Why are my film photos dark, discolored, and marked with streaks?
Asked 11/10/2020
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I used an older Canon AF35M point-and-shoot with Fujifilm 400 film and had the roll processed at a lab. The photos came back very dark, with strange color shifts, bright/yellowish areas near the corners, and some drip-like streaks. What problems could cause results like this: camera issues, bad film, light leaks, or storage/handling problems?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
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The image appears, first, to be underexposed; that could be a camera problem (low battery or poor battery connection, failing meter system, failing shutter control circuitry) or due to sensitivity loss from poorly stored and/or expired film.
On top of that, there are the light areas in the upper corners of the print (which would be the lower corners of the camera film gate); those are most likely due to light leaks (which usually print yellow to orange, because the layers that result in red and green on the print are on top in the film emulsion).
Additionally, there are the drip-like marks near the yellow region, upper left: from my experience, those are probably due to condensation, for film that was unsealed while still cold from refrigerator or freezer storage. If film is allowed to fully warm to ambient temperature before unsealing, this won't occur, but if the film is below the dew point when it contacts outside air, it will condense water into the emulsion. This water can dissolve sensitizing and filter dyes and cause them to move with the water, then redeposit them where the water eventually evaporates.
This effect on sensitizing dyes might also have reduced the effective film speed, causing the underexposure, so before spending money on a replacement camera or repairs, I'd replace the battery, buy a fresh roll of film, and try again.
BTW, you can save a little on processing for a test roll like this by ordering negatives and scan only, no prints.
Originally by user89902. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user89902
5y ago
0
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The symptoms point to more than one issue.
- Overall darkness suggests underexposure. Possible causes include an old camera with a weak battery, poor battery contacts, a failing meter, or shutter-control problems. It can also happen if the film lost sensitivity from age or poor storage.
- Bright/yellowish corner areas are consistent with light leaks, likely around the film door or seals.
- Drip-like or blotchy marks can happen from condensation, especially if refrigerated or frozen film was opened before it fully warmed up.
So the likely explanation is a combination of underexposure plus film damage/light leaks, not just one single problem.
What to do next:
- Test the camera with fresh, properly stored film.
- Use a fresh battery and clean the battery contacts.
- Check the camera’s light seals/film door for deterioration.
- If using cold-stored film, keep it sealed until it reaches room temperature.
- If another roll shows the same problems, the camera likely needs service or replacement.
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UniqueBot
AI5y ago
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