Peter Natscher Posted September 7, 2009 Share #1 Posted September 7, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) Hi Leica Forum, I'm new to using film with my new M7. I've been getting my film back from the photo processor here locally with random longitudinal scratches, sometimes running through many frames on my processed film strips. I'm shooting Ektar, Reala, and Ultra Color color negative films. How can I tell where these scratches are coming from? From the camera or the processor? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Advertisement Posted September 7, 2009 Posted September 7, 2009 Hi Peter Natscher, Take a look here Scratches On My Processed Color Neg Film Strips. I'm sure you'll find what you were looking for!
dicko101 Posted September 7, 2009 Share #2 Posted September 7, 2009 Are they black or white scratches? This is one of those process of elimination alas. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
masjah Posted September 7, 2009 Share #3 Posted September 7, 2009 Hi Leica Forum, I'm new to using film with my new M7. I've been getting my film back from the photo processor here locally with random longitudinal scratches, sometimes running through many frames on my processed film strips. I'm shooting Ektar, Reala, and Ultra Color color negative films. How can I tell where these scratches are coming from? From the camera or the processor? One relatively quick and easy elimination procedure would be to shoot just half a film, then rewind and have it processed. If the scratches are on the part of the film that never left the cassette, then the fault does not lie with the camera. If they are, then the fault lies with the processor. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
earleygallery Posted September 7, 2009 Share #4 Posted September 7, 2009 My guess it the scratches are from the processing. Film can sometimes get scratched by dirt in the cassette light trap (if you put the cassette in a pocket for example - always use the plastic tubs to store them). John's suggestion above is brilliant - quickest way to be sure! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted September 7, 2009 Share #5 Posted September 7, 2009 John's suggestion above is brilliant - quickest way to be sure! Seconded! My other suggestion would be to take a film to a different processor. Regards, Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Natscher Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share #6 Posted September 7, 2009 Are they black or white scratches? This is one of those process of elimination alas. They show up as long white scratches in my scanner preview image and in the final scan. They're not exactly level (parallel to the frame's long dimension) but angled a bit up or down 10-20 degrees longitudinally. I can't see them with the film strip on my light table with a 5.5X photo lupe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpattinson Posted September 7, 2009 Share #7 Posted September 7, 2009 Advertisement (gone after registration) you're sure it isn't a hair or something in the scanner? White would indicate increased density in the neg, or something else blocking the light in the scanner. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Natscher Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted September 7, 2009 you're sure it isn't a hair or something in the scanner? White would indicate increased density in the neg, or something else blocking the light in the scanner. I think you misunderstand. The long thin scratches appear white in the 'positive' image as if some film emulsion was scraped away. The scratches look different: some longer, some shorter, some curved one way and then the other way. They don't look like hairs or anything that could be attached to the film. The scratches appear to be the same ones in the same places when re-scanning the film strips. Activating ICE (fine setting) in my Nikon scanner removes most of these scratches. I don't like turning on ICE since it reduces some image resolution. I will shoot 1/2 a roll of color neg. film and submit it to the photo processor and see what comes out. One other thought: could my new Nikon Super CoolScan 5000 ED be scratching the film strips in its SA-21 filmstrip adapter? Take a look at the 300% crop of one of the Ektar 100 images below scanned with my Nikon Super CoolScan 5000 ED with only ICE applied. It shows one of the scratches that runs ~1/5 the way through the image frame: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpattinson Posted September 7, 2009 Share #9 Posted September 7, 2009 I think you misunderstand. The long thin scratches appear white in the 'positive' image as if some film emulsion was scraped away. The scratches look different: some longer, some shorter, some curved one way and then the other way. They don't look like hairs or anything that could be attached to the film. The scratches appear to be the same ones in the same places when re-scanning the film strips. Activating ICE (fine setting) in my Nikon scanner removes most of these scratches. I don't like turning on ICE since it reduces some image resolution. I will shoot 1/2 a roll of color neg. film and submit it to the photo processor and see what comes out. One other thought: could my new Nikon Super CoolScan 5000 ED be scratching the film strips in its SA-21 filmstrip adapter? Take a look at the 300% crop of one of the Ektar 100 images below scanned with my Nikon Super CoolScan 5000 ED with only ICE applied. It shows one of the scratches that runs ~1/5 the way through the image frame: I just checked and if you see white scratches it is likely to be on the base rather than emulsion side. If there is a scratch on the emulsion side then you would see black scratches as more light is getting through. Check the base of the film in oblique light. It doesn't look like a camera or processing scratch to me as they tend to run parallel to the film edge. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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