Ruined Film

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Ian
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So I just got my Ektachrome negs back from AG Photographic and they're clear. With this being E6 film and thus "positive", I guess that means they are massively over exposed? Nothing to see at all on the negatives on the whole roll. No detail. Nada.

I shot the roll on the same day I shot two rolls of Delta 100, a roll of Portra 160 and a roll of Ektar 100. All 5 rolls went through my 6x17 camera in the same 5 hour wander around Delamere forest. I was kinda proud I didn't leave the lens cap on, or leave the shutter open, or forget to wind on, you know - the usual mistakes. Everything was carefully spot metered and exposures calculated accordingly. The Delta 100 came out fine, as did the Portra and the Ektar. (B&W I did myself, C41 was done in the same dev job by AG)

I'm really pigged off to be honest as I was looking forward to the lovely 6x17 slides.

Any ideas as to what happened other than either a) the film somehow became undone in transit or was opened in daylight, b) the negs were incorrectly developed. Could it have been a duff roll to begin with (it was sealed)?

If my other rolls had been screwed up, I'd be looking at me, but I was meticulous on the day, and took everything slowly. I can't see how I'd suddenly "forget" my technique for all 4 exposures on one roll, just to "remember it" on the next roll. (in order I did 2 colour, then 1 Ektachrome, then 2 B&W)

:(:(:(

[edit in case anyone searches] The problem was using expired film without paying attention to the fact it was expired. The fault (as usual) was between the floor and the shutter button...
 
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Are the edges and dividers black with the frame markings visible as in this example? if they are then it's massive over exposure, otherwise it's fogging...

Hasselblad 500 4_13.jpg
 
OK, so we're dealing with fogging...
  1. Did you have to break the sealing strip around the roll? If not, the film could have been messed up before you got it.
  2. At any stage during loading or unloading did you let the film unroll before you resealed it?
  3. Do you have another roll from the same batch? If so: carefully load, use and unload; then send it to a different processing company to see if the batch is faulty.
If none of the above reveals a problem and given that the other films you exposed in the same session are OK, it seems probable that someone at the lab messed it up.
 
OK, so we're dealing with fogging...
  1. Did you have to break the sealing strip around the roll? If not, the film could have been messed up before you got it.
  2. At any stage during loading or unloading did you let the film unroll before you resealed it?
  3. Do you have another roll from the same batch? If so: carefully load, use and unload; then send it to a different processing company to see if the batch is faulty.
If none of the above reveals a problem and given that the other films you exposed in the same session are OK, it seems probable that someone at the lab messed it up.

1. Yes
2. Not that I remember. And [to self] to lose the whole film so completely surely I'd have noticed something like that? My handling process was the same for all the films.
3. Unfortunately not. It was a freebie from Analogue Wonderland for spending so much money there... I didn't check to see whether it was expired or not (as per @Peter B video above) so if it was expired that could explain it. Can't see them sending out crap though, and it was during their Ektachrome promo competition thing.

Thanks for identifying the fogging though. Should have thought of that.

Just one of those things I guess.
 
From your post above it seems this was a roll of Ektachrome 120 (medium format) roll film? If so, it hasn't been manufactured in 120 for years, so it would have to be an expired roll. Kodak are currently testing the new E100 Ektachrome in 120, with a predicted launch date (if the tests go OK) of spring 2020.

Hence me linking to the video about the issue with expired Ektachrome 120.
 
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Hence me linking to the video about the issue with expired Ektachrome 120.
Good point. I suppose it could have got really hot at some point and that would accellerate fogging.
 
OMG.
Kodak are currently testing the new E100 Ektachrome in 120, with a predicted launch date (if the tests go OK) of spring 2020.
I lost interest in Ektachrome when my 35mm was not what I liked. I had no clue they haven't turned out 120 yet.

So it's duff film. I have no idea what the expiry was on it. I thought it was a really cool gift, but actually I should have paid attention and just shot it for fun.
Live. And. Learn.

Thanks everyone. Helpful and knowledgeable as always.

The TP F&C community is actually the hottest thing in film photography and should be taking the world by storm.
 
Have you tried the new Ektachrome in 35mm? I was pleased enough with the roll I tried, very natural looking colours but I think it's probably more a sunny weather and/or holiday film. I'd have preferred more of a Kodachrome look, but that was never what Ektachrome was about so I'd be wrong if I took exception about that.

I think the biggest plus for me was to see my photos projected as slides again... there's still something slightly magical about seeing something that's around the size of a commemorative postage stamp project an image around 5 feet wide or more on a screen. :)

Anyway, sorry you drew a blank with that roll of film, 120 format slides look even more impressive, although I imagine you'd be into pretty specialised kit to project a 6x17 slide!
 
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Have you tried the new Ektachrome in 35mm
Yep. But I don't like it. Colours feel a bit cold for my liking. Velvia (50) is very saturated. Feels like there's no middle ground.

I imagine you'd be into pretty specialised kit to project a 6x17 slide!
A window! I don't project slides. No one is that interested in my work. It's purely for fun :)

Although I do wonder how popular an F&C meet where we all sit in a village hall somewhere and go through each others slides would be.
I'd imagine beer would also be a requirement.
 
Although I do wonder how popular an F&C meet where we all sit in a village hall somewhere and go through each others slides would be.
I'd imagine beer would also be a requirement.

I suspect it might be one of those meets where everyone who's promised to come suddenly remembers they'd promised to teach their children/grandchildren/nephews how to tie their shoe-laces...
 
Although I do wonder how popular an F&C meet where we all sit in a village hall somewhere and go through each others slides would be.
I'd imagine beer would also be a requirement.
Other forms of alcoholic refreshment would also be welcome! Then you would have to load all the glass-mounted slides together, since the glass-mounters might crack up waiting for the non-glass slides to pop. This would also determine the projector as the one that can autofocus fastest, then we might not have magazines to fit that type. So we would need more drink ......... ;) It has possibilities, mind. :exit:
 
ALL my photos now are holiday photos....

I actually think this is probably a good thing. I hope I can say this about my images one day too.
 
Just stop working, like me. I'm now completely non-functional. Purely decorative, in fact :)

Just back on (sort of) topic, I do have a four filing cabinet drawers full of mainly Kodachrome slides in hanging sheets, so plenty to pick out at random for a truly memorably boring presentation.
 
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Just stop working, like me. I'm now completely non-functional. Purely decorative, in fact :)

Just back on (sort of) topic, I do have a four filing cabinet drawers full of mainly Kodachrome slides in hanging sheets, so plenty to pick out at random for a truly memorably boring presentation.
That sounds promising... but do you have that all essential collection of holiday slides of Machu Picchu of such consistently stereotypical monotony that would send a glass eye to sleep?

Other forms of alcoholic refreshment would also be welcome! Then you would have to load all the glass-mounted slides together, since the glass-mounters might crack up waiting for the non-glass slides to pop. This would also determine the projector as the one that can autofocus fastest, then we might not have magazines to fit that type. So we would need more drink ......... ;) It has possibilities, mind. :exit:

I suggest that auto-focus projectors should be saved for the second half of the evening... imagine the fun that could be had from a room full of people in varying states of sobriety shouting 'now!' each time they thought the auto-focus projector was briefly actually in focus?!
 
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I'm now completely non-functional. Purely decorative, in fact :)
Yes I noticed signs of that earlier today! :exit::LOL::LOL:


Kodachrome slides in hanging sheets, so plenty to pick out at random for a truly memorably boring presentation.

I'm one step in front, not requiring slides, kodachrome or otherwise, my presence alone is enough to bore anyone to sleep! :sleep::LOL:
 
I'm now completely non-functional

I'm doing that and I'm working.

I think it would actually be amusing to get everyone in a room with their images and an audience.

We should descend on Asha with lots of Italian red and plenty of sarcasm. His little French hideaway would be utterly ruined...
 
I'm now completely non-functional. Purely decorative, in fact :)


I'm not even decorative. :(

Plenty of crap holiday slides to share though!
 
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