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dbramley
5-Jul-2008, 22:55
What is the norm for clip marks on E-6 processing? I got some film back from a new lab and the clip marks were 1/4 inch down from the edge into a most beautiful sky. Would everyone or anyone consider this ok?

Thanks,
Dan

Mick Fagan
6-Jul-2008, 03:51
You have to remember that the person who clipped your film, did so in complete darkness, and, to ensure that the film didn't drop onto the floor, would have swung the film with one hand into the held open clip by the other hand, until they felt the end of the clip inner being hit by your sheet of film.

The clips and frames I have used, 4 per 4x5 sheet, enable a film to be held centrally, more or less, but there has to be a bit of leeway, otherwise you may find film dropping onto a floor or bench or table, not too bad a problem, or dropping into one of the baths, a really bad problem.

Rotary and tray processing are usually the ways you develop sheet film without any clip marks whatsoever.

So 6mm in, give or take, is reasonably good I would say.

Mick.

phil sweeney
6-Jul-2008, 05:25
I have seen clip marks from some labs. My lab does not!

Frank Petronio
6-Jul-2008, 07:00
Better the film is held securely than it slipping off... Photoshop to the rescue.

Ron Marshall
6-Jul-2008, 07:07
The lab that I previously used consistently clipped within the image area. The current lab is much better.

BrianShaw
6-Jul-2008, 07:10
The lab that I previously used consistently clipped within the image area.

Mine too, so I frame so that I never need that quarter inch. :D

ljsegil
6-Jul-2008, 08:38
So which labs leave no clip marks? No secrets, guys! (hint, mine does).
LJS

Alan Davenport
6-Jul-2008, 08:57
Clip marks are the norm. The fact that the marks are often well into the image area is the fault of the engineers and manufacturers who designed and built the processing machines, NOT the lab technicians. You're talking to the hand....

dbramley
6-Jul-2008, 16:18
Thanks for the information. It sounds like clip marks are just something that needs to be delt with. Thanks for everyones input.

Dan

Mark Sampson
7-Jul-2008, 08:13
Clip marks are the signature of dip'n'dunk processers- the most common type. The alternative would be a lab which uses a roller-transport machine; those are less popular due to the risk of scratching film. There are tradeoffs everywhere...

Gene McCluney
7-Jul-2008, 08:25
I use stainless steel film hangers for my sheet film processing (4x5, 5x7, 8x10), and these hangers do not produce "clip" marks. The only clip mark I get is from hanging up the sheets to dry, but I am careful where I clip the sheet. Film hangers are also for "dip-n-dunk" processing, but normally are used manually for this. The "style" of processing that uses clips to hold the film is in automatic dip-n-dunk processing machines.

adrian tyler
7-Jul-2008, 12:05
depends on how much dough you got too, at least when developing film was good business. ever seen an avedon photo with less than perfectly aligned clipmarks?

windpointphoto
7-Jul-2008, 12:39
So what are recommended labs. I use Praus Productions with good results.
http://www.4photolab.com/Pages/price_film.html

dbramley
9-Jul-2008, 20:41
My problem was I used a local lab and all clip marks over thousands of sheets were all with in a couple of millimeters of the edge and the marks were parallel with the long axis of the film. Lab A sold its processing to lab B. Now clip marks are atleast 1/4 inch into film area and are now parallel to short axis. It was quite a shock.

Dan

phil sweeney
10-Jul-2008, 01:44
In Baltimore: B\L Photo 410-727-6942, 916 N Charles Street. No marks ever of any kind. Top notch outfit. When I only want to do a couple I just give them the holder to minimize handling. I have used these folks since about 1999.

I have not used United Photo in a while (Beltsville) and I do not remember any marks with them.

Frank Petronio
10-Jul-2008, 06:00
Even Edgar leaves clip marks, but I actually incorporate them into the fake film frames I print with.

But, back in the ancient times when I had to deliver clients chromes, I never put anything important right on the edges of the film so that it would ever matter. Not only do clip marks happen, but drum scanner mounters use tape, idiots leave fingerprints, it can fog slightly in the holder, it can be unevenly developed along the edges.... all kinds of depravations happen along the edges of your transparencies....

Clay Turtle
27-Jul-2008, 04:26
Clip marks are the signature of dip'n'dunk processers- the most common type. The alternative would be a lab which uses a roller-transport machine; those are less popular due to the risk of scratching film. There are tradeoffs everywhere...Don't you have that backwards? I used to use a lab that did dip&dunk with little or no teeth marks in the film but they no longer use that method & they as well as every other lab I have used do come back with alligator teeth marks.
You might mention it to the lab, I got better results by doing so with one company but expect that it will not solve the problem as dip & dunk was used extensively for large batch & large format processing. Best way not to have these marks is to process your own film, either in a tray or daylight tank.