Mistery with 4x5 negative

[Lourdes Delgado]

It was one of those days. I loaded the two sheets backwards (notches on the left instead of the right upper corner). I went and I took the pictures: two picture s of the same. Come back home. Close myself in the darkromm and realize the mist ake. Anyway I developed them. One negative came up ok but underexposed (I can no t tell for sure if it was because of the initial mistake or because of one of th ose days also exposing) the other (and here the big mistery) came up like a flag : the first one third with image, the midle band totally transparent and the las t third with image again. Can anybody gave me an explanation of what had happenn ed?

Thank you very much.

Lourdes Delgado

[Andrew McPhee]

Hi Lourdes,

How did you develop the sheets? In a tray or a drum? Did you develop them together or separately?

Are the edges of the blank area sharp or fuzzy? Is there any detail at all visible in the blank area?

Could it have been caused by the two sheets of film sticking together in the developer do you think?

Just a thought... Andrew

[Doug Paramore]

It could possibly be uneven anti-reflection coating on the back of the film. Just guessing without knowing a lot of the facts.

Regards,

[David Vickery]

Hello, First, I would like to say that you should change the way that you load your film holders. Every book that I have and a lot of instructors that I've talked to say to load the holders in the way that you are currently doing it. But if you simply turn the film around and load with the notch code at the lower left corner you can check the film every time you load, with your left thumb. You never have to worry if you got the film in upside down, you can also check the notch code later on to verify what kind of film is in the holder, and it is easier to load-the notches don't catch on anything. The film exposure---Ditto the uneven antihalation layer. But that doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with the film. You should expect underexposure when exposing through the antihalation layer. Good luck.

[Lourdes Delgado]

Hello. Thanks for trying to help me.

More info (I hope it helps: 1)It was the first time that it happened to me. Normally I check and I check and sometimes I check again that the notches are on the right side. But it was one of those days...

2)I developed them with the TBZS tubes. You put one negative for tube.

3)Are the edges of the blank area sharp or fuzzy? Sharp.

4)Is there any detai at all visible in the blank area? No.

Thanks again.

Lourdes

[adam friedberg]

david,

the loading method you describe is the same as the book/instructor taught method. you are just positionong the holder with the flap toward you rather than away from you as you load.