You wouldn't get sprocket marks unless they messed up, they should replace your film (the limit of their liability) and you should use a better lab.
You wouldn't get sprocket marks unless they messed up, they should replace your film (the limit of their liability) and you should use a better lab.
Yes the sprocket marks are a clear indication that the film processing was out of control. Which also could account for the magenta shift in overall color and the brownish stains emanating from the edge of some of the films. Overall contrast is too low.
Can't analyze the actual fault but un-replenshed chemistry and temperature control are good possibilities.
The best way to nail the precision and repeatability of a processing house is to include a couple of test images with each batch of film. I shoot a step wedge and piece of grey card against a clean white towel with fresh film. The step wedge is at the film plane in the camera. Use full sun for proper color balance. This forms a record of meter calibration as well as processing integrity. Yes - it's a colossal PITA but worth it for valuable color images. Yes I should do it every time when out sourcing development - but don't always.
Nate Potter, Austin TX.
Do you see the sprocket hole marks on the film itself? I've seen similar marks on 35mm negatives scanned on an Epson flatbed (10000XL) when not using the negative masks (trying to make "contacts") but just placing to film on the glass. The negatives were actually fine, the marks were flare in the scanning. Inspect the film with a loupe on a lightbox. Without a proper mask on your scanner it will be difficult to get the color or contrast right.
Gilbert
www.gilbertplantinga.com
I'm wondering what is a 'step wedge'. Is it a pie shaped disk that has half-step wedges like neutral density filters?Originally Posted by Nathan Potter
I don't see sprocket hole fogging. I see fogging or other damage throughout the film.
This first image is obviously over agitation.Blah. Very dissapointed.
Sent 12 rolls of film to someone highly recomended on the forums here. I've been scanning and maybe 60% of the negatives are obviously screwed up and most of them are screwed up to some extent.
I just want to make sure it's not something that I'm doing before I talk to the guy.
Film is Portra 400. Shot on a Leica and a Mamiya C330, both CLA'd recently. I know this is not specifically an LF question but in this case I don't think the camera is that relevant.
On the MF there is a brown border around the frame of the picture. There are some weird color casts in the whites (clouds). In general the colors are not particularly vibrant (I'll let that slide, I'm more worried about the rest of it).
On the 35mm, you can see the sprocket hole stains on any picture that has light areas near the border. It's pretty obvious.
I've never had color film developed by a pro lab before, but I can't think of anything I could have done in the camera that would make this happen. Open to suggestions.
Looks like over agitation and maybe effed up chemicals to me?
Actually, on the big monitor I do see a little sprocket hole fogging.
for the record I do not use a mask when scanning on an Epson 4870. I use the better scanning glass holder and tape the film to the glass. I just never got around to making the masks.
I have seen sprocket hole marks on film in the past, but I think it was due to my poor developing (B&W).
I'm pretty sure this is not due to the lack of the masks. Any thoughts? I can retry scanning some of it.
Look at the original film with a loupe and tell us what you see
Over agitation is the problem. The Increased density at the edges and sprocket marks are a dead give away. Gas burst agitation too high or too vigorous agitation if dip and dunk.
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