Read the edge lettering when troubleshooting film

Inspect a dry negative safely

Handle it by the edges and compare image areas with the film’s edge markings. ILFORD’s troubleshooting guide distinguishes blank film without edge signing from film with signing but no photographed images. Use that distinction as a starting point, not a diagnosis for every film stock or situation.

Evidence: Manufacturer guidance

Connect it to the session

Record the film product, camera-loading history and processing log. Keep a complete reference photograph that includes the edges. A scanner’s automatic contrast can obscure useful evidence; preserve the physical negative and ask a knowledgeable lab or manufacturer when the result remains uncertain.