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![]() ![]() If it comes back clean, then it was probably just a simple user error-if not, take your camera to get checked out by a pro. HOW TO FIX IT: Double check that the seals on your camera are light tight by shooting another roll of film. HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT: Light leaks appear as faded or discolored streaks or bursts in a scan-they will extend outside the frame to the rebate edge. This is usually due to a faulty back, in which light-tight seals are damaged or worn. THE PROBLEM: Light is getting into your camera. If you still see dust on your scans, please get in touch with the Richard crew! that is visible at an image size of 25-30%. HOW TO FIX IT: Richard always takes care to prevent this from happening when scanning your film, including brushing & vacuuming your negs and digitally removing noticeable dust and scratches (either with a special automated software or manually). HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT: Obstructions in the scanner will appear on your films scans as tiny white marks or lines. THE PROBLEM: Dust and other small particles are clinging to your film or the scanning bed. Reoccurring obstructions can sometimes be a piece of your camera itself, and should be repaired at a camera shop. HOW TO FIX IT: Keep your camera as clean as a whistle with regular maintenance at home-clean your camera back and insert with canned air before every shoot. HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT: Obstructions in your camera will appear on your film scans as dark marks, oftentimes appearing on multiple frames in a row. It can even be the protective paper backing on your 120 film. Maybe it’s hair, maybe it’s dust, maybe it’s an unidentifiable gunk. THE PROBLEM: Something yucky has wormed its way into your camera. It won’t be great, but it will be tolerable. If film is not too severely overexposed, some moderate post-production work can be done. ![]() Overexposing color film a couple of stops can actually be a powerful shooting tool in film photography, but only if you can understand when and why. HOW TO FIX IT: Grab a light meter to properly judge lighting, and consider shooting some test rolls. Your negatives will be very high contrast between the darkest dark and the lightest light, but the dark, dense areas dominate throughout. HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT: The highlights in your scanned images will be dull and gray-this is because, in an effort to preserve definition throughout the mid-tones, our scanners must reduce the overall lightness of your image. THE PROBLEM: Your negative was exposed to light for too long, making your negatives too dense. If the underexposure is not too intense, you can adjust affected frames in a photo editor such as Lightroom or Photoshop to get "passable" images. You might also want to shoot a test roll to get a better handle on exposure in general. HOW TO FIX IT: Get yourself a light meter so you can adjust your camera settings correctly for different lighting scenarios. Your negative film will be very faint/see-through. HOW TO RECOGNIZE IT: Your scans will look dark/faded, grainy, and have very low contrast. THE PROBLEM: Your negative was exposed to light for too short a time to record a well-defined image on the film. Sound familiar?Įvery film photographer has witnessed a dreaded film scan anomaly, from strange lines and dots to discolored images to portions of the image being blacked out.ĭon’t be left in the dark when it comes to your film! Let Richard Photo Lab break down the causes and solutions of common film developing & scanning issues for you.īONUS: If we spot any of these issues in your film order, it will be noted on Richard's Film Report that you'll receive with your scans letting you know what we saw, and on which rolls! You download your film scans, you start flipping through the image files, and then you spot it-there’s something… weird on your scan. ![]()
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