White lines across film

[Bolle]

Hi there, I'm new to photography and have bought my first ever camera- a Minolta x570. The first roll of film came out pretty well, but a lot of the photos have a white line through them. Is this something on the film or to do with the way the camera winds on the film? I noticed when I took the film out the back panel was out of line, could this be the problem?

Thanks for your help.

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[LaFoto]

It could be a scratch that put itself onto your film mechanically... but hey, I'm only guessing here.
Welcome to ThePhotoForum, all the same!!!

[PJL]

Do you have an example? It might be a mechanical scratch. If it's more like a streak in some of the pictures, it could be a light leak. The camera could need a CLA treatment (cleaning, lubricating, adjustment), which in not unusual for older cameras, especially if they've been used rather than just sitting in a closet.

[Early]

Hi there, I'm new to photography and have bought my first ever camera- a Minolta x570. The first roll of film came out pretty well, but a lot of the photos have a white line through them. Is this something on the film or to do with the way the camera winds on the film? I noticed when I took the film out the back panel was out of line, could this be the problem?

Thanks for your help.

B&W film, or color? When you say back panel, are you talking about the plate that holds the film flat, or the door itself?

The first thing you have to do is check the negatives. If it's b&w and showing a white line through the print, then there would be a black line through the negatives.

[Mike_E]

Welcome.

You should also check to see if the foam around the back of the camera is in good shape. You could have light leaking from there.

[usayit]

It could be a scratch that put itself onto your film mechanically... but hey, I'm only guessing here.
Welcome to ThePhotoForum, all the same!!!

Wouldn't a scratch in the film's substrate result in a black line on print?

My guess is a light leak

[O|||||||O]

It could be a scratch that put itself onto your film mechanically... but hey, I'm only guessing here.
Welcome to ThePhotoForum, all the same!!!

Wouldn't a scratch in the film's substrate result in a black line on print?

My guess is a light leak

Scratches show up as white lines for me. Most dust does too. (I try to make sure it's dust free before I scan, but you can never get it all...)

Scratched film:


If you look at the big version, you can see it pretty clearly...

[Flash Harry]

Light leaks tend not to make a line as such, it would be more helpful if an example was posted, however dust will give white spots and scratches/creases in film make lines, sometimes these scratches are from the processing equipment too, cheap snappysnaps overused and badly maintained processors have ruined many good shots for many people a black line would be from a scratch, especially a deep into the emulsion scratch, if I were you I'd inspect the negs, if theyre kinked/creased/scratched in uniformly similar positions on the negs I'd be either having the camera looked at thoroughly/buying a new model/changing who processes my negs. H

ps. Before all you digital people start about the colour of scratches, I'm coming from a darkroom print in my evaluation here, not a scan

[Steve01]

Early asked if the scratch shows on the negatives.
I'd like to know too.

Dirt on the pressure plate will put a uniform scratch across the negatives.

[Derrel]

Film can be scratched any number of places. Advancing through the cartridge's felt lips. At the pressure plate, or at the film gate aperture area. When being rewound, from either the felt lips, the pressure plate, or the aperture gate area. It can be scratched in the roller transport processing machine, or as it comes out of that machine...it can be scratched AS it is loading in the printer,but before the frames are printed...it can be scratched as it is being sleeved...you name it, film can be scratched at any place along the line...

Film cartridges and cassettes that rattle around in a woman's purse, or in a car's change tray or back seat can pick up all sorts of lint and grit, over as long as a month or more...those rolls of film are opened, loaded and some of that junk gets in to the roller transport processing machine, and into the solutions...Labs that devellop "consumer" film from people who bring it in loose, and fish it out of their purses,pockets,and backpacks will usually give you back scratched negatives,more often than not.

"Dip and dunk" processing is expensive and hard to find these days, but worth it. Roller transport developing usually, well, let's say "often" means the chances of scratches on the negs are pretty high.

[O|||||||O]

My camera is causing a scratch on pretty much every roll... I can't figure out what's doing it, but it's in the same place every time, so it has to be the camera. Sometimes it's not even there, other times it's really bad.

If it's bad enough, yeah - you can see it on the negative. A scratch like the one I posted above would be very hard to see though.

[Derrel]

My camera is causing a scratch on pretty much every roll... I can't figure out what's doing it, but it's in the same place every time, so it has to be the camera. Sometimes it's not even there, other times it's really bad.

If it's bad enough, yeah - you can see it on the negative. A scratch like the one I posted above would be very hard to see though.

Well, a film camera is a lot less complicated than a o||||||o, dude, so open the back and look around...is there a little pimple-like raised spot on the edges of the film aperture or "gate"????? Is there some adhesive on the pressure plate, you know the pressure plate on the back of the camera?

Is the pressure plate flat? And clean? Or does it have an impact dent in it?

Josh, dude...the cause of the scratch ought to be able to be found by Mr. Watson, without Sherlock Holmes's help... Open 'er up, have a look around..find the raised spot...correct the problem...

[O|||||||O]

I've looked everywhere (since I know where the scratch is, it's easy to know where to look), but I still can't find anything...

I was thinking it might be happening during rewind, so I tried silent rewind (very slow) and high speed rewind. Scratches both times. I can't find a burr or speck of dirt anywhere.

It must be inside where the film coils up or something. Somewhere that I can't see.

Not sure if I really want to start taking the camera apart...

edit
I still have about 15 frames left on the roll that's in there. I'll probably finish that off today - I'll check it out again once it's empty.

[Derrel]

And the scratch occurs "every time", as in every,single,stinkin' time??? Or is it as you also said, "sometimes it's not there". Are you using bulk film in reloadable,snap-top cartridges, or fresh rolls of factory film?

Can you put a scratched film strip in,align it with the film guide rails, and determine where the scratch is located,and then use some reasoning power to locate the potential source of the scratching? What kind of camera are we talking about?

[Petraio Prime]

Without an example it's impossible to tell.