# Diagnosing problems with negatives - light leaks and something else?



## mikecoxhead (Sep 20, 2021)

I've been shooting my first rolls of medium format with a Yashica-Mat (not the 124). The first roll had light leaks, so I added foam light seals (I'm aware that this isn't strictly necessary for these cameras, but I couldn't figure out a better way to stop the leaks!). I've now shot and developed a second roll, with some surprising results:

Frames 1-3 seem to be fine.
Frames 4-9 are blotchy, where the blotches are on the negative.
Frames 8-9 look like they have light leaks,
Frames 10-12 seem to be fine.

This leaves me with two questions:

1) What are the blotchy marks on frames 4-9? I should say that I was using developer that is way past its use-by date. But I guess this isn't the problem, as only half of the frames on the roll are affected.

2) Why do only frames 8-9 have light leaks? It might be significant here that there was a significant gap between my shooting frame 9 and frame 10 - a couple of months where the camera sat on a shelf in my living room. Could it be that these are "slow" light leaks, analogous to a slow puncture? I've no idea whether this is a real thing!

For further info. This is a roll of 120 FP4 Plus (125 iso), developed in HC110 (dilution B) for 7.5 minutes at 20 degrees celsius. Continuous agitation for first 30 sec, then 5 sec every further 30 sec.

All feedback gratefully received! I'm trying to weigh up whether these are problems that I can resolve and whether it's worth the time. I'm thinking I should perhaps just invest in a medium format camera that doesn't come with these problems!

*Frame 1*

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		https://flic.kr/p/2msteSw

*Frame 2*

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		https://flic.kr/p/2msxXLc

*Frame 3*

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		https://flic.kr/p/2msun5h


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## mikecoxhead (Sep 20, 2021)

*Frame 4*

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		https://flic.kr/p/2mswTda

*Frame 5*

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		https://flic.kr/p/2msumV4

*Frame 6*

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		https://flic.kr/p/2mstesD

*Frame 7*

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		https://flic.kr/p/2msp9Ys

*Frame 8*

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		https://flic.kr/p/2msxXiU


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## mikecoxhead (Sep 20, 2021)

*Frame 9*

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		https://flic.kr/p/2msp9Q1

*Frame 10*

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		https://flic.kr/p/2mste6m

*Frame 11*

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		https://flic.kr/p/2mstdZE

*Frame 12*

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		https://flic.kr/p/2msxWU2


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## jcdeboever (Sep 20, 2021)

Hard to say, looks like some missed focus4, 5, 6, under exposed 6, and a couple frames over exposed 9. Maybe a light leak in two frames 9 and 8. Did any of the reels feel like the film was having a difficult time loading? I only ask this as one frame seems to have a sharp properly developed line in it which suggests a bad load on the reel. 9. Time to shoot a more controlled test roll.


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## NS: Nikon Shooter (Sep 20, 2021)

-

These are in no way related to leaks, in my experience. It looks more
like improper agitation during development that affected different sec-
tion of the film and at different degrees… a guess.


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## webestang64 (Sep 20, 2021)

Blotchy = Bad development. (old dev not good to use) (and yes some of the roll can look OK).

White Area = Light leak. Can happen from just sitting.


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## flyingPhoto (Sep 20, 2021)

Flare might be a guess on a few, but the way some of the distortion goes on frame 9 makes me think shutter isnt right.. shouldnt have that huge section of blur, with a well defined line and a relatively good top portion


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## mikecoxhead (Sep 21, 2021)

jcdeboever said:


> Hard to say, looks like some missed focus4, 5, 6, under exposed 6, and a couple frames over exposed 9. Maybe a light leak in two frames 9 and 8. Did any of the reels feel like the film was having a difficult time loading? I only ask this as one frame seems to have a sharp properly developed line in it which suggests a bad load on the reel. 9. Time to shoot a more controlled test roll.


Thanks, that's helpful (and, yes, still struggle with focus on this camera...). I don't remember and issues with loading or advancing the film. But, yes, I think you're right - time for a more controlled test roll.


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## mikecoxhead (Sep 21, 2021)

NS: Nikon Shooter said:


> -
> 
> These are in no way related to leaks, in my experience. It looks more
> like improper agitation during development that affected different sec-
> tion of the film and at different degrees… a guess.


Thanks for this. In terms of agitation, do you have any advice on how I might correct for this? At the moment I'm agitating via inversion. Continuous for first 30s then 5s agitation every 30s.


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## mikecoxhead (Sep 21, 2021)

webestang64 said:


> Blotchy = Bad development. (old dev not good to use) (and yes some of the roll can look OK).
> 
> White Area = Light leak. Can happen from just sitting.


Thanks very much. I didn't know that I could have the blotchy effect on just some negatives and not others due to bad developed. That's helpful! I need to find a way of buying smaller quantities of developer, I think...


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## mikecoxhead (Sep 21, 2021)

flyingPhoto said:


> Flare might be a guess on a few, but the way some of the distortion goes on frame 9 makes me think shutter isnt right.. shouldnt have that huge section of blur, with a well defined line and a relatively good top portion


Thanks! Do you know what kind of shutter issue I might be looking for here?


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## NS: Nikon Shooter (Sep 21, 2021)

-

If you make the test of developing a film in an opened tank, you
will see that, for quite some time, the emulsion will get thicker,
more gelatinous. In that state, it is very fragile. So, follow scrupu-
lously the recommended agitation protocol from the developer 
maker and agitate gently.


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## flyingPhoto (Sep 22, 2021)

****.... 


Is this partially a case of lens flare? the glare is all from one side, and always in scenes that are NOT controlled for light..

frame 6 adn 7 might have reticulation in the negative from processing.. 

10, 11- 12 are almost perfect.. 


So is this just a case of "issues in development, that left the last frames on the roll just fine, but left the others screwed like a pretty boy in prison"


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## dxqcanada (Sep 22, 2021)

Hmm, would be easier to diagnose if we could see the negatives directly.
Those last ones were indoors ... so that is a clue.


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## jcdeboever (Sep 22, 2021)

Shoot a controlled test roll. Set it up on a tripod.


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## compur (Sep 22, 2021)

Light leaks are cumulative. The longer the film sits in one position, the greater the visible effect.

Advice: Follow the manufacturer's instructions. If they say not to use developer past a certain date then don't. The same goes for other instructions.


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