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What went wrong?

One edge of my film is lighter than the rest

Negatives and slides

What you're seeing

A lighter band runs along one long edge of the film, often with a fairly straight boundary. On a scan or print it shows as a darker band.

If the developer doesn't cover the top of the reel, the same edge of the whole roll is underdeveloped.

Check this first

Check this first

Is the band lighter (thinner) than the rest of the negative, or darker? Lighter points to development; darker points to light fog.

Likely causes, most common first

  1. 01

    Too little developer in the tank

    Common
    How to tell
    A lighter band along the same edge for the whole roll: the edge that sat at the top of the reel was not covered by developer.
    Test it
    Put your loaded reel or reels in the tank, pour in the volume you used, then lift the reel and see whether the solution reached the top.
    The fix
    Use enough developer to cover every reel in the tank, at the volume the tank maker marks for that format and number of reels.

    Sources Ilford Photo (Harman Technology), Common Processing Problems; Ilford, Ilford DD-X Technical Information; Eastman Kodak Company, Processing Chemicals and Formulas for Black-and-White Photography (Kodak Publication J-1), 7th edition

  2. 02

    Light fog along the edge

    Occasional
    How to tell
    The band is darker than the rest of the negative, not lighter, and may cover the edge markings. That is light, not development.
    Test it
    Look at the edge strip on a light box: fog makes the strip by the sprocket holes grey or black rather than clear.
    The fix
    See the light leak and fogged edges entries.

    Sources Ilford Photo (Harman Technology), Common Processing Problems; Ilford Photo, Ilford: Processing your first black & white film (information leaflet, Oct 2003)

Avoiding it next time

  • Check the tank's marked volume for the format and number of reels.
  • Mix a little more developer than you think you need.

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