First 4x5's - light streaks - help diagnose pls

[rtsizemore]

I just exposed my first ten 4x5's and EVERY one of the negatives had a light streak down along one side. The streaks are SIMILAR but not exactly the same. I’m guessing it was my sloppy manner of either inserting or removing the light shield from the film holder? Thoughts / ideas certainly welcome!! I've attached 3 examples.
Thanks
Tom

[Gem Singer]

I appears as though your film holders are not seating properly into the back of the camera. A common cause of that type of light leak.

[Glenn Thoreson]

I tend to agree but it could be one of several other factors, too. Lifting the holder a little while pulling/inserting the slide? Inserting the slide at an angle (poking a corner in first)? Bad light trap seals? Try covering the back of the camera with the dark cloth when pulling/inserting the slide and see if that helps.

[Lachlan 717]

Are all of the sheets of film shown here from the same box? You could have exposed one end of all of the sheets in the box.

[rtsizemore]

Thanks everyone. My 'gut' something to do with my 'technique' (or lack thereof...). The film box was not opened in the light. And, I reasoned that if the box HAD been opened at the processors, it would expose one of the sheets more (unless the 10 sheets were shuffled like cards).

Tom

[Diane Maher]

Do you have a bail lever on the back of your camera? This is a lever that moves the ground glass up enough to make inserting the holder easier. You might not have pushed the lever back down to close the back of the camera after inserting your holder.

[Gem Singer]

You didn't mention the type and make of the camera and cut film holders you are using.

A little information would help us to make a more accurate diagnosis.

Perhaps there is a mis-match between the camera back and the film holders. Or, perhaps you are using Graflok sliders to hold the film holders against the back, instead of sliding the holder under a spring back.

Perhaps when inserting the film holder, you are not engaging the light baffle lip of the holder into the groove in the camera back.

Lots of probable causes here.

[Steve Hamley]

Are all of the sheets of film shown here from the same box? You could have exposed one end of all of the sheets in the box.

I thought the same thing having actually done it before - but knew I did it - but there's an "unexposed strip on two of them that probably wouldn't exist if you'd accidentally opened the box on the film.

I'm guessing bellows or film holder not seating.

Try setting the camera up in the dark and examining the areas where the bellows attaches to the camera with a flashlight, then seat a film holder, shine a light around the area while you look in through the lensboard opening.

Cheers, Steve

[Nathan Potter]

The flare at the right end is not of consistent geometry from image to image indicating a human failure of some sort. I'd guess, like others above, that it has something to do with the way you pull the darkslide out. You may be inadvertantly lifting the holder up slightly. The unexposed strip abuting the edge of the film was shadowed by the edge of the holder. Just a guess though.

Nate Potter, Austin TX.

[Gene McCluney]

I always hold the camera with my thumb pressing in on the ground glass when I remove the dark slide from the holder. This helps prevent any "pull away" of the film holder as I pull the dark slide.