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.
- 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?
- 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.
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