Since my last update on this particular subject, I have had many suggestions on Twitter and much support offered by the fantastic #believeinFilm community. I have pretty much got to the point where even if I haven't got to the bottom of it completely, I am putting it to bed for now. Thank You to everyone who tried to help and offered advice it is very much appreciated.
I have settled on the problem being a combination of the film and the camera rather than it being one or the other. This makes logical sense to me as I have shot the film in another camera with no such problems and have shot other film stock in the same camera with no such problems. It is a real shame as I have quickly adopted the Koni-Omega Rapid as a firm favourite and love the tonality of Fomapan 200 but it is perhaps a combination that doesn't work.
Telephone Box (Out of Order) Isle of Benbecula, Western Isles, March 22, Largely Overcast
The image above was shot with the camera / film combination and proved equally troublesome to process as the same assortment of lines dots and other shapes appear all over the negative. Closer inspection of the negatives, where I can, has revealed these to be either unexposed bits , or, bits where there is no emulsion, rather than anything physically "on" the negative.
A link to a response by Fomapan on a similar issue, states that due to the physical properties of the film, some cameras may put the film under too much stress and damage, stretch and break the emulsion layer as it is more fragile than most films. This, coupled with the way the Koni-Omega rapid pressure plate works (It kind of activates only when the shutter is pressed and "stamps" the film onto the film gate), I can imagine if the film is already quite taut in the camera that this could overstretch the emulsion perhaps. Additionally, the "wind-on lever" is pulled all the way out to the right of the camera to wind the film on and then replaced adjacent to the camera, rather like, and sounding rather like, cocking a shotgun. And I did enjoy that "bolt-action" wind-on perhaps too much! (Yes yes, underneath this mature (and rather dashing) exterior, is a small boy playing with a new toy). I will be a bit more circumspect in future.
The Ugly
I promised the ugly during part 1 ...and here it is :
100% crop view of the multitude of dots, (white on the negative of course....or I should say "the same colour as the illumination behind the negative) that will be nigh on impossible to remove from this image.
This particular roll is by far the worst of the bunch and features this kind of pattern in the same place on 3 consecutive negatives. There are also clumps of this kind of pattern on other areas of each frame and in each one they are in similar areas. Kind of baffles me this one. I would estimate there are 5-10,000 such white dots on each negative maybe...and why are they so consistent on 3 consecutive frames? Well, maybe I will never know. I have sent some images to Fomapan , just to see if they can shed some light on it but as yet I have had no response.
The next frame on the roll, similar pattern in a similar place.
The next frame on the roll and a similar story, but this time there is a multitude of pairs of dots, all with similar characteristics. And a shot that was rather nice otherwise.
Summary
What am I to take away from this ? Well white spots aside , I loved the tonality and grain of Fomapan 200 and already use it in sheet form so that won't change. I will put some more through the Koni at some point as a test roll, but otherwise will use it in other cameras.
As for the Koni-Omega Rapid....I love it ! I have had a couple of recommendations for options to try including Fomapan 400, shot at 200 and developed in 510 Pyro which I will try, but first Fomapan 400 and HP5+ at ISO 200 and then developed in Perceptol ....to see what they look like !
Finally (Ok Not quite)
Photographing the Wind # 1 Stinky Bay, Isle of Benbecula, Western Isles, Scotland.
South Westerly, 25-35 Knots, March 2022
This one again with the Koni-Omega but with Ilford PanF+. Not a white speck in sight. As I said in the last post, I am still looking for Number 2 in the series and have quite a few ....on Fomapan 200.
Again, thanks to all on Twitter who offered advice and opinion. It was much appreciated!
I can say without any doubt though, as the evidence is sat in my negative binder that my films suffered damage from the x-ray machine at the airport. I have "wavy lines" on both rolls of Bergger Pancro 400 and 2 out of 8 of the rolls of Fomapan 200. I don't know if they went through a CT scanner as well but doubt it. The newer machines appear not be safe with relatively medium speed films with only my ISO 50 and ISO 125 not showing damage.
Current Status
Note 1 - A flood in the downstairs Darkroom (which is doubles up as a makeshift Shower and WC) has caused the floor and half the tiles to be removed and there is dust everywhere. It is still suitable for "doing the crossword" in there, but any tray developing is currently prohibited. So....printing and dry plates currently on hold.
The Butlin's Files
All Well and good......but where is the Gents?
Nikon EM, 35-70mm Nikkor lens and Ilford Delta 100 film.
Thank You for reading and hope you have great light!
The views expressed in this post are my own. I take the photographic process seriously, but I take myself with a pinch of salt !