What went wrong?

desf

desf

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Des
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Got a couple of films and scans back from Filmdev and there are certainly some issues with the colour one.

It is Portra 160 and there was a long time between the first pic taken in Assynt and the rest in Donegal. There was also a few months between taking the last few pics and the development.

Not sure if it a light leak in the Hasselblad back or bad storage by me before sending them off.

000031320001 by D*s, on Flickr

000031320002 by D*s, on Flickr

000031320008 by D*s, on Flickr
 
I can"t relate to portra film, however I have experienced quite rapid deterioration with Rollei b&w film ( i forget which one!) that had some frames exposed, stored for a few months in camera before finishing the roll.
The initial frames were completely stuffed where the emulsion had effectivly "mottled"
The latter frames were OK ish.

If you find no definitive issue with the camera ( simply by running a roll of fresh tilm through it and deving without delay) then I would put your results down to nothing more than emulsion deterioration.
 
Thanks Asha.

Yes, I need to do some experimentation but the first frame, which was in the camera longest seems fine.

I have too many cameras (for me) so I'm selling some off to get a quicker through put of films.
 
desf said:
the first frame, which was in the camera longest seems fine.
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Umm a tad strange.
I'd be itching to get a roll through the kit asap to rule out camera issue.
If that ( hopefully) is all ok and the lab is unlikely to be the problem, then it only really leaves the film.
 
Asha said:
Umm a tad strange.
I'd be itching to get a roll through the kit asap to rule out camera issue.
If that ( hopefully) is all ok and the lab is unlikely to be the problem, then it only really leaves the film.
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Indeed. I don't think it has anything to do to with the lab. It's me or the camera.
 
when you say poor storage, do you mean that you left the roll of exposed film on a worktop/car dashboard in full sunlight for a couple of days ???

because in the latter frames, you can clearly see the backing paper lettering (KODAK and the frame number 9) "printing through" on the film...

take the roll out of the camera, make sure it's tightly rolled, seal it with the paper strip (I used to carry a 35mm canister of small rubber bands that were good for holding the paper tight as well - indeed, if I was shooting multiple rolls I'd even put the exposed film into the mylar "bag" that the next roll came out of, and again rubber band it...)

but most of all, get the roll into your pocket or camera bag asap, and into the soup as soon as possible after exposure. Or, you'll forget, and leave it on the dashboard/worktop and get the same problems again...
 
The film was put in to a dark inner pocket of the camera bag asap and also in the packaging of the replacement film. But it was in the film back for a few months prior to development.

Definitely not exposed to excess light but there was a excessive delay in processing which was my fault.
 
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desf said:
Could be this. Will do some more reading.
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I may be completely wrong about the backing paper being the issue. I had a look through that thread I posted and it looks like the backing paper usually causes an increase in density in the negative, so light coloured text in the print. The opposite of what you’re seeing.

Your dark text means the negative has been under exposed in those areas or subjected to a chemical process that inhibited complete development.
 
Could the film have got damp (condensation from bringing a cold camera into a warm house, etc?).
 
Mr Badger said:
Could the film have got damp (condensation from bringing a cold camera into a warm house, etc?).
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I guess this is a possibility.

I may ask Filmdev if they have seen anything like it before.
 
desf said:
I guess this is a possibility.

I may ask Filmdev if they have seen anything like it before.
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I was just thinking what might have encouraged ink to transfer onto the film, and that mottling looks like the sort of effect you might get if you peeled damp paper off glass.
 
Mr Badger said:
I was just thinking what might have encouraged ink to transfer onto the film, and that mottling looks like the sort of effect you might get if you peeled damp paper off glass.
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Agreed, it was one of my first thoughts on seeing the scans. I don't recall getting the film damp but condensation is a possibility I guess.
 
desf said:
Agreed, it was one of my first thoughts on seeing the scans. I don't recall getting the film damp but condensation is a possibility I guess.
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Interesting to know the answer as I've never come across this with roll film, although I used to do my own dev soon after the shots.
 
desf said:
Agreed, it was one of my first thoughts on seeing the scans. I don't recall getting the film damp but condensation is a possibility I guess.
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Did you freeze it then thaw it quickly by any chance?
 
ChrisR said:
Did you freeze it then thaw it quickly by any chance?
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Nope. It just lay in the camera back (in a camera bag in the house) for a couple of months. Then, after the roll was finished, it was in an internal pocket in the bag for a few weeks.

Very bad practice, I know but I had other things on my mind at the time.
 
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