Origin of negative scratches?

[schattenundlicht]

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Hi!

 

Today I received a batch of negatives which I had processed and scanned at a dedicated b/w lab. Usually I do the scanning myself, but this time I needed some quick results to check the technical validity of some vintage cameras and I had little spare time available. These scans are low res jpeg and only substitute for contacts. I am thinking of re-entering the dark abodes of home-developing, especially after reviewing the result that I want to query this forum about.

 

Seven rolls of TriX, TMax and HP5 from diffeent cameras (M3, IIIf, M7) came out fine, but one roll of film (TMax) from a 1934 IID shows peculiar scratches not typical of ones that I have seen or produced myself before.

 

Since this is the only roll of film from this newly acquired camera that I have available (it is currently away for a focusing CLA), I would be particularly interested in whether it is a problem that might be related to the camera or whether it is related to film handling pre/during/post development, which I find more likely. Since I bought the camera from a respected dealer, he should be noticed of any problems soon as possible.

 

The scratches start at #25 and continue until #36A, where the scratch line tapers off into the perforation. It is not a strictly parallel scratch like ones I have seen from damaged back plates or sloppy enveloping/ rolling and it is not continuous for all the way.

 

I will post three example images. I hope diagnosis can be made from forum resolution.

 

(1): #29, Inadvertent picture of my lens cap (idiot me )

(2): #32, Oyster bed, 300 million years old, today grounding a cottage, situated 600 Km from the nearest shoreline

(3): #35, Casino, Wiesbaden, Germany

 

Has anybody seen a scratch configuration like this before?

 

Thanks!

 

Kind regards, Mathias

 

EDIT: By the way, the scratches are on the emulsion side.

Edited August 23, 2017 by schattenundlicht

[schattenundlicht]

(1)

 

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[schattenundlicht]

(2)

 

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[schattenundlicht]

(3)

 

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[Jeff S]

Maybe some ideas here...

 

https://www.l-camera-forum.com/topic/234465-m4-scratching-negatives/

 

Jeff

[schattenundlicht]

Jeff, thank you very much for the suggestion! However, that post seems to deal with fine strictly horizontal scratches, which I have seen before, due to either backplate issues, coarse dust in the film canister lid, or storing an uncut negative in a loosely rolled fashion.

 

I have never seen (and have not yet found a description of) these diagonal, partially interrupted, partially wavy lines posted above. Still puzzled...

 

Mathias

[mikemgb]

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Those look like handling scratches, I have seen similar when I dropped a wet film after pulling it off the reel.

[Jeff S]

Digital noise around the scratch lines could be also be attributed to scanning..,,

 

http://www.richardphotolab.com/blog/common-film-scan-issues-and-what-you-can-do-about-them

 

Jeff

[schattenundlicht]

Those look like handling scratches, I have seen similar when I dropped a wet film after pulling it off the reel.

Thanks! This would explain the semi-directed/ semi-random nature of the scratches on my film.

[schattenundlicht]

Digital noise around the scratch lines could be also be attributed to scanning..,,

http://www.richardphotolab.com/blog/common-film-scan-issues-and-what-you-can-do-about-them

Jeff

Thanks for pointing out this helpful page! This troubleshooting guide should also place a high propability on "mishandling".

 

Any noise/edge effects in my posted pictures are most propably due to the additional compression mandated by forum limits. The scratches can be seen on the emulsion side of the negative with unaided eye.

 

Kind regards,

 

Mathias

[tobey bilek]

If the leader is allowed to snap back when unloading the reel,  the sharp corners will do it.    Bouncing will give - - - - mark

[SilentShutter]

Those look like handling scratches, I have seen similar when I dropped a wet film after pulling it off the reel.

 

Right. Could also happen if someone tries to strip of the water from a wet film with a film wiping tong - which is always a bad idea us a wet rag instead !

[almoore]

I have never seen (and have not yet found a description of) these diagonal, partially interrupted, partially wavy lines posted above. Still puzzled...

 

Further to the suggestion above, the scratches could well come from a squeegee. The action that people use with a squeegee often has a diagonal bias as they tend to sweep from one end of the blades to the other as they move down the negative. 

Edited August 24, 2017 by almoore

[jeff_m]

Those are definitely handling scratches post processing. Yes by a squeegee. Never use those rubber things.

[otto.f]

Use wetting agent as a last bath for 1min and squeegee only with your fingers once or twice immediately after hanging.

If this is the cause of course.

I wonder why ot only happens with one particular camera thus far and not with others.

[schattenundlicht]

Use wetting agent as a last bath for 1min and squeegee only with your fingers once or twice immediately after hanging.

If this is the cause of course.

I wonder why ot only happens with one particular camera thus far and not with others.

It might be that the lab was pressed for time and that they botched up a single film of the batch I sent to them. Or they were not processed in the same tank at the same time (although there was more than one T-Max in the batch) and a different tech took care of that film. I will most propably never find out. They did not even respond to a feedback I gave them including the above scans. In another batch I had them do some weeks earlier there were an awful lot of drying marks that point to not or inadequately using wetting agent.

 

Thus I am inclined to delve into developing on my own (again) after more than 30 years of darkroom abstinence...

 

Somehow I delude myself that having only myself to blame for resulting technical inadequacies will be more bearable :wink:

Edited September 20, 2017 by schattenundlicht

[mikemgb]

 

Thus I am inclined to delve into developing on my own (again) after more than 30 years of darkroom abstinence...

 

That's what I did after finding that my local laboratories were simply not very good. I process B&W, C-41 and I'm about to do my first E-6 in 30 years.

[Ko.Fe.]

Look like 100% bad handling. They should give OP money back.

 

Where are many reasons why and where films getting scratched. But if no sloppy work is involved as shown in OP lab ruined examples, scratches are strictly horizontal.  

[otto.f]

Somehow I delude myself that having only myself to blame for resulting technical inadequacies will be more bearable :wink:

That's not a delusion at all.

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[tobey bilek]

Squeege from someone who should know better.  Sooner or later this happens as you drag some debris and fail to clean it.