Uneven Tray Development or Light leak?

[Jim C.]

That's a very interesting shadow on the right side of the image, looks like a person waving,
much less so when it's a positive, but still there. You may have photographed a Druid spirit

You may want to use enlarging paper to check your holders, I'll guess that you probably have some to contact
print that bad boy neg. I did that recently with some holders I bought, either shoot it as a paper neg
or what I did was carry the loaded film holder around and insert and remove
the dark slide, no exposure , develop, and you'll know if the film holder is suspect.
It'll be cheaper than burning a sheet of 16x20 film.

[StoneNYC]

Wow! 16x20 stone henge!! Crazy!

Yea I would be upset at uneven development too, I have no advice but I'll follow with interest.

[Tracy Storer]

ULF is NOT 8x10. It is really necessary to keep a darkcloth over the camera to shield the end of the holder when you withdraw and replace the darkslide. Not generally necessary with 8x10, but it is Standard Operating Procedure for ULF, new holders or not, doesn't matter, it is too long an opening with too little material strength under too little spring pressure to RELIABLY keep the darkslide slot tight. I suggest this for all ULF formats, it is extra work, but when the film is $20 or more per exposure, that's how it is done.
Sometimes it is a good idea to also rotate the back of the camera AWAY from light sources IN ADDITION to shielding with a darkcloth.
Hope the rest of your sheets don't have too many problems.

Thanks for the quick responses. I'll post another photo once the film dries. I always pull the dark slide completely out of the holder before making an exposure. And yes, the holder was definitely fully inserted into the camera. The dark area is where the slot for the dark slide is located. This is FP4+ developed in HC-110. I should also mention I've never had any issues with my 8x10 for 6 years, so it's probably not user error. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't simply uneven development before I waste more film to figure out which holder has the issue.

[sanking]

ULF is NOT 8x10. It is really necessary to keep a darkcloth over the camera to shield the end of the holder when you withdraw and replace the darkslide. Not generally necessary with 8x10, but it is Standard Operating Procedure for ULF, new holders or not, doesn't matter, it is too long an opening with too little material strength under too little spring pressure to RELIABLY keep the darkslide slot tight. I suggest this for all ULF formats, it is extra work, but when the film is $20 or more per exposure, that's how it is done.
Sometimes it is a good idea to also rotate the back of the camera AWAY from light sources IN ADDITION to shielding with a darkcloth.
Hope the rest of your sheets don't have too many problems.

+1.

I was going to add that taking a trip with a new ULF camera and expecting to get good results is the definition of optimism. Did that myself in 2002 with a new 12X20 camera, and exposed some 200+ negatives in Spain. Swiss Air destroyed about half of the negatives, of the remaining half about 40% had light leaks because the holders were not seated correctly in the back. I should have known better since I was fairly experienced with ULF at the time, but a brand new camera inspires an excess of optimism.

Fortunately, I made duplicate shots of most of the scenes, in color, with a Fuji 6X9 cm camera!!

Sandy

[Dignum]

ULF is NOT 8x10. It is really necessary to keep a darkcloth over the camera to shield the end of the holder when you withdraw and replace the darkslide. Not generally necessary with 8x10, but it is Standard Operating Procedure for ULF, new holders or not, doesn't matter, it is too long an opening with too little material strength under too little spring pressure to RELIABLY keep the darkslide slot tight. I suggest this for all ULF formats, it is extra work, but when the film is $20 or more per exposure, that's how it is done.
Sometimes it is a good idea to also rotate the back of the camera AWAY from light sources IN ADDITION to shielding with a darkcloth.
Hope the rest of your sheets don't have too many problems.

Tracy, that's a very good point. I typically do drape the dark cloth over the holders, but I remember being rushed to take this photo and seeing my dark cloth on the ground. Plus, the holders are made of wood and are slighty warped. I feel that we've concluded it being a light leak and nothing to do with developing. Thanks for your thoughts

[Dignum]

+1.

I was going to add that taking a trip with a new ULF camera and expecting to get good results is the definition of optimism. Did that myself in 2002 with a new 12X20 camera, and exposed some 200+ negatives in Spain. Swiss Air destroyed about half of the negatives, of the remaining half about 40% had light leaks because the holders were not seated correctly in the back. I should have known better since I was fairly experienced with ULF at the time, but a brand new camera inspires an excess of optimism.

Fortunately, I made duplicate shots of most of the scenes, in color, with a Fuji 6X9 cm camera!!

Sandy

Sandy, It was definitely a good learning experience. I spent one month in the UK but only exposed 25 sheets. Unfortunately, I did not take any back up shots with another camera. I did take duplicate shots of each composition, just in case something like this happened, but I guess two wasn't enough. How did the airliner ruin your film?

[Willie]

You may want to practice removing dark slides while the holder is in the camera. You may have pulled them out while flexing away from the plane of the back. The suggestion of the dark cloth over the holder makes sense.

[sanking]

Sandy, It was definitely a good learning experience. I spent one month in the UK but only exposed 25 sheets. Unfortunately, I did not take any back up shots with another camera. I did take duplicate shots of each composition, just in case something like this happened, but I guess two wasn't enough. How did the airliner ruin your film?

The loss of the film was odd. I had a special suitcase for the film that I planned to carry on board, but for some reason I don't recall the airline insisted that it be checked. First bad sign was that the film bag did not arrive with my other luggage when I made it back to the US. Second problem was when the bag was delivered to my home. I saw the courier get out of his vehicle with my luggage in a heavy plastic bag. Then, as I watched him walk to the door, I noticed that two or three of the five film boxes in the bag had film sticking out, and about 100 sheets was fogged. Very bad moment for me!!

Sandy

[StoneNYC]

The loss of the film was odd. I had a special suitcase for the film that I planned to carry on board, but for some reason I don't recall the airline insisted that it be checked. First bad sign was that the film bag did not arrive with my other luggage when I made it back to the US. Second problem was when the bag was delivered to my home. I saw the courier get out of his vehicle with my luggage in a heavy plastic bag. Then, as I watched him walk to the door, I noticed that two or three of the five film boxes in the bag had film sticking out, and about 100 sheets was fogged. Very bad moment for me!!

Sandy

Wow that's crazy! I would certainly have attempted to sue for the cost of the trip, that's insanely bad handling of things on their part, if nothing else you should have gotten a free flight to go again.

About your holders, I really like the light traps and they seem just fine with multiple contact points over the whole slit, so do you suggest even with your new holders that a dark cloth is used to cover?

I bow to your knowledge and brilliance

[sanking]

Stone,

I would never remove a dark slide and expose a sheet of ULF camera, with any film or holder, without a dark cloth over the holder. In fact, I would never remove the dark slide and expose a sheet of film without a dark cloth over the holder with any view camera and holder, but for ULF I consider it insane. Too many possible sources of light, through pinholes in the bellows, sorry fitting back, lens board fitting, leaky holders and holders that don't fit well. Light is your friend, but also your enemy.

Also, keep your loaded holders in the dark (in black plastic bags) whenever possible, and only remove the bags to insert the holder in the camera and make the exposure. So many things can go wrong to cause film fogs I consider this necessary practice, not just good practice. You know the song, "wherever you have played before, ULF is a whole new game."

Swiss Air went bankrupt shortly after my trip and I got nothing from them.

My knowledge of the practice of ULF was earned through a lot of practical experience from the "University of Hard Knocks." Unfortunately, everyone has to go through that portal.

Sandy