View Camera Problems

[Nathan Potter]

Sounds as if your digital results were far superior to your LF results. Maybe you need to reconsider the transition to large format.

There is such a proliferation of catastrophe showing in the image above it is difficult to tell where to start. Three faults strike me right off. Right hand side shows irregular over exposure; nasty orange overcast masking a weak image and a fine line vertically bisecting the left hand side of the image. Assuming these are all on the chrome and not artifacts of scanning then we look for errors in all the image making tasks or the development process. You must shake down this whole process.

As suggested use B&W film to troubleshoot.

Check the light tightness of the bellows. Make sure the lens board and lens is light tight.

Practice loading a sheet of film in the holder in the light. Then close your eyes and practice loading. Get the emulsion side facing the darkslide.

Load actual B&W film in a totally dark area. Be careful to not accidentally expose the film when the box is open.

When exposing in the camera don't remove the dark slide all the way out of the holder. Make sure the holder sits flat against the back standard. When sliding the darkside out absolutely do not inadvertently lift the holder away from the rear standard.

Send your B&W film off to a good developing house. This eliminates any processing errors by you.

Finally return to the color chrome film but still use a good developing house for processing.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Stefan Findel]

And make sure the film is boxed properly on its way from your darkroom to the lab.
Additional scans of your films might help us to figure this out.

[Doug Dolde]

I thought for sure you were talking about the magazine again

[William McEwen]

Sounds as if your digital results were far superior to your LF results. Maybe you need to reconsider the transition to large format.

There is such a proliferation of catastrophe showing in the image above it is difficult to tell where to start. Three faults strike me right off. Right hand side shows irregular over exposure; nasty orange overcast masking a weak image and a fine line vertically bisecting the left hand side of the image. Assuming these are all on the chrome and not artifacts of scanning then we look for errors in all the image making tasks or the development process. You must shake down this whole process.

As suggested use B&W film to troubleshoot.

Check the light tightness of the bellows. Make sure the lens board and lens is light tight.

Practice loading a sheet of film in the holder in the light. Then close your eyes and practice loading. Get the emulsion side facing the darkslide.

Load actual B&W film in a totally dark area. Be careful to not accidentally expose the film when the box is open.

When exposing in the camera don't remove the dark slide all the way out of the holder. Make sure the holder sits flat against the back standard. When sliding the darkside out absolutely do not inadvertently lift the holder away from the rear standard.

Send your B&W film off to a good developing house. This eliminates any processing errors by you.

Finally return to the color chrome film but still use a good developing house for processing.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

Proliferation of catastrophe... LOVE it!