LF technique question

[k_jupiter]

For my first shooting outing with my Deardorff 8x10, I went to a fairly known place to me and shot a couple of images on 8x10, a couple on 5x7.
5x7s look nice. Used the Arista Ultra 100 I did them in WD2D+. I then did one of the 8x10s in PyroCat HD rotary in a Jobo drum on a Unicolor motor, swapping ends every minute. To be honest, it looks just like the 5x7 in tone, scale, exposure, etc.

But... There is a line going down the end of the film, about 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch, straight but not parallel to the edge of the film. There is an image on both sides, but the image on the end side is about 2 stops less than the the main negative. I don't think it's development. It's too straight, and by rotating the drum end to end every minute, there would be no way to make it that consitantly under-developed.

So... COuld it be that I used too much movement in my 8x10 while shooting? Could I have caused an internal shadow in the Deardorff that I didn't pick up on the GG? My previous experience with LF has been primarily 4x5 or 3x4 based Speed Graphics. You know how much movement you get on those.

So anyone else found shadows in their LF field cameras?

tim in san jose

[BradS]

just guessing but...bellows sag? well...maybe? I dunno.

[keithwms]

Film holder leaks? If you put your neg back into the film holder in the orientation it was shot, do you see any correlation with the seals?

[k_jupiter]

just guessing but...bellows sag? well...maybe? I dunno.

Horizontal shot, shadow runs vertical in this position. I believe bellows, I just have not experienced bellows getting in the way of the light path from movements.

Film holder leaks? If you put your neg back into the film holder in the orientation it was shot, do you see any correlation with the seals?

Light leaks would cause over exposure. This is apparently underexposure on one edge.

tim

[TheFlyingCamera]

Sounds a lot like bellows sag. This is rarely a problem on 4x5 or even 5x7, but it becomes much more common on 8x10 and larger, where the bellows are huge, and exponentially heavier, making them more likely to droop mid-bellows.

[df cardwell]

A Vertical line, but a Horizontal picture ? How do a Deardorff bellows sag horizontally ?

Can you post a snap of how the camera was set up when you made the picture ?

It is always a good idea to set up the shot, and peak through the cut out corners of the ground glass to look at the open diaphragm of the lens.

[k_jupiter]

Sounds a lot like bellows sag. This is rarely a problem on 4x5 or even 5x7, but it becomes much more common on 8x10 and larger, where the bellows are huge, and exponentially heavier, making them more likely to droop mid-bellows.

Scott, Why would the shadow be down the left side, not across the top if it was droop?

tim

[TheFlyingCamera]

You're right, it wouldn't. How much movement did you have applied? Could it be you were at the edge of the image circle, or the bellows vignetted due to horizontal movement?

[jnanian]

hey tim

make a paper negatives when you test
your camera, it is much cheaper than film ( and easier too! )

could the line be something dangling inside the camera ?
you mention it is not parallel to the edge of the film,
does it go down the entire length of the film?

john

[Deckled Edge]

One of my 'dorffs has the orig. leather bellows, and they do droop. When it happens there is complete mechanical vignetting, not a 2 stop loss of exposure.
Was there pre-exposure of most of the film before the final exposure? A darkroom light leak, a holder malfunction, or user error? A bad sheet of film (I, too, use Efke, though I'm sure Arista has less problems here).
What lens and what movements?