horizontal scratches in film

[blinded]

I've been having problems with lots of horizontal scratches on my negatives lately. I cleaned out my body quickly with some air and shot a bit of dust and some chunkies out, but thats about it. I am still getting a few scratches here and there. I'm thinking that it may be the cloth I'm using in the darkroom, or I'm just cleaning too aggressively or something? Anything else I can do to clean my body?

 

[oriecat]

Does it go over the entire roll of film, or just individual negative strips?

If it's the individual strips, then it is probably your cleaning cloth or negative carrier or something. If it's the whole roll, then it could be the camera or your reel or something. Are you bulk loading your film? Your cassettes could be worn or dirty. Those are my thoughts for now.

 

[oriecat]

Are you using a film squeegee or sponge thing? That could do it too.

 

[markc]

What kind of camera?

 

[Mitica100]

Assuming you use an SLR, look on the inside of the camera and its film path. There is a possibility of having a small protrusion (or a nick) which produces that scratch.

If the scratch is consistently in the same place and for the whole length or most of the negative, then it could mean it's coming from the camera. Otherwise I'd look at the processing. To have a clear idea, process your next roll at a lab.

Good luck.

 

[blinded]

The camera is a Maxxum 7000.

Yeah, I am using a bulk loader, I will make sure that it isn't worn out or anything. No sponges or anything. The scratches don't go down the whole strip so I think it is probably when I clean them.

 

[markc]

The felt of the bulk loader or of the reused carts is a likely suspect.

 

[soulfly]

also, if the scratches are running the length of your negs, it could be from the camera rewinder. If it rewinds too quickly it causes whats known in our lab as "Static streaks" these are faint scratches caused by the static created when the film spins too quickly..