120 Film Problem

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JamesG

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James
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Good morning all! :wave:

I have recently gotten into medium format with a Bronica ETRS and have been developing my own negatives and prints from it at the college.

I have had 2 rolls of film now were the last 4.5 or 5.5 shots are just black! I say the .5 because it does cover half a negative so that rules out my settings being well off!

Anyone ever experienced this before and what was the problem?

Thanks!

James
 
Is the negative black or the print? If it's the neg it has been exposed to light, and if it's the last frames it's probably happened when removing it from the camera. If it was a light leak it would more likely affect the whole film

When you unload the film make sure the paper backing isn't loose, as that's all that protecting the film from being exposed
 
Thanks!

I don't think light getting in is the problem as that would turn the negative clear would it not?

I don't think unloading is a problem either as i usually wind it on quite a bit and then there's the piece of paper that wraps around and holds it tight...

one thing I had thought might be a problem is the shutter in the lens? could it be sticking?

Thanks!
 
A completely black negative equals massive overexposure as the black will be rendered White in the print, i.e. the opposite of how it appears in the negative

It's interesting that it covers half of one of the frames though. If it was a shutter issue I don't think you would get a half frame affected like that
 
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Now you've got me confused.. it's a negative, so the exposed areas are black.
 
Did you use flash at all? incorrect flash sync can cause this.

Joan
 
I suspect it was me being confusing, I've edited my post to make sense.

The negative is the opposite of the final picture, so a black neg gives a white (light) print. The reason I suggested exposure once removed from the camera is the half frame being black. Is the transition from a normal neg to the black cutting across the width of the frame, like this:

---------------------------
neg neg ne|black black
---------------------------

if it is then I think my explanation is the simplest, unless you opened the back halfway through the roll?

Another quick question is are the frame numbers for the black negatives visible or not?
 
JamesG said:
lol who's confusing you?

No flash was used...

Thanks
Click to expand...

Well.. you were, as a light leak would cause the negative to go black (not clear), and until raathistle editted his face palm comment he appeared to be agreeing that with you that this wasn't the case whilst at the same time saying the opposite elsewhere in the same sentence :wacky:
 
It wouldn't be a shutter issue as the shutters on ETRS lenses are leaf so there isn't a curtain that drags across. Which way does the line go?

ie:
neg strip goes this way ->
|___|___|---|
or
|___|___|_|||
?

If the area of the neg is clear, it could be a mirror issue, if the area of the neg is opaque then it is likely to be a back/reloading issue.
 
I know, massive fail in making any kind of sense at all :amstupid:

Seriously, its a light leak, or you exposed just the end of the film at some other stage
 
thanks for the help guys!

I cant see the negative numbers.. from half way down the 12th image is solid black... but does the image and the number line up? on my strip it looks as though the numbers aren't matching up to the image!

Could it be possible that the film hadn't wound on fully and and so its shot over the same spot twice?

Thanks!

Edit.. it looks as though it has not started correctly... number 15 is beside the 12th image! i must have a faulty back as i lined up the arrows with the red dots on the back when loading...
 
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JamesG said:
lol who's confusing you?

No flash was used...Thanks
Click to expand...

Well it didn't say if flash was used or not in the original post and it was just a suggestion as to what the problem might be!
 
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JamesG said:
thanks for the help guys!

I cant see the negative numbers.. from half way down the 12th image is solid black... but does the image and the number line up? on my strip it looks as though the numbers aren't matching up to the image!

Could it be possible that the film hadn't wound on fully and and so its shot over the same spot twice?

Thanks!

Edit.. it looks as though it has not started correctly... number 15 is beside the 12th image! i must have a faulty back as i lined up the arrows with the red dots on the back when loading...
Click to expand...

Don't pay too much attention to the frame numbers. Don't forget those frame numbers are used for 6x4.5, 6x6, 6x7, 6x9 etc. They're just a guide really.

Could it be a mirror problem?

I think it's unlikely to be a winding on problem. I've got a 645 back that has an intermittent winding on problem but you know it isn't winding on as the numbers don't change and if the numbers aren't changing the film isn't advancing so the chances are you wouldn't realise you'd come to the end of the film and would notice you were suddenly getting 20+ photos from a roll!
 
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Anybody playing with the multiple exposure lever, for a joke, at the college?
 
Quick question did you check the battery.
I know when the bronica sq's battery stops it automatically fires off at 250/1
 
Are you sure it's the LAST negs that are blackened and not the first?

I'd imagine that if you've shot a couple rolls and there's always a frame that's half black then it wasn't a leak or unloading problem, those types of problems would create inconsistent blackening of frames of negative.

Not quite sure how the Bronny gets loaded by are you by any chance advancing on until you see film rather than just backing paper when you're loading?
 
r-play said:
Quick question did you check the battery.
I know when the bronica sq's battery stops it automatically fires off at 250/1
Click to expand...


ETRS/ETRSi defaults to 1/500 on a flat battery... I used to shoot weddings on one - ask me how I know about the shutter speed. No - on second thoughts don't :crying:
 
MrGreeenfingers said:
ETRS/ETRSi defaults to 1/500 on a flat battery... I used to shoot weddings on one - ask me how I know about the shutter speed. No - on second thoughts don't :crying:
Click to expand...

Thought it was a 500th but wasn't sure enough to say anything.
I've known people who have invested thousands of pounds on Bronny kit then hurriedly sold it all when that's happened to them!
 
Yes your both right 1/500th. a little crazy surely 60 or 125 would of been the better choice atleast you would still have a image. Maybe sabotage, Hasselblad sneaking a designer in to destroy the company.

The crazy thing is my battery is still going strong had it in for 3+ years. Big design flaw thou. Shooting a wedding and that happening, i would throw the camera at the designer.
 
it's quite simple really, the default to 1/500th. The 1/500th is the natural sprung release speed of the shutter. Any other time is created by a couple of tiny electromagnets holding the shutter open for longer. So - no battery, no magnetism, no delay = 1/500th"
 
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