After the two first lock-ups I actually wrote a short message to Ilford, just in case they might be able to shed some light into their making of them things. Their films, that is. The first two stopped funnily enough at around frame 24, and I started to think they might had 36 and 24 exp. length spools mixed up, or that something else might have happened to the films during production making them a bit shorter than they should be. Because that's the feeling you get when this happens. End of film like sort of thing, and when you have been through several hundreds of them you know that feeling well enough.
I got a nice reply from Ilford. and deemed by the words to read there should be no reason to suspect any dodgy film from their side as this should have been picked up in several ways, but I will of course know a bit more about the issue when I get home and have them torn apart in the darkroom. Further I also had one roll spinning through the old Minolta Hi-matic, and this roll also stopped before it should, so I got a suspicion there is something weird going on with this batch of FP4+ to be honest. But again, nothing will be proved until the rolls have been through the developing process.
My last roll was a Kentmere 400 which has been living inside the inner parts of my photo bag for years and probably got something like at least 50-60 X-ray treatments on it's neck. The main reason for sending it through the camera is just to check if it gets stuck at some point... I think not, to be honest.
So, I have been wasting a lot of film lately... but if it's the films themselves that have a problem it's fair enough and no big deal other than loosing some frames I could have wasted on something else. If it's the camera having an issue I'm seeing a repair bill coming up in the future, but then again I can't see what might be wrong since there's only the damn winding tool axle going into the end of the film spool and that's it. And that part of the thing is working flawlessly. If it was the film winder that had a problem I would not be able to rip the film to pieces with it, I should think?
Anyway, we will find out in a few weeks when I'm out of this place. At least the lady at the mailbox in the Ilford house like to know my findings when I get there, and if there's anything odd with the films she like to know the batch no. and a few other things. I'll send her a mail as soon as I know what the problem is.
Todays snap was done a few years ago now. Maybe it's been posted before, but I'm not sure. I know another one from the same place has been posted, but this one I don't know. Bog Cotton on the moors of the island where my mother grew up... It's a lovely kind of grass, isn't it?
It is a lovely kind of grass and a lovely location. I hope you get the film/camera issue sorted out and it doesn't cost you a fortune.
SvarSlettThank you, Marcus. Yes, it's an absolutely fantastic location this place.
SlettLooks like I have ruled out any errors on the camera itself, but I can't be 100% sure until my rolls have been developed at some point. I'll let you all know about my findings :)
That's a weird one, Roy - and the fact that it happened to 3 films in a row, in 2 different cameras? I think my money would be on a problem with that batch of films, too, if I'm honest. The Kentmere hopefully will shed some light on it, even though it's made by Ilford now (I think) but it'll be a different batch to the FP4. Or stick one of those Foma films in and see what gives...
SvarSlettAnd yes, lovely shot. I think I saw it before, but long enough ago not to worry about these things, particularly when it's a great one like this is.
Nothings been completely ruled out as for yet Michael, but the Leica seems to be fine anyway. I'll know for sure after having pulled those film rolls open and checked the inner secrets of them.
SvarSlettIt was really a weird thing, I must say. Totally stuck, with just the same feeling as the end of the spool. Well, I'll find the answer some day in a not too distant future.