Newbie at wits end.

[ROL]

When I first started getting into LF someone here was kind enough to send me some film boxes that I could use to send my stuff to the lab and I really appreciated that.

Light Proof Triple Boxes

Wit's end... you're certainly in the right place.

[rdenney]

Did you check to see if the light leak extends into the edge area that would normally be protected by the slot on the holder?

I'm not getting how this could be pulling the back away from the camera by accident. It sounds too consistent for that. And that would fog the middle of the image, not around the edges, especially if those edges are protected by the film holder.

I'm thinking the stack of film got exposed to light, either before it was put into the box, while it was in the box, or while it was being taken out at the lab. If so, the evidence of light leakage would extend all the way to the edge of the film, not just to the edge of the frame.

If the damage is around the edge but not in the part hidden by the holder, then I might be stumped.

Rick "wondering if your local post office uses X-ray scanning" Denney

[MIke Sherck]

If you haven't solved this beforehand, the next time you're getting ready to pack up some film for processing include one unexposed sheet that was loaded into a film holder and a second unexposed sheet straight from the box. And always pack film you're sending for processing back into the bag it came in, inside the triple box. A simple precaution but every little bit helps!

Mike

[Super8]

Did you check to see if the light leak extends into the edge area that would normally be protected by the slot on the holder?

it does extend into that area, but only in places. mostly i can see the outline of the slot. so this means the film is loaded correctly into the holder, right?

[rdenney]

it does extend into that area, but only in places. mostly i can see the outline of the slot. so this means the film is loaded correctly into the holder, right?

It wasn't an issue of whether the film was loaded correctly, but rather whether the trouble occurred when the film was in the holder or somewhere else. Your description makes me want to see it--I'm imagining a couple of possibilities.

Is the effect of the light leak strongest at the very edge and then fading towards the middle? Or is it strongest somewhere in the middle and fading towards the edge? "Strongest" means densest. If it's the former, then I still suspect the trouble occurred with the film outside the holder--the exposure of the image might still have produced a visible edge of the holder.

But if the frame opening of the holder is visible even on an unexposed frame (or the unexposed portion of a frame, if you have such), then I'll bet that it fades as it nears the edge of the film. That would tell me that the light leak was strong, and halation carried it into that hidden edge area.

Rick "making a down payment on the thousand words that a picture would replace" Denney

[Darin Boville]

Do you have a cell phone camera? Anything/ A picture would really, really help!

--Darin

[Super8]

I'm having trouble getting my digital camera to sync up to the computer. I'm embarrassed to ask this but if someone in the know PM'd me their address I could send a contact sheet

[Joseph Dickerson]

Does the lab that does your processing offer scanning services? Maybe they could scan one or two of the problem negs and burn them to a CD for you.

JD

[cowanw]

It is often useful if you fill in where you are in your profile.

[Jim Michael]

The problem occurring suddenly after a number of good negs might point to the film box in which the film is stored prior to use has been opened resulting in edge fog.