Strange Lines in Prints

[TheArthurBranch]

(I wasn't sure if this should go in here or in the newbie area...)


Hi, I just started using an old Yashica Electro35 that I found in my parents' house. I pretty much only have experience with digital, so I'm not sure what to make of a problem I recently found.


After finding a battery for the camera and making sure it worked, I bought a 12-shot roll of film and did some test photos. They all came out fine. So next I got a 24-shot roll of Kodak 400 Color film and a notepad so I could try to learn how to use the camera (I've never had to mess with aperture before, for example).

Anyway, I had the prints done at Walgreens, and something strange happened. Many of my photos came out with pale lines (almost as if there is a light leak) running at even intervals across the image. However, not all of my photos on the roll turned out that way.

I thought I would post here to see if anyone can help me decide, at least, if the problem is me, the camera, or Walgreens. Below is a link to a Photobucket album with all but one of the pictures from the roll (some people are in the picture, and I didn't want to go making them public).

Also, please note that these pictures are taken with a variety of aperture, focus, and ISO settings, though most are set at 400 for the ISO. As I took notes, I was able to compare the notes to the pictures, and I see no pattern between what I changed and when the lines appeared or when they didn't.

http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b257/ninjafool101/Lines/

Thanks for any advice

 

[tasman]

Looks like the camera is letting in light through the back. The light seals are no good. When the camera is in bright light you see the streaks and when its in low light you dont.

 

[TheArthurBranch]

That was my first thought...

But actually, I was finding the opposite effect. the worst photos are those of the yellow bike racks which were taken when the sun was just reaching the horizon and was behind buildings. Also, one of the bike rack photos turned out almost fine though it was taken in the same light as the others around it. The only difference between that bike rack picture and the others is the aperture setting. In comparison, the photos of the tree, though mostly blurred, are taken in mid-afternoon sunlight and seem to have the least lines...

thanks for the reply, though

 

[henkelphoto]

Looks to me like processing errors. If you think about it, the "lines" look like flushing through the cog holes in the film. If this was processed in a tank with a film reel, I would say there was way too much agitation, but they don't use reels, so I'm not sure as to what has caused this, but I really think it's processing errors. Remember, your first roll of b/w (not processed at the same place) looked fine.

Jerry

 

[compur]

Look at the light seals on the camera. What shape are they in?

 

[Battou]

Show us if you could, please. This really does sound like a Light leak issue in camera.

It is possible that the light leak is not effecting all shots for various reasons. the only way to know for sure for us to see them.

 

[Hawaii Five-O]

Most like ly it is light leaking in like the others mentioned. Even subdued evening light could leak in.

 

[Early]

You could have developed a light leak between the between the 12 and 24 ex. rolls, but they are usually more pronounced. I would go with the processing theory, be it mechanical or chemical. I'm guessing Walgren owes you a roll of film.

 

[bhop]

I'm guessing developing problems, especially since your first roll was fine. The reason I say this is because it looks like those streaks like up with the film sprockets, yes?

I had some film developed at Walgreens recently when my usual Rite-Aid photo lab was replacing their machine. It was horrible... I don't know what they're doing, but the quality of processing was terrible compared to the Rite-Aid machine. My Fuji 800z film usually looks nice and smooth (for 800iso) when I go to Rite-Aid, but the Walgreen developed film looked like crap. (i get them developed only btw.. no prints, then scan them myself)

 

[TheArthurBranch]

Thanks everyone for your ideas.
(by the way, Battou, there's a link in my original post to a Photobucket album with the pictures in it)

I went back to Walgreens today. The person I spoke to took a long look at the negatives. He said he thinks it may be just a bad roll of film because the lines don't show up in every shot.

Anyway, I'm going to try out one more roll of film and probably try a different place for processing.

 

[Battou]

That is not in camera. In camera light leak is not nearly as pronounced at first. In the beginning it's intermittant as pressure on the back can bring the seals together and/or frames shot in quick succession will be completely uneffected. Granted when a seal goes it goes fast, it won't take a couple few rolls before it effects all shots and it will get progressively worse. In the examples you provided this is definately in processing. Back when I was in class one of the students in my class had the same thing happen to him but I don't remember what he did.

What the Walgreens rep said is a possibility but I would not put too much faith in it, the staff at places like Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Wall Mart and the like are not photographic specialists, I truely doubt one is going to be lucky enough to get a rep that KNOWS what they are talking about.

Also from my experience a bad roll of film is just that a bad roll, everything is toast, but my experience with bad film is kinda limmited.

I'm guessing developing problems, especially since your first roll was fine. The reason I say this is because it looks like those streaks like up with the film sprockets, yes?

I had some film developed at Walgreens recently when my usual Rite-Aid photo lab was replacing their machine. It was horrible... I don't know what they're doing, but the quality of processing was terrible compared to the Rite-Aid machine. My Fuji 800z film usually looks nice and smooth (for 800iso) when I go to Rite-Aid, but the Walgreen developed film looked like crap. (i get them developed only btw.. no prints, then scan them myself)

You lucky bastard, my Rite-Aid won't replace their machine, and it's like seriously junk, it works for like an hour after the repair tech leaves and then shts the bed again.....then it takes three months to get the tech back in.....

 

[jwkwd]

The spacing of the lines seem to be even with the sprocket holes, almost like the film edges got folded a little while loading and let light in.

 

[Helen B]

The spacing of the lines seem to be even with the sprocket holes, almost like the film edges got folded a little while loading and let light in.

...or the film was wound back into the cassette the wrong way. That puts pressure marks (local pressure fogs film) across the film at the edge of each sprocket hole because the film goes through a sharp angle as it enters the cassette the wrong way. The lines tend to vary in intensity because of the natural variation in tension and angle as you rewind.

See this thread and compare your negs with the first image of post #3 (not the image in post #1).

Best,
Helen