Weha Chrome-Six

[Julio1fer]

Does not seem so drastic as it would be if a lens were reversed. Vignetting looks quite normal for the type.

What aperture did you use? A triplet should give better edge sharpness, especially if closed down. Of course this is from 1941 and maybe produced in war economy conditions.

[P C Headland]

The example shot was around f8 IIRC, but is still exhibits vignetting when stopped down to f11 or f16. I might have to do some proper tests...

[P C Headland]

A couple more from the expired Fomapan in the Weha, shot around f11. There was loads of crud on the film, the last frame even had the imprint of one of the numbers off the backing paper - interesting as a red window is not used apart from setting frame 1.

Next time I'll shoot a roll of fresher film!

[Julio1fer]

Edge sharpness is indeed a lot less than at the center area, even at f/11.

I also have had numbers from the paper imprinted in expired film, it could be a radiochemical thing. The ink from the numbers is not in contact with the emulsion, and definitely it is not a matter of light leaks. Somebody, somewhere, must have already researched this issue.

[P C Headland]

I do recall quite some time back issues with Foma and Efke leeching frame numbers. It may have been due to a combination of the ink and backing paper reacting. That was my last roll of very expired Foma, which was also curlier than a spring. No issues with similar aged Neopan 400.

[Brazile]

Certainly happened to Kodak as well, when they stopped making their own paper and relied on other suppliers. Seems like Ilford might have had some issues with that also in latter years. My impression is that this is one reason so many of the numbers that used to be supplied (to match the window location on odd cameras) have been removed, and why they're much fainter than they used to be as well. Chemistry is tricky stuff sometimes!

Robert

[titrisol]

I shot my last roll of 120 EFKE a decade ago, it was sad to see that Fotokemika (Samobor) had been demolished when I visited Croatia
I was fortunate not to have paper problems, but yes numbers have become super dim and very hard to read

[Julio1fer]

I have had the numbers and other film marks appearing in Ilford and in Lucky well expired B&W film. If the cause is chemical it must involve diffusion through the film base, which looks strange. It is an interesting problem.

[PFMcFarland]

Nice camera, good work, and fine photos, Paul. I wouldn't worry too much about the lens sharpness, I've got at least one Zeiss camera that does the same thing. Wasted my time swapping the elements around just to have to put them back in their original order.

PF