and not noticeable to my eyes.
 
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Slides and the like were often held in anti newton ring glass. And the best film carriers for enlarging were glass less. a good carrier supports the film on all four sides of the frame.
Some of the better scanners use a fluid between the glasses, to hold the film perfectly flat and with out rings.
All in all film holder for most scanners are the pits.
 
Was watching a tutorial on fine art printing a few days ago, and the way this fella preps his negs for scanning is interesting. Timestamped to the important bit, but the whole video is interesting - especially where he has a moan about how long it takes him to fix dust...

(Edit - you need to click the link to get the timestamp bit... or fast forward to 2:50. His video on the Anza-Borrego Desert shows very similar similar process with a large pano neg)

View: https://youtu.be/fyzhdlpSgvI?t=2m50s
 
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that was interesting, i liked his idea of just sticking the negs to a sheet of ground glass. Might try that myself. Im finding my 6x6 negs are drying really bent these days and dont sit in the holders well at all!
 
I stuck my 6x6 negatives to the top side (to allow for the scanners' focusing distance) of a sheet of plain glass to scan before I got the proper holder. The only issue was the risk of newton rings but I only had a few results that I had to re-scan. I'd imagine the ground glass will work better as the surface isn't smooth.
 
I reckon that with a bit of judicious fixalating one of my original holders could be fixed to a piece of ground glass to save having to stick the negs down each time... of course I am on very strong ant-cold medication so this may not be possible. :D



Right, I've thought about it and its stoopid... forget I spoke. o_O
 
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Andysnap said:
I reckon that with a bit of judicious fixalating one of my original holders could be fixed to a piece of ground glass to save having to stick the negs down each time... of course I am on very strong ant-cold medication so this may not be possible. :D



Right, I've thought about it and its stoopid... forget I spoke. o_O
Click to expand...

without some broccoli sandwiched in between yer judicious and fixilation, that ain't gonna work


on a less serious note.....:)......I remember the York Minster ceiling scan was done on a 4990 flatbed, the newton ring thing was one of numerous things that boiled my blood about flatbeds and I never used it or them again.
The Minolta I use(d) currently, has a holder for 6x6-6x9 that sandwiches the neg between two pieces of anti-newton glass......actually anti-newton plastic but it serves the same purpose.
The 35mm carrier has no glass, but it is designed to pinch the edges of the film and slightly tension it pulling out some of the bowing.
I suppose good design is expected in a machine dedicated to scanning one medium, I don't think the same amount of thought goes in to flatbed carriers.
 
I've got a project for that Stevie

trying to pick a gap in his schedule from the post on here..........before I drop it on him...:cautious:

he aint got time for 3d neg carriers




mmmuuhahahaaaaaaaaaaa
 
What's the project @joxby, I'm intrigued! I decided against bidding on Kiev 4 tonight that I've already planned the re-paint on so I might be able to fit it in (around finishing the InsTLR back, lasercut LF system and laying a new floor!)
 
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