THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EYE

FOCAL POINT: Common Disasters
Your camera, as we've noted, is a
machine. Like any machine, it won't
always produce the results you
expect.
Blank Film
One of the most upsetting unexpected
results is an entire roll of film that
comes out blank. Unless something
went very wrong during processing
(such as using the wrong chemicals),
this means that the film did not advance
correctly. (The old problem of
leaving the lens cap on while shooting
has been eliminated with throughthe-lens
cameras.) Film does not advance
for one of two reasons: either
it was incorrectly threaded into the
take-up reel, or the sprocket holes
were torn.
Both problems are fairly easy to
discover and avoid. Each time you
advance the film, the rewind knob
should turn slightly. If it doesn't,
crank it counter-clockwise until the
film in the canister is tightly wound.
Release the shutter and advance the
film again. If the rewind knob still
doesn't turn, you have a problem.
Take the camera into a darkroom or
use a light-tight changing bag to
remove the film in total darkness. (If
you don't, you'll probably lose any
photographs you've taken so far.)
If the film is partially advanced
(and therefore has been exposed), cut
the exposed part away from the canister.
Store it in a light-tight container,
such as the black plastic containers
that come with Kodak film.
Develop it as usual when you can.
If no more than the first "lip" of
the film (called the "leader) is extended,
check the sprocket holes. If
they are not damaged, reload the film
240 The Photographic Eye
carefully. If the sprocket holes are
torn, cut off the damaged part of the
film. Trim the new end of the film to
create a new leader, and reload.
So much for finding and correcting
the problem. How do you avoid it?
The key is being careful to load film
properly. Always advance the film at
least one frame with the camera back
open, so you can check to be sure it
is "catching" correctly on the take-up
reel. Then close the back and advance
it two more frames, checking
to be sure the rewind knob is turning
as well.
To avoid tearing the sprocket
holes, be certain as you load the film
that they fit the sprocket reel properly.
In addition, avoid advancing the
film with abrupt, jerky movements.
Instead, move the film advance lever
in one gentle, steady sweep.
Double Exposures
If some frames of a roll of film are
double exposed (and you don't know
why), torn sprocket holes may again
be the problem —especially if the two
exposures don't line up exactly. Often
the problem will correct itself after
ruining a few frames, but only if you
stop jerking the film forward and extending
the tear. If the problem happens
again and again even though
you are being careful, take the
camera to a camera shop for possible
repairs.
Blurs
If your photos display blurs or poor
focus, always in the same area of the
frame, your lens may be flawed. The
most common "flaw" that produces
this result is a dirty lens. You may not
notice fingerprints, water (especially
if it has chlorine or salt in it), dust,
and other environmental hazards until
you try to make enlargements. If
you make a habit of inspecting your
lens before you shoot, you'll avoid a
lot of frustration. Always carry lens
tissue or a soft, lint-free cloth
(or wear a thoroughly "broken-in"
cotton shirt) to wipe the lens as
necessary.
It is a good idea to use a UV or
skylight filter at all times. The main
reason for this is that it is far less
painful to replace a scratched filter
than a scratched lens. In addition,
a filter can be removed for more
thorough inspection than is possible
with a lens. You'll be surprised by the
amount of dirt that can hide on a
filter and be invisible until you hold
it up to the light.
If your photographs are consistently
blurred, especially around
the edges, the lens itself may be causing
the problem. Some inexpensive
zoom lenses, for example, produce
distortion at large apertures or at certain
focal lengths. The only solutions
are to avoid using the lens under conditions
that cause the undesirable
results ... or to replace it with a better
(and probably more expensive)
model. Before you do that, however,
take the lens back to where you
bought it. It's possible that the lens
was improperly assembled by the
manufacturer and can be repaired.
(For this reason, you should always
test any new camera equipment exhaustively
while it is still under
warranty.)
Scratches
If your film shows long horizontal
scratches, you either have dust in the