Final answer:
Yes, developer cutoff is true; it is recognized by a straight black border across the film due to incomplete coverage of the developer solution during the film development process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that a developer cutoff appears as a straight black border across the film is true. This occurs during the development process of photographic films when the developer chemical does not fully cover the film surface.
A straight black edge or border on the film indicates an area where the developer has not reached, often due to a lack of sufficient agitation or a low volume of developer solution. When processing photographic film, it's crucial to ensure that the developer solution covers the entire area of the film to avoid such issues and achieve an even development of images.