PBase

On a trip to Portugal this year, I took several photos with my Canon A1 using different lenses (28mm. 50mm, 70-200mm zoom). When I received them back from processing, a few of the photos had Red streaks running from top to bottom in the middle of the print. This can not be a lens problem as photos taken with the same lens in each case soon after were OK. The film I used was new "Kodak FarbWelt 100", weather was generally sunny and warm. This also happened with one print on another roll some time ago, processed by a different company
Can anyone help with this, or direct me to a site that can.

Thanks.

Can you post an example?

yeh here is one.
http://www.pbase.com/image/24272793.jpg

My first thought was bad processing. This thought was aided by the very noisy sky areas. The last time I shot film (a few years ago) I had my film developed and all my negatives came back scratched and 'cooked'. Areas of my scans had the same problems.

But if you've had this experience with another processor then it seems that you must be experiencing light leakage with your camera.

As for fixing the shots, that would take some very skillful editing, way past what I could do personally.

Along another line of thought, any chance that your film received some extreme X-rays? Did you happen to fly with it in checked baggage? (I'm not familiar with how X-rays effect film, would expect generalized 'fogging', just trying to rule out as many causes as possible.)

I would agree on the flight thing if the other roll had been subgected to this, but it was not. The question of light leakage, if this was the cause, then why is the next photo taken with the same lens Ok, as in this.
http://www.pbase.com/image/24273543.jpg

My guess, and understand that I am guessing ;o), is that light is most likely to get into the camera from the back. If you have a slightly bent back cover, for example, pushing on the wrong spot could open up a tiny hole.

How about this test.... (The A1 is a SLR isn't it? I'm out of touch with film cameras.) Take off the lens. Set the shutter to B so that the mirror swings up and the shutter stays open. Hold the back of the camera to a very strong light/bright sunlight, look through the lens mount and see if you can detect any light leaking in. Try squeezing the camera in various places.

Also look very closely around the back cover to see if you can detect any damage, torn foam sorts of problem.

Is the stripe on the negative? or just the print, the reason I ask is its a light leak but can labs "leak" durring the printing process?

Ray

The red stripe is on the neg also, so it looks like a light leakage in the camera body when I press the back with my thumb whilst taking the shot or something. I'll take it into the shop and ask the experts.

Another guess
Try looking at a leak on the lens side as well maybe when they are not completly closed to the body or something Another thought that comes to mind is that while changing the lens there is a leak
In short, have them look at both sides

One solution I'm going to try, is block the back plate with black tape and run another roll through it and see what happens. if its Ok then it needs a service on the seals and backplate hinge, if not then it is from the lens side, but I don't think so.

That sounds like a reasonable test. I've only seen one example but from that one it looks to me as if light is coming in along a vertical crack. In fact, it looks like the hinge side is possibly the bad spot.

Look at how the light seems to be even from top to bottom and drops off to the left. I'm guessing that light is getting in as the film advances. Check the other shots and see if you find a pattern.

bobtrips.
I checked the seals on both the back plate and the camera body, and they are decidedly well worn especially at the hinge and lock end. It looks to like a service is required with both new seals and possibly the hinge replacement. The red stripe's (Green on the Negatives) are all in the same place and of the same pattern except some are more pronounced than others. If you press the back with your thumb it has an up and down movement of about 1-2 mm, same from side to side at the lock end. When open, the back plate is very loose at the hinge end.
I will do the tape up test on a roll of film, and see what develops (excuse the pun).

Jim, I had an old Minolta Maxxum, from the first year it came out. A few of the readouts disappeared, and I lived with that for years. Then the flash wouldn't work with the camera, although it worked fine on a different one. So I thought I'd better get the camera fixed.

Turns out a new body was not much more than a repair bill, and the new body came with new features as well. Since film cameras aren't as popular now you may be surprised at the low price for a new body. Your lenses will still work with it, and you'll essentially have a new camera. I suggest you check some prices before spending money to have a well-worn body repaired.

pstewart. Hmm, thanks for the reply but with all the FD lenses I have for the Canon A1 a new A1 body may prove very expensive. If its just the seals that are the trouble, which I suspect it is, then replacing them could bring my camera back to new condition. The A1 is a terrific camera (my no.2 backup unit to another A1), so I will replace the seals and see.
Ps. I can't wait for Digital photography to take off, that will mean there will be a plethora of Hi class secondhand film cameras going cheap on the market. I can't wait!!!

Jim - digital photography already took off. I haven't shot a frame of film in almost four years. And I know only one person who is still shooting film. He gets his new digital tomorrow, it's under the tree.

If you wish to continue shooting film I would think you could get a used body for peanuts. I gave my film SLRs away to students who wanted to try film. Film was just too expensive for me. And scanning was a PITA.