Fuzzy Line on Neg--Why?

[Brian Moore]

The other negs on the roll were fine. The only real difference I can see between this one and its predecessors and successors is that this one exhibits camera shake (as I was using a fairly low shutter speed and shot this one apparently in some haste--or maybe I was jostled).

I developed the film (Tri-X 400) in Rodinal. Didn't have any issues loading the reel. (Well, there may have been a slight hitch or two, but no real drama inside the dark bag.) This was image 17 in a 36 exposure roll so it was smack dab in the middle.

I'd appreciate any opinions on the possible cause of this anomaly. Thanks.

 

[Pete Askew]

It looks a bit like a coating defect. The interesting think the lack of density one one side of the defect compared with the other. Can you feel a discontinuity on emulsion side of the negative? Is the density / contrast low on the the subsequent negatives as well compared with the ones that came before?

 

[Brian Moore]

Interesting questions, Pete. I'll check the negs tonight and post numbers 16 and 18 to compare. Thank you, Pete!

 

[Lesley Jones]

Strange - I've never seen anything like this before. I read once that you should wind film back slowly to avoid some problems, but I don't think the examples looked like this either...

 

[Pete Askew]

No that causes lightning like patterns due to static discharges. This looks like the ragged edge caused when the coating system became blocked or maybe scraped before it was dry. I guess it could have happened whilst the gelatine was swollen during development but I think that would have caused a different pattern.

 

[Brian Moore]

I never got a chance to look at the negs on either side of this one. I'll get to that this weekend.

 

[Garry Lee]

I wonder if it's due to a lack of fixation here where the film may have been stuck to another layer on the roll?
I've seen areas like that in the past, nearly always at the edge of the film..

 

[Brian Moore]

I wonder if it's due to a lack of fixation here where the film may have been stuck to another layer on the roll?
I've seen areas like that in the past, nearly always at the edge of the film..

I guess that's possible, Garry. But I didn't really have any issues getting the film onto the reel and i would think I might have felt some awkwardness at least. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion.