Hey folks,

I've noticed scratching and peeling on some 4x5 sheets of film I've developed during the last few sessions. Basic details:

  • Scratches and peeling never appear on the emulsion. It's always on the opposite side.
  • It doesn't matter what developing reel I use. I've seen similar patterns using multiple types.
  • I've seen it on B&W negatives and E6 slides.
  • I've been doing manual inversion (by hand).
  • It doesn't happen every single time. Just often enough to keep me guessing.


Here are a few examples:

https://imgur.com/a/3Kbsi2K

I can only think of two possibilities.

  1. I'm agitating the film too hard, so the negative moves around too much, regardless of the reel type. That would be weird because this is a recent problem, not a long-term one. Am I growing stronger?
  2. My film is damaged. I bought it all in bulk a few years ago and refrigerated it. Everything is 2-3 years "expired."


Have any of you already worked through a similar problem? Do the scratches and peeling look familiar to you? I'm trying to solve this mystery without spending too much on fresh film and chemistry. I have a shoot coming up.