CANON EOS3 Black line running down each photo

[leftysgirl]

OK....So I have a film camera, Canon EOS3- Not exactly a common things now-a-days-but I would dare to say it is comparitive to a 7Ds quality.  I am all of a sudden running into this problem below where I get a black line running down the edge of my photos- about 5 rolls of fims straight- 2 different brands, Fuji & Kodak.. I have been having to crop it out of all of my images. It's super aggervating. Unfortunately, I moved into a small town who only has one place that still develops film. So, I am not sure if it is soley their equipments/ employees fault or there maybe something I need to do to my cameras setting, or maybe it's the way I may be putting in the film?-or gasp** it needs to be serviced??!  I am so confused...I also have a second error. These two may be related and perhaps this maybe the cause of those lines. I have been experiencing a "BC" error occasionally while shooting where my shutter lags in mid-pic. So, I may be answering my own question here...Maybe, that is the culperate? I am using rechargable batteries in a PB2 grip. The batteries are ALWAYS fully charged for each shoot, because I just think rechargables just dont have that same oomph as throw-a-aways. I have been using the camera for about 7 months with out these issues. 

Any advice or similar experiences??

Please help!! 🙂 ...Here is a pic of my sweetie below with that issue..

[cicopo]

Test the shutter by using different speeds & looking through the lens from the film side of the camera (with the back open). Is that line on the negatives? It may be a printing problem. Compare recent negatives to older ones. The exposed width should be exactly the same, & if it is then it's something to do with the printing process.

[leftysgirl]

Thanks Cicopo for your suggestion. I will need to try that tonight to see if anything sticks out or not. I did grab a few different negatives from different periods, and the lines are not in the negatives 😕 ....Amature question here, what do you mean by exposed width??

Thanks!

[cicopo]

your strip of negatives will have an area that was exposed (it's the photo) and a narrow bar between that exposed section & the next exposed section. The bar between the photo negatives will likely be very transparent just like the areas above & below the exposed sections. If the camera is causing the issue negatives from the era before it showed up will be wider by a tiny bit than the current negatives.

[amfoto1]

Regarding the black line on your images...

It looks to me as if the operator at the photo lab simply doesn't have the film strip properly inserted when they are making the scans. Many of the machines used to make prints also are used to make the scans (they use the scan to make the print, actually)... And they are supposed to detect and align the images automatically. I'd guess it's either their equipment is off, out of adjustment, or operator error on their part.

I'm pretty sure that's a printing problem. I can't think of anything that you could do to a film camera or any fault of a film camera that would give that type of error. Talk to the film processor and show them your images. They are probably doing that to everyone's film.

Regarding the "BC" error...

I had to look it up! Forgot what it meant. It is primarily a low battery warning, but also appears to be related to a variety of things... "misoperation of camera, lens or flash", according to the manual.

The most obvious is to try a different set of batteries. But also clean the contacts (PB-E2-to-the-camera, batteries-to-the-PB-E2 and lens-to-camera). Cleaning them is simple, just wipe carefully with a rag lightly dampened with a couple drops of isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol. Be careful to keep off the lens' optics and the camera's mirror. It might help, maybe not.

You mention that your "shutter lags" when the "BC" appears. Do you see incorrectly exposed images? Or are you just going by the sound? If the latter, a low battery will show up having trouble and more slowly advancing the film. Maybe that's what you are hearing?

I never used rechargeables in my EOS-3 w/PB-E2... Typical rechargeable AAs come in different power values, so that might be the problem, if they are new and this is the first you have used them. But, I use some AA rechargeables in my flashe and they have more power, last longer and recycle the flashes faster than alkaline AAs. In other words, they have more "oomph", not less. There are lower capacity available, though.

If yours are not new, are older, rechargeables also don't hold up forever. They might need replacement. They are only good for a certain number of discharge/recharge cycles.

Also, if they haven't been used in quite a while, have become fully discharged and sat that way for a while, rechargeables might not take a full charge first time out... or even a few discharge/recharge cycles.

Batteries also work quite differently depending upon the temperature. Are you seeing the problem in particularly cold temps?

The best rechargeable to use in the PB-E2 might be the matching Ni-MH NP-E2, rather than generic rechargeable AAs.

It is possible the camera simply needs a tune-up. It's not unusual for lubricating oils to evaporate or thicken over time. If the camera has never been given a clean/lube/adjust (CLA). I am not sure if Canon still services. But, if not, I'm sure other shops still work on them.

Hope this helps.... EOS-3 are great cameras (I still have my two).

***********
Alan Myers

San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & PRINTROOM

[leftysgirl]

Thanks amfoto for your suggestions. I will definitely look into the NiMh batteries. The energizer rechargables ones that I have are about a year to two years old. So, I am not sure if that is considered old. I do charge them before each shoot. That does remind me, I should inspect the batteries to see if any of their ends may have corrosion on them until I order the ones you suggested.

I did clean all of the contacts thoroughly and also made sure my PB2 was tightned closely on. I hope that will do the trick!!

As far as the fim developing goes, if I do not receive any more BC errors while shooting, and still have that black line on the side of my pictures, I will certainly asume that it is the people who are developing them (Walgreens). They tld me I have been only the one having these issues. So, I will see. Last development I lost 6 images on top of the ones that had the lines on the sides...It was pretty upsetting.

I hope to take some more pictures in a few days, and I will update my outcome

[amfoto1]

The age of rechargeable batteries is usually not so important as how many times they've been discharged and recharged. They are typically only good for a certain number of charges. Also, if you recharge after every use even if they aren't fully discharged, in other words just "topping them up" after each use, you actually might be damaging them. I would refer you to the manufacturer's website for more info.

I wouldn't  necessarily get the NP-E2 battery pack(s) without first doing some tests to see if that will help or not. .

Simply get a set of good, fresh alkaline AAs and see if those work better than your rechargeables. If they do, you know your rechargeables are at fault and can then decide whether to replace them with the same or better AA rechargeables or go to the NP-E2 pack instead.

If the camera continues to throw the "BC" warning with a fresh set of alkalines, there's likely the problem lies with the camera or the PB-E2....

You can pretty easily rule in or out the PB-E2 by removing it and using the camera with a 2CR5 in the grip originally provided. If the camera still throws the "BC" warning without the PB-E2 fitted, it's likely an issue in the camera.... maybe just a clean/lube/adjust needed... maybe something more serious.  

***********
Alan Myers

San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & PRINTROOM 

[leftysgirl]

Thanks for those who have responded with their insight!! Regarding the black bar, I have switched to a different develpor. I did not tell them about my issues just to see what happens, and NO black bars..yay!! SO, YES- I would agree it was a developing issue. Shame on them.

Regarding my past BC error, I think that cleaning my contacts and making sure my grip was on tightly solved my BC error. I have not received any BC errors since then 🙂

I don't think my batteries were the issues, but its good to know that there's a shelf life on them.

Thanks again!! Resolved just in time for my daughter's 1st birthday party!! 😄

[amfoto1]

Cool! Glad to hear that problem is resolved.

Cute pic, too!

The "BC" is probably a combination of factors... weak connections (which you addressed by cleaning and tightening) along with weakening batteries. I wouldn't be surprised if it came back in the future and you need new batteries to solve it.

***********
Alan Myers

San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & PRINTROOM