What causes vertical black bands on 35mm negatives, and how can I stop them?
Asked 10/14/2015
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I shot and developed two rolls of Kentmere 400 black-and-white 35mm film in a Minolta X-570. The negatives show thick vertical black bands of varying width, often appearing in groups of two or three and scattered randomly across the roll. The camera had been unused for years, and I didn’t have this issue before. What is the likely cause, and what should I inspect or replace to prevent it?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
10y ago
2 Answers
6
It appears you have an intermittent light leak that is reaching the film while it is wound tightly on a spool, possibly the take up spool inside the camera. The distance between the bands in your sample and the differences in intensity look like the same event caused all three at a time when the area with the darkest band was on top and the areas with the medium and lightest bands were layered directly underneath.
If your camera was sitting up for a while be sure to check all of the light seals around the back cover and be sure the felt or other material hasn't rotted. For any rubber components be sure they haven't turned into a nasty goo.
If you develop your own film also check the changing bag and developing tank for possible light leaks. And though I doubt it is the source of your trouble here, be sure to remove a watch with luminous hands before inserting your arms into the changing bag.
Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user15871
10y ago
0
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These bands are most likely from an intermittent light leak, not a film or development defect.
Because the bands often appear in groups of two or three with different intensities, the leak is probably hitting the film while it is tightly wound on the spool. One layer gets the strongest exposure, and the layers underneath get fainter bands. On an older camera that has sat unused for years, the most likely cause is deteriorated back-door light seals or related foam/felt materials around the film door. Old foam can dry out, crumble, or turn sticky and stop sealing properly.
What to check:
- Back cover light seals and hinge seal
- Any foam, felt, or rubber around the film door
- The take-up/spool area for signs of light entering
If you develop film yourself, also rule out leaks in:
- Changing bag
- Developing tank
To prevent it, replace the camera’s light seals and inspect the loading/developing workflow for stray light. Once the seals are renewed, this kind of random banding usually goes away.
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