Banding on negatives

[Harley Goldman]

On some of my negatives, at the top of a portrait oriented image, I am getting some horizontal banding (or on the side of a horizontal oriented image). The film is both Delta 100 and Acros. I am processing with Rollo Pyro in a Jobo 3010 and hang drying with clips in Jobo clips in one corner.

Any idea what might be causing this?

I have included a sample. I increased the contrast in the sky to make the problem more apparent.

Thanks.

http://www.harleygoldman.com/images/large/Test.jpg

[Doremus Scudder]

I'd put my money on reflections from one of the beveled edges of your film holder. I get these too from time to time. A bit of fine sandpaper or a light spray of flat black paint often solves the problem.

Best,

Doremus

[Daniel Stone]

I concur with Doremus

[ic-racer]

Can you show the whole negative? Is that the end toward the flap? I suspect you had your camera back oriented so the film holder comes in from the top, yes?


What exactly is the problem. There is a white area in the middle and 3 dark lines.

[Harley Goldman]

Thanks for the input so far.

ic-racer, yes, the camera back is oriented so the dark slide is pulled straight up. With the upside down orientation of the image, this would be at the flap end of the holder, opposite of where the dark slide is pulled. The problem is the 3 dark lines and the white area.

[Peter Yeti]

If it was reflections from the film holder, I'd think the lines should be lighter than the surrounding negative, not darker. Right?

[Old-N-Feeble]

I don't think this has anything to do with the film holder but, rather, something in the processing. As Peter suggests, the lines would be lighter if there was a film holder light leak. They certainly would not be darker. Or... perhaps there's a manufacturing anomaly on the film?

[cdholden]

Try tray processing if you have the trays and space to do so.
If the lines run the length of the Jobo, it may be caused by something to do with the tank/ridges/clips during processing (depending on which tank you use).

[Harley Goldman]

Interestingly, the end that is showing the issues is the end that is up in the Jobo 3010, with plenty of flow over it. I am having the issue with both Ilford and Fuji films, so that eliminates film stock. The lines are perpendicular to the sliding in and out of the drum, so it cannot be scratching from loading the drum. I make sure each sheet is locked in its slot before putting the lid on and they are still locked in their slots when I am done processing. This one has me scratching my head.

[Fred L]

It still could be leaks or reflections. What appears to be darker lines may only appear to be darker because it's located next to lighter lines.

Same principle for example as putting an 18% grey patch in the centre of a larger white sq and a black sq. They will appear different but in fact are still the same, the black or white background affects our perception. Possibly the same thing is going on here ?

[Old-N-Feeble]

Fred,

Use your browser's zoom feature to take a closer look... I did. Those lines are definitely dark and the areas in between the lines match the adjacent image intensity.

Mike

ETA: I'm beginning to wonder if the dark lines and the bright spot are two unrelated events.

OP: Do all your films have both the bright spot and the dark lines? Do analog prints have the same anomalies as your scans?

[Fred L]

can't seem to get it to zoom. well it was a theory ;)

[Old-N-Feeble]

And a good theory it is. The human eye is quite easily fooled just as you stated. In this case though... it just ain's so. :)

[Ken Lee]

The lines do not appear at the extreme right or left of the negative. In fact, the lines appear to be "centered" with respect to the film. That must mean something.

Do all the negatives, and all brands of film, have a white spot in the same place ? If that's the case, then perhaps there is a leak in the bellows or your film holder isn't seated properly.

Does this happen with every film holder, or only a few (older ones) ?

[Harley Goldman]

I have only noticed the bright/white area on this negative, so it could be an anomaly. The stripes I have seen on several negatives from different batches. But certainly not all. Most are fine. That seems to suggest a holder?? I have the last batch of five holders set aside. I will run some test negatives and see if I can isolate it.

I am certainly open to other suggestions. All the help so far is most appreciated!!

[Old-N-Feeble]

Removing the bright spot, which seems to be a one-time event, from the equation then we can concentrate on the dark lines. BTW, did anyone else notice that the lines are...

1. Well centered?
2. Evenly spaced?
3. Diminishing in length from the outside to inside?

Looks like a find-able pattern to me. :)