Troubleshooting negatives

[Deval]

Hi I need little help troubleshooting a few negatives. They are C41 Kodak Ektar 100. They appear to have a brown stain/black stain upon scanning. Called the lab and they said that they didn't think it was the chemistry. They were suggesting light leak, but it seemed odd given the pattern, but I thought I could get your opinions.


thanks

-Deval

on the other hand It seems I can only attach one...

112575

[ostrygad]

...Ektar was expired ?

[Brian C. Miller]

No way, that's chemical. Expired film never looks like that. At least, none of mine has. Change labs.

BTW, where are you? Nearest hemisphere?

If you're in the U.S., I recommend Praus Productions (http://www.4photolab.com/). Edgar Praus runs a great lab.

[JeRuFo]

Ektar 100 wasn't released in LF until 2010, so it can't have been that expired.

My guess would be to blame the chemistry as well. Mainly because of the weird colors too. Maybe they switched some chemicals? C-41 is pretty hard to do that wrong.
The pattern looks almost a second exposure of OOF trees or something.

[AtlantaTerry]

Chemistry.

[ic-racer]

What does the negative look like?

[Deval]

What does the negative look like?

I sent the negative back to the lab to be rewashed just in case it was a fixer issue which I read can cause "staining"

I use Harmon's lab which has been spot on reliable for negatives for me for a while so I was surprised by this latest batch(not to mention relatively inexpensive at $1.60 for a C41 4x5 negative).
I will pick up the negatives again tomorrow and rescan both as positive and negative. Hopefully whatever turns up may be helpful to others

cheers
-Deval

[AtlantaTerry]

I sent the negative back to the lab to be rewashed just in case it was a fixer issue which I read can cause "staining".

I have to wonder if is a processing step or two before washing. Possibly re-fixing or some other step.

I know the lab won't tell you but I'll bet if your film was messed up so would the sheets of film of other customers. I wonder if there is a way to find out how many others...

[dperez]

I'm having a problem that has occurred in a couple of negatives. I suppose this is uneven development. I've darkened the image to enhance the problem area. This was developed in a unicolor/beseler print drum. Kodak Ektascan B/RA CRT X-Ray film, ISO 80, Pyrocat HD 1:1:100, 10:00 @ 20C, 200ml of solution. Maybe I should increase the amount of solution. Just worried that too much developer could also cause a problem when using drums. Any feedback would be appreciated.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uj2t72zg4rausra/DV015%20%28Problem%29.jpg

112809

[Peter Mounier]

I use a Unicolor drum with 8oz (236ml) of solution. I pour it in quickly then give the drum vigorous rotational agitation for several seconds before placing the drum on the agitator.
Also, give my film a 5 minute prewash using the agitator. How long are your development times?

[dperez]

I do a 2 minute pre-soak in the agitator, development time is 10 minutes for this X-ray film, I use a 1 minute water stop bath, and a 5 minute fix with TF-4. I will try 236ml, I was just concerned that part of the film could be exposed to the developer first. I suppose this will be an easy fix.

Thanks,

-DP


I use a Unicolor drum with 8oz (236ml) of solution. I pour it in quickly then give the drum vigorous rotational agitation for several seconds before placing the drum on the agitator.
Also, give my film a 5 minute prewash using the agitator. How long are your development times?

[Peter Mounier]

I just tried to see how much water sits in the trough while in the horizontal position, without touching the film area of the drum, and 10oz is pretty close to the limit. I rubber-banded a clear plastic wrap on the drum to act as a window, and I was able to put 10oz in the drum before it got close to the rim of the trough. A quick but steady pour minimizes the time that developer might contact the edges of the film, and I figure a second or two of contact doesn't affect the outcome enough to be noticeable. Also, I take the film out of the drum after the development and rinse/fix in trays.

[diablo1990]

nice,loved!
I'm having a problem that has occurred in a couple of negatives. I suppose this is uneven development. I've darkened the image to enhance the problem area. This was developed in a unicolor/beseler print drum. Kodak Ektascan B/RA CRT X-Ray film, ISO 80, Pyrocat HD 1:1:100, 10:00 @ 20C, 200ml of solution. Maybe I should increase the amount of solution. Just worried that too much developer could also cause a problem when using drums. Any feedback would be appreciated.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/uj2t72zg4rausra/DV015%20%28Problem%29.jpg

112809