Help!

robcal · 23rd February 2010, 07:04 PM

Needed a bit of advice. I bought a camera from Russia last year (long story, involved lots of drink etc.). Supposed to be a panoramic (lomographic) camera and appeared to be fine. Unfortunately due to my general idiocy I managed to snap the first film I took and then allowed light to get to it.

Second film has just come back from being developed and I'd been pretty nervous / excited about it. The photos have come out but...

Every photo on the film (except the first 1 which was my 'wasted photo' at the start of the film) has come out with what appear to be creases and brown blotches.

Any ideas what has caused this? Is it a problem with the lens, or could it be the way the film has been wound on?

youmademerealise · 23rd February 2010, 07:19 PM

The brown spots - look to me as if something has almost pierced the film. New film? Do they stay in the same formation but move around on the film?

Anything in the camera that could have done this?

Unlikely to be the lens. I presume you have checked it?

The creasing has to be some kind of winding problem. Is it 35mm film? Horizon? Are you able to wind with the back open to see how the film is transporting? And is the lens moving smoothly when you shoot?

Least of your worries at the moment, but it's overexposed

To give you a bit of encouragement here's some stuff shot with a Horizont by a friend of mine.

http://www.doncphoto.com/panoramics.html

http://www.doncphoto.com/landscapepana07.html

Plenty of distortion, but great cameras for the price

edit, when I think about it, it's probably a Noblex he uses, but they work on the same pricipal

robcal · 23rd February 2010, 07:41 PM

Yep, it's a Horizon camera. Look great pieces of kit for the money, even though the mechanism is archaic.

I'll have a look at the film and see how well it's winding on. The lens appears to be moving fine, but will have a closer look. I'm halfway through the current film, so I might try and finish it off during the next week and get it developed, perhaps the 'stains' might not be on this film.

As for your friend's photos, they're cracking, especially considering the camera they're taken on - particularly love the Yellowstone Lake shot.

youmademerealise · 23rd February 2010, 07:41 PM

Principal*

Quote:

Originally Posted by robcal

Yep, it's a Horizon camera. Look great pieces of kit for the money, even though the mechanism is archaic.

I'll have a look at the film and see how well it's winding on. The lens appears to be moving fine, but will have a closer look. I'm halfway through the current film, so I might try and finish it off during the next week and get it developed, perhaps the 'stains' might not be on this film.

As for your friend's photos, they're cracking, especially considering the camera they're taken on - particularly love the Yellowstone Lake shot.

Was that an old film or something? Looks odd. The marks really look like indentations on the film. Perhaps the creasing is a bigger problem

And who did the processing? There is a small chance it could have been a problem in the processor if it's one where the film is fed through the tank. Which it likely is on 35mm

robcal · 23rd February 2010, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by youmademerealise

Principal*

Was that an old film or something? Looks odd. The marks really look like indentations on the film. Perhaps the creasing is a bigger problem

And who did the processing? There is a small chance it could have been a problem in the processor if it's one where the film is fed through the tank. Which it likely is on 35mm

The film was new - fuji reala (a film I use on my SLR and rate very highly).
Just had a look at the brown spots - they're in the same place throughout the film.

Got the film developed at a fuji film lab linky who have always done a decent job with films I've had developed.

youmademerealise · 23rd February 2010, 07:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by robcal

As for your friend's photos, they're cracking, especially considering the camera they're taken on - particularly love the Yellowstone Lake shot.

That Letchworth State Park looks a cracking location, not seen that before.

Shame it's not in Hertfordshire

Quote:

Originally Posted by robcal

The film was new - fuji reala (a film I use on my SLR and rate very highly).
Just had a look at the brown spots - they're in the same place throughout the film.

Got the film developed at a fuji film lab linky who have always done a decent job with films I've had developed.

Yep, Reala is a decent and reliable print film. You can only really wait and see your next film to discover if this is a camera or film/processing problem.
Just whack it through then use a cheap film to check the transport, shutter, lens etc etc