Strange Flare?

[TroyG]

Hello, gang.

I've been trying to track down the source of an odd flare I've been getting. It is about the same every time but I can't find the cause. I think it's a problem with my calumet 6x7 roll film back. Here are some shots:



Now, here is a shot of one of the last two but on my Polaroid 405 back on FP-3000B

These seem to be devoid of the same kind of problem. It's such an odd effect I can't seem to track it down. This has happened across a few rolls of film. At first I thought it was a strange lens flare so I got a hood for my lens but the problem persists and I've never seen lens flare look quite like that. It only seems to happen when I'm shooting on a sunny day. To me, that eliminates reflections internally because light is being focused inside regardless of outside conditions. I double checked light leaks in the bellows, but if it were that it would be on all my pictures. I don't have a very wide selection of photos since I'm fairly new, but any advice would be appreciated!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Neal Chaves]

Perhaps the film is not being wound tightly on the takeup spool due to inadequate tension or there is something about your technique in unloading and sealing the roll that is causing light leaks on the edges.

[xkaes]

That's a good idea to check, but if the same things happens to all the pictures in the same place, it is NOT lightleak around the paper backing.

It does not look anything like flare or glare to me. It looks like a light leak, but you need to examine the film strip first. Does it occur and all images? Is it in the same place on each image when it shows up? Next, check the flatness of you film holder and the flatness of the camera back with a straight-edge.

Make sure you position the holder snuggly into the camera back and run a test. Take out the darkslide and expose the camera to a LOT of light for severla minutes. DO NOT take a picture, and use the remainder of the roll normally. Process it. Does it show up on the film where a picture was NOT taken? If so, it is a light leak.

[esearing]

that spot on the wall near the fort is cursed.
I had a 90mm lens that worked fine until I visited that spot early one morning. All the images were suddenly way over exposed due to a sticking shutter. I went back with digital and my fully charged battery died.
Every image I have taken from the wall in that area has weird flaws.
Even if I pointed the camera at the Bridge of Lyons.

[Vaughn]

Perhaps the film is not being wound tightly on the takeup spool due to inadequate tension or there is something about your technique in unloading and sealing the roll that is causing light leaks on the edges.

If you have too long of a time between images, the Calumet roll film holder when it bends the film around a roller against the normal curve of the film will put a little 'memory' bend in the film. These bends do not allow the film to roll up tightly on the take-up reel...allowing light to leak in from the ends of the roll of film when you remove the roll.

1) Don't delay too long between shots or 2) unload the holder under your darkcloth or changing bag. Before you bring the exposed roll into the light, tighten it up on the reel, then tape it.

PS...In cases like this, it is best to show the whole negative -- sometimes the fogging of the film's rebate can give hints to light-leak problems.

[xkaes]

Good points, and I would add details on the film.

[TroyG]

Thank you all for the very helpful insight!
As for doing the test with pulling the dark slide but not taking a picture- great idea! Everything adds up to a light leak except the fact that it only seems to happen when I'm using the calumet roll film back.
As for the cursed spot by the fort I must say I agree! It was well into the darkness of night and I had just taken a shot of one of the turrets. I decided to also take a shot of the lighthouse across the water - it needed a hefty 27 minute exposure! At about 22 minutes into the exposure, I realized I hadn't advanced the roll film back! I never do that! And I could've sworn I had. But the darn curse got me!
As for examining negatives- I will! In the process of moving but I might just go unpack my negatives to take a look. Again, thank you for your insight!
Here's the castle shot on Fuji FP-3000b, appearing to lack the flare:

And here's another shot featuring that side circle flare:


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[IanG]

Maybe a light leak on the dark-slide light trap.

Ian

[xkaes]

Another thought -- on my Calumet rollfilm back, if the darkslide is pulled all the way out, light can leak down through the darkslide slot. So take one exposure with the darkslide pulled all the way out and another with the darkslide ALMOST pulled out.

[Vaughn]

That might be it -- the flare does looks like it was made in-camera, rather than while the film was poorly rolled up -- seems the rebate would have seen more fogging if it happened out-of-camera.