What went wrong?
My negatives have uneven streaks or patches
Lighter or darker bands, often near the sprocket holes, along one edge, or across part of the roll.
Check this first
Where are the streaks: by the sprocket holes, along the length of the film, or at one end of the roll?
Likely causes
- 1.
Surge marks from too much agitation
Common- How to tell
- Denser streaks running out from the sprocket holes on 35mm.
- Fix
- Use gentler, slower inversions, or follow the agitation pattern on the development page.
- 2.
Bromide drag from too little agitation
Occasional- How to tell
- Streaks below dense areas, typical of stand development.
- Fix
- Add a gentle mid-way agitation, or use semi-stand development.
- 3.
Not enough developer in the tank
Common- How to tell
- One edge or the top of the reel is lighter than the rest.
- Fix
- Use the volume marked on the tank for the number of reels, even if one reel is empty.
- 4.
Film touching itself on the reel
Occasional- How to tell
- Irregular undeveloped (clear) patches, often with a crescent shape.
- Fix
- Practise loading with a scrap roll in daylight. Make sure the film runs into the spiral without skipping a groove.
Avoiding it next time
- Practise reel loading.
- Always fill the tank to the marked volume.
Go deeper
Other negatives problems
- My film came back completely clear
- My film came back completely black
- My negatives are thin and weak
- My negatives are very dark and dense
- There are streaks or flares of light on my photos
- There are spots on my negatives
- There are water marks on my negatives
- There are long scratches along my film
- My black and white negatives have a pink or purple tint
- My negatives look milky or cloudy
- My negatives have a cracked, crazed pattern
- There are small crescent-shaped marks on my film
- My colour photos have a strong colour cast
- The edges of my 120 frames are fogged
Last checked October 2026. Seen something different? Tell us.