Film Batch Issue?

[alanmcd]

I've posted elsewhere an issue I thought related to a leak in my camera back. A possible gap in the corner of the felt which the film holders sit on when inserted. The film was overexposed in the notch corner. I've done another batch of film today after fiddling with the felt a little but I also left my dark cloth over the camera during the time I removed the dark slide.

I just wondered if this issue was a bad batch of film. Has anyone found this happen? Is it not so rare that I should consider it? Or so rare that I should keep chasing a hardware issue.

Alan

[koraks]

Depends a bit on the brand of film (some do their QC better than others), but in the vast majority of cases, the cause of issues like these are not with the manufacturer. I'd definitely keep chasing the hardware issue. As a control, develop a sheet that's not been exposed or otherwise passed through your camera to exclude any issues related with the camera (even then, it could still be faulty packaging, storage, or a light leak that occurred while loading the film).

But for completeness' sake, what film are you using and what batch/production numbers or use-by dates are mentioned?

[alanmcd]

Depends a bit on the brand of film (some do their QC better than others), but in the vast majority of cases, the cause of issues like these are not with the manufacturer. I'd definitely keep chasing the hardware issue. As a control, develop a sheet that's not been exposed or otherwise passed through your camera to exclude any issues related with the camera (even then, it could still be faulty packaging, storage, or a light leak that occurred while loading the film).

But for completeness' sake, what film are you using and what batch/production numbers or use-by dates are mentioned?

It's Ilford HP5Plus 400. Expiry SEP 2016
CAT: 162 9172 - 09AHK1C02/05-6
Unfortunately I persevered and used all 25 sheets. All had the same issue. I though it was development at first. Ruled that out. Then I thought film holder but all five holders in exactly the same way? not likely. Then I found a gap in the felt. I sort of fixed it by re-cutting the edge and rejoining the corner. I've done all the light tests I can and can't detect a leak but since I didn't test it before I tried th e fix I don't know if I fixed it or it wasn't the problem at all. They are sending me a new strip of felt but I suppose I'll just have to take a couple of shots without the dark cloth over the camera. And I won't know if it was the film batch, or my repair....
Alan

[alanmcd]

Depends a bit on the brand of film (some do their QC better than others), but in the vast majority of cases, the cause of issues like these are not with the manufacturer. I'd definitely keep chasing the hardware issue. As a control, develop a sheet that's not been exposed or otherwise passed through your camera to exclude any issues related with the camera (even then, it could still be faulty packaging, storage, or a light leak that occurred while loading the film).

But for completeness' sake, what film are you using and what batch/production numbers or use-by dates are mentioned?

It had to be either the film. Or during the time the dark slide was out of the holder. Otherwise the exposure would have been far worse than it was. Just annoying.
Alan

[vinny]

Next time, take a sheet from the box and process it.
There's a 99.9% chance the film is not at fault.

[alanmcd]

Next time, take a sheet from the box and process it.
There's a 99.9% chance the film is not at fault.

OK - that's the comfort I needed.. I'll keep the hardware issue alive.
Alan

[Tobias Key]

Could you have accidentally exposed the whole box while loading your film holders?

In my experience it is almost certainly a camera issue, try shining a torch inside the camera in a darkened room. That's the test that has always worked for me.

[alanmcd]

Could you have accidentally exposed the whole box while loading your film holders?

In my experience it is almost certainly a camera issue, try shining a torch inside the camera in a darkened room. That's the test that has always worked for me.

I don't know how I'd do that (expose the whole box). It's such a small exposure from the corner of the film. I'd have to have pulled the whole manila folder of film out, held it really tightly, then poked it into the light and flicked the stack quickly like a pack of cards on the corner. That's what it's like.

I've done the torch test now but only after I redressed the felt.
Alan

PS - torch? you can't be from the US right? Otherwise it would be flashlight....

[koraks]

Bellows are light tight and seated firmly on all corners?

[alanmcd]

Bellows are light tight and seated firmly on all corners?

Yep, I'm pretty sure this is a development issue now. I'll start a new thread.