Can you please post photos as I think I may have the same problem. Do the stripes look like the spring like metal on top of the cartridge battery?

Any idea to avoid these stripes? 

The stripes have been discussed here:

http://support.the-impossible-project.com/entries/20448763-weird-co...

In the thread, there's a link to a tutorial from Impossible that describes this in fuller details.

Good luck!
TRB

Gregor, if you look at the back of the photo, you'll find a ten-digit batch code number. The first four digits represent the date that the film was manufactured. For example, if you had "0611497007", the first four digits would represent June, 2011.

These stripes have sometimes shown up in photos that I've taken as well. FWIW, I have some very old Polaroids going back to 1986 that sometimes had these stries, so it sometimes happened in Polaroid's own films too.

I would suggest taking going back to the Vienna shop and have a chat with them, showing them your photos. In my own experience, Impossible is happy to work with its customers.

Good luck!
TRB

My issue is rather different.. Take a look at the attachment.. any ideas?? It looks like the cartridge spring to me I just can't work out why two different film packs would have this issue? Both shot in an SLR-680 + ND Filter.. I was just told now by IP Support I don't need the ND Filter which is fine but still without the filter the same problem occurs.

Ah, I see, Joe:

I can see the outline of the spring in the cartridge appearing in the photos.

This could only have been caused by exposure to radiation or X-RAYs. There's no other possible explanation.

These were ordered directly from Impossibles Online Store and delivered via UPS Standard from their German Warehouse. Do you expect these may have been exposed to some radiation in transit? Very odd issue. I purchased these for a friend and he was shooting in office so I see them from delivered package to coming out of the camera so I know they was not exposed to any radiation my end.

IP Support have offered me 1 free pack as compensation which is a great gesture! Do you think both should be replaced though? Two different films, same camera. Even tried shoot one of the photos in a 600 and the same problem appears.

Films:

PX 680 Colour Shade

PX 600 Silver Shade UV+

Thanks for your help Tom! You are one of the highest contributors to these forums. Great effort.

<Grinning> Thanks for the compliment, Joe. That was very kind of you to say.

It occurs to me that if both films exhibit the same "spring" image, Impossible may want to test their inventories in their warehouse. But my guess is that the films were X-RAYed after they left the warehouse. Perhaps your shipment was randomly selected, but I'm sure that Impossible would want to know so that they can consider other shipping options that wouldn't cause the film to be X-RAYed.

What shipment method was used, if I may ask? In the US, shipments are generally sent via US Postal Service "Priority Mail" (with delivery in 2 to 3 business days). If your purchase was shipped via Airmail, that might explain how the package was X-RAYed.

If I were in your place, I would absolutely get back in touch with Impossible, because it's possible that other customers could be impacted as well, when it's not Impossible's fault.

Regards and good luck!
Tom

@Gregor: Great point! It might indeed have happened in Customs. Perhaps Impossible needs to label their packages "DO NOT XRAY - CONTAINS FILM", or something similar.