Help - What caused this?

[Xia_Ke]

Hmmm, that is odd. I agree with you. I would expect a straight line if it was a shutter issue The plot thickens...LOL

[another view]

When I looked at this one closer, I noticed that the band isn't straight across, so I adjusted the levels to make it stand out more. What do you think? To me, this might indicate that it's not a shutter problem, because I would expect it to be a straight line. But, I'm not sure.

I don't remember seeing this mentioned, so I was just about to ask if every shot on the roll looked this way, or if there was any strange marks on the leader and between the frames (the unexposed areas of the film).

I think the shot you just posted makes it a developing issue; where the film may have not been wound on the reel properly. I'm not an expert so take value of this diagnosis for how much it cost you...

[Greg McCary]

The last shot looks like the leading edge of the curtain. I hope not. Maybe time for a CLA.

[photophorous]

I don't remember seeing this mentioned, so I was just about to ask if every shot on the roll looked this way, or if there was any strange marks on the leader and between the frames (the unexposed areas of the film).

I think the shot you just posted makes it a developing issue; where the film may have not been wound on the reel properly. I'm not an expert so take value of this diagnosis for how much it cost you...

Only six shots on the roll show this, but it is not easy to see, so it's possible that the subject matter of the rest of the shots just cover it up. There are no marks on the leader or between frames.

Cost me? How did you get my credit card number?!?

I hope it's a developing issue, but I'm still afraid it's not. The more I think about it, the more I think I would have noticed if it wasn't loaded properly, especially when I unloaded it after developing. I took about 20 test shots last night to finish the roll in the camera. I plan to develop it tonight, so hopefully it will all come out good.

Paul

[reverberation]

My Personal thoughts are that it is a shutter issue. The dark areas look like a shutter blade to me. Perhaps they share a commonality; shutter speed, aperture, or camera position?

[another view]

Have you tried it again? As in same camera, new roll of film and different developing session. Has it only happened on this roll of film? Just trying to eliminate possibilities.

[photophorous]

I developed the test roll last night. No sign of a problem. I took several shots at shutter speeds ranging from 1/15 to 1/500, of my TV, and of a blank wall, with and with out a flash. Everything turned out fine. I guess this means it was either a processing issue or the shutter problem is intermittent. I'll just have to keep watching for it. Time to start another roll.

Sometime in the next few days I'll post a thread on my experience with Delta 400 pushed to 1600. It didn't blow me away, but it looked good enough that I want to try it again.

Paul

[Xia_Ke]

Hi Paul. Glad to hear it didn't come up again. I would try shooting a shot or 2 of this roll up into a bright sunny sky to see if it shows up again. Like the issue I mentioned with my Rollei, it may only show up in really bright situations. Did you check you shutter in between rolls for any signs of rubbing/wear/etc?

[photophorous]

Hi Paul. Glad to hear it didn't come up again. I would try shooting a shot or 2 of this roll up into a bright sunny sky to see if it shows up again. Like the issue I mentioned with my Rollei, it may only show up in really bright situations. Did you check you shutter in between rolls for any signs of rubbing/wear/etc?

I did look at the shutter, but I didn't see anything that looked alarming. There was a small spot on the first curtain, where the metal pieces are joined together, that looked very very slightly unflat. But, it could be completely normal. I don't know. I'm sure I haven't hit it with anything, so it's probably been that way all along. There were no scrapping or rubbing marks that I could see.

I'll keep taking a few test shots on future rolls to see if it comes up again.