Pentax 67 Blue Sky Blotchiness Mystery

scottric5 · 05-10-2021, 08:56 PM - **1 Like**

Hi all!

Long time lurker, first time poster. I bought a Pentax 67 a few months ago and love the camera. I ran a few rolls through the camera in Florida and got them developed by a lab in Miami. There was some very light streakiness (See image 1 in the upper left) that I thought was lab error, but it was minimal so I didn't think much of it.

I got several other rolls from Florida developed at my local lab and the resulting images looked wild. Images with blue skies are extremely blotchy (only in the sky) and intense streakiness persists in some images (See images 2 and 3), lighter streakiness in others. A week later, I got two other rolls developed at the same local lab from a recent work trip to Alaska and the blotchiness is unbearable (see images 4 and 5) in the blue sky. I also included a 6th image with contrast pumped to show the blotchiness (image 6).

Considerations:
- The lab claims comparable rolls developed at the same time were not experiencing the same issue (I also had 35mm film developed by them at the same time and the results were fine)
- The film I used was never exposed to x-rays (to my knowledge); all film was shipped via USPS or driven to the destination
- The film was never in extreme temperatures or exposed to vast changes in humidity
- I inspected the camera and the light seals on the camera door appear to be decaying leaving a sticky substance, but I don’t believe the film would ever touch this area
- Anything outside of the blue skies appear to be streak and blotch free

I can't find any threads on this forum or the internet that seem to have this problem. I don't understand how the camera could produce these results, but thought I'd post anyway. If anyone has any information that may help determine if this is a camera, film or development issue, it would be beyond helpful.

Thank you!
Scott

Attached Images

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**ProfessorBuzz** · 05-11-2021, 04:59 AM - **1 Like**

The 7 Seas photo looks like either a winding problem loading/unloading the film, or a shutter misbehaviour.
The next 2 building shots - the streaks look like something almost scraped along the film horizontally. The Chowder shots have the streaks going the other way - vertically!

How were these scanned? Same orientation?

As for the sky blotchiness, what lens/filter and film were you using?

scottric5 · 05-11-2021, 05:59 AM

@Paul - Correct, these were fresh rolls of film. I'll also note that all of these rolls were not from the same batch of film. I bought some rolls in Florida and others in NJ to ship to Alaska. And agreed, need to get the seals replaced at a minimum.

@Professor - Yes, the 7 Seas shot had some sort of other issue, but the other shots on the roll were fine (besides the light streaking).

I didn't notice the vertical streaks in the chowder shot until you mentioned it - very interesting. I assume the lab scanned the whole roll in the same orientation, but I haven't confirmed that. They rescanned the rolls and said the same blotches and streaks remained.

I used Portra 160 (image 3), Portra 400 (images 2, 5), and Ektar 100 (image 4). No filters were used. I predominately used the 105mm F2.4, but also used the 55mm F4. Since it happened to several types of film shot in different locations, I'm inclined to remove the film from suspicion.

Thanks for the replies!

**DonV** · 05-11-2021, 06:21 AM

I'd try again and use a different lab; could be sloppy/dirty/damage problem in handling the processing. JMHO.

tuco · 05-11-2021, 07:03 AM

The first and remainder photos look like different problems. Streaks and blotches are typically caused by a poor agitation in the film development.

**sergysergy** · 05-11-2021, 07:06 AM

Patterns are different for every picture so I would say it has to do more with the processing than the camera.

scottric5 · 05-11-2021, 07:06 PM

Thanks for the input y'all - definitely going to be sending my 120 film to another lab.

**pentaxus** · 05-11-2021, 10:11 PM

When they claim they went through the same machine at the same time they might not be totally correct. If, for example, they are using a Noritsu printer, 120 negatives are scanned with a different negative carrier. It could be and issue with the little used 120 negative carrier.

**ProfessorBuzz** · 05-13-2021, 05:05 AM

You could also shoot a couple rolls of B&W and develop at home - if you don't mind the chemistry. That way you'd eliminate a bunch of sources of problems (and introduce new ones).

The lab's machine could be dirty; not thermally stable - it takes a while for them to get the chemicals to the right temperature; there could be wipers/fibres on where the film goes in that could be scratching enamel; could be operator error.
I'm stuck trying to figure out the vertical streaks - they seem to be in the same position on each frame, and that has me stumped.

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05-11-2021, 04:59 AM - 1 Like	#2
ProfessorBuzz Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 1,903	The 7 Seas photo looks like either a winding problem loading/unloading the film, or a shutter misbehaviour. The next 2 building shots - the streaks look like something almost scraped along the film horizontally. The Chowder shots have the streaks going the other way - vertically! How were these scanned? Same orientation? As for the sky blotchiness, what lens/filter and film were you using?

05-11-2021, 05:59 AM	#3
scottric5 New Member Join Date: May 2021 Location: New Jersey Posts: 3 Original Poster	@Paul - Correct, these were fresh rolls of film. I'll also note that all of these rolls were not from the same batch of film. I bought some rolls in Florida and others in NJ to ship to Alaska. And agreed, need to get the seals replaced at a minimum. @Professor - Yes, the 7 Seas shot had some sort of other issue, but the other shots on the roll were fine (besides the light streaking). I didn't notice the vertical streaks in the chowder shot until you mentioned it - very interesting. I assume the lab scanned the whole roll in the same orientation, but I haven't confirmed that. They rescanned the rolls and said the same blotches and streaks remained. I used Portra 160 (image 3), Portra 400 (images 2, 5), and Ektar 100 (image 4). No filters were used. I predominately used the 105mm F2.4, but also used the 55mm F4. Since it happened to several types of film shot in different locations, I'm inclined to remove the film from suspicion. Thanks for the replies!

05-11-2021, 06:21 AM	#4
DonV Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Near Charlotte NC Photos: Albums Posts: 695	I'd try again and use a different lab; could be sloppy/dirty/damage problem in handling the processing. JMHO.

05-11-2021, 07:03 AM	#5
tuco Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Pugetopolis Posts: 11,033	The first and remainder photos look like different problems. Streaks and blotches are typically caused by a poor agitation in the film development.

05-11-2021, 07:06 AM	#6
sergysergy Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2011 Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,176	Patterns are different for every picture so I would say it has to do more with the processing than the camera.

05-11-2021, 07:06 PM	#7
scottric5 New Member Join Date: May 2021 Location: New Jersey Posts: 3 Original Poster	Thanks for the input y'all - definitely going to be sending my 120 film to another lab.

05-11-2021, 10:11 PM	#8
pentaxus Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Central Coast, CA Posts: 1,320	When they claim they went through the same machine at the same time they might not be totally correct. If, for example, they are using a Noritsu printer, 120 negatives are scanned with a different negative carrier. It could be and issue with the little used 120 negative carrier.

05-13-2021, 05:05 AM	#9
ProfessorBuzz Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2018 Posts: 1,903	You could also shoot a couple rolls of B&W and develop at home - if you don't mind the chemistry. That way you'd eliminate a bunch of sources of problems (and introduce new ones). The lab's machine could be dirty; not thermally stable - it takes a while for them to get the chemicals to the right temperature; there could be wipers/fibres on where the film goes in that could be scratching enamel; could be operator error. I'm stuck trying to figure out the vertical streaks - they seem to be in the same position on each frame, and that has me stumped.