Another film developing mystery...

[Jehu]

I loaded several sheets of Tmax 400 at the same time. I went to shoot the Union Pacific 844 Locomotive. I ran out of Tmax 100 so I started using the 400. I shot four sheets of it. Two of them turned out. One of them was completely blank. Another has an extremely faint image. Not even the film markings. I developed them in the same batch. If it was a problem in the field, I should see the film type shouldn't I?

What could this be?

[Gem Singer]

I'm assuming that all four sheets of T-Max 400 were from the same film batch and were developed for the same amount of time, in the same developer solution.

Since two sheets turned out and two sheets were blank or extremely underexposed, it was probably operator error. Forgetting to pull the dark slide or cock the shutter, shutter speed set too fast, aperture accidentally closed down too far, etc.

Don't feel like the lone ranger. Happens to the best of us.

[David Karp]

Yeah, my best move is to pull the darkslide with the preview lever still open.

[Blumine]

Yeah, my best move is to pull the darkslide with the preview lever still open.

That sounds way to familar. It is really annoying when you are down to your last sheet of film (this was this morning)

Blumine

[Ash]

I did that the other day somehow. Fogged sheet.

Usually I just underdevelop my negs

[Doremus Scudder]

Film loaded emulsion-side down? That would account for the faint image. See if your faint image is reversed. If so, then the film was emulsion-side down in the holder.

Great thing about mistakes like this is that they give you an opportunity to improve your technique. Once you figure out what the cause was, you can implement a way to eliminate it.

Best,

Doremus Scudder

[Bruce Barlow]

Richard Ritter and I are great fans of the Shutter Ritual. Practice getting ready to make the exposure - close the shutter, set the aperture, set the shutter speed, cock the shutter, fire the shutter, recock the shutter. Watch the NBA playoffs with a lens in your lap and a beer on the side table and do it exactly the same way 100 times. In the field, you'll remember it as almost a ritual. Maybe a short bow each time first...

Firing the shutter as part of the ritual lets you hear the shutter speed (a reassurance that it's close to what you want), and firing it ensures that it's actually closed.

The whole thing is one of those mechanical habits that pays its way. Especially with 8x10 film (pricey, isn't it?).

After you've practiced it 100 times, most of the time you'll remember to do it in the field. Most of the time. I speak from experience about "most," and cannot say "all."

Good luck, where luck favors the prepared.

[Thalmees]

hi all
hi Jehu

I loaded several sheets of Tmax 400 at the same time. I went to shoot the Union Pacific 844 Locomotive. I ran out of Tmax 100 so I started using the 400. I shot four sheets of it. Two of them turned out. One of them was completely blank. Another has an extremely faint image. Not even the film markings. I developed them in the same batch. If it was a problem in the field, I should see the film type shouldn't I?\
What could this be?

What I understood is that two sheets(out of four) still not developed.
Regardless of that, since no or weak film markings, I agree with you Jehu that you may have to check your developer. although I consider suggestions of other members above.
Good Luck

[Jehu]

My first thought was field error. If that were so, there would be "kodak tmy..." imprinted along the edge of the film. There's probably a term for that text but I'm new to this so I don't know it. It couldn't have been field error.

The developer couldn't have been the problem. I mixed it for all four sheets in one batch and dispensed it into the four caps. I use sort of a home-made BTZ tube system that has NEVER failed me.

I've been thinking about this a lot since it happened yesterday. I'm about convinced that there must've been two bad sheets of film in the pack. Perhaps the end of a run? One with extremely faint image and one with no image. The ironic thing is that this is the first time since I started LF last year that I actually bought non-expired film.