| Author |
Message |
    
Bob Edge (Bobedge3149)
Active Member ( <30 postings)
Username: Bobedge3149
Post Number: 14
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Monday, January 09, 2006 - 11:59 am: | 
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Hi,
I have been having trouble with developing my films. When finished the film looks like it is fogged. I know it is not light leaking into the camera, colour film sent to a lab is fine. Also I dont think it is light leaking in when I load the reel. I have sat there in the dark for half an hour, and can see no signs of light in the room.
I am wondering what effect insufficient fixing would have. The first film I developed was fine, this was developed with all fresh chemicals. Since then I have used my stock fixer (Ilford rapid). I made 2 litres, and keep it in full bottles with no air at all. It is about six weeks old and has fixed about 30 sheets of 8X10 and about 4 135/36 films, so it should have plenty of life left.
The only other variable is the developer (Ilfosol S). This is mixed fresh for every film, but the bottle of concentrate is obviously not full, but is kept in a fridge. Has the dev gone off after only six weeks?
Someone please help! I have ruined loads of shots of my baby daughter & she is growing up fast.
Bob... |
Jürgen Loob (Jotloob)
New member (<5 postings)
Username: Jotloob
Post Number: 4
Registered: 08-2005
| | Posted on Monday, January 09, 2006 - 2:11 pm: |
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Hi Bob
Talking from 30 years B/W film and darkroom experience i can give you the following advice .
Don't try to save money at the wrong point . Developer and fixer is not that expensive . Developer is very sensitive against air and therefore you should always use fresh developer . Always ! ! !
Fixer is not that sensitive .
Please rethink your developing process and always put up your developer as short as possible before developing your films .
I do use either developer in stock solution or mostly 1:1 and then pour the stuff away . I set up my fixer for 1 litre and use it for 10 films (135 and/or 120) although you could use it for 12 films . I do not keep fixer longer than 4 weeks . What i said above is valid for any brand (Ilford ,Kodak , Tetenal or whatever) . I have found , that developing paper , the developer behaved very different already after 4 hours . That must not be true for ilfosol , but best results are only obtained , using fresh liquids . |
Bob Edge (Bobedge3149)
Active Member ( <30 postings)
Username: Bobedge3149
Post Number: 15
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 1:19 pm: |
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Thanks Jurgen,
I have figured out what I did wrong. The fixer I was using I had mixed at 1 to 9 for fixing paper. It should be mixed 1 to 4 for films. I do always mix just what developer I need. I now have a seperate bottle of 1 to 4 fixer, just for films.
I loaded the film strips onto a couple of reels, soaked in water for a few minutes, and re fixed them, and they are now as good as new. I am so happy I managed to save the pictures of my daughters first christmas.
Bob... |
Alexander Rosser (Lcl)
New member (<5 postings)
Username: Lcl
Post Number: 3
Registered: 10-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 17, 2006 - 7:51 am: |
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Partially fixed film looks cloudy/milky. The rule-of-thumb is to fix for twice the time it takes to clear. Fresh fixer should fix film in two to three minutes, so check after three. Light won't affect film once you start fixing.
Alex |
rob finlayson (Robf)
New member (<5 postings)
Username: Robf
Post Number: 1
Registered: 04-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 11:25 am: |
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Dear Bob,
I have just joined this group and read your posting from January. Your milky films probably are the result of insufficient fixing but I had a similar problem a few years ago which was caused by something else. I do my photography in a cellar which has fluorescent lighting. I mentioned this to my local camera dealer and he said that a fluorescent tube continues to emit radiation up to 30 minutes after it has been switched off. This is not visible but is enough to fog films of normal sensitivity (100 iso +). I tried developing film during times when the light had not previously been on and my fogging problems stopped.
Rob Finlayson |
Jürgen Loob (Jotloob)
New member (<5 postings)
Username: Jotloob
Post Number: 5
Registered: 08-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 6:16 pm: |
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Bob
The problem with fluorescent light can easily be circumvented by using a switch , which just breaks the two lines of an AC current supply . I had the same problem and could install a switch breaking the two lines , and the problem had gone . |
Bob Edge (Bobedge3149)
Active Member ( <30 postings)
Username: Bobedge3149
Post Number: 17
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 2:44 pm: |
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Hi Rob, & Jurgen,
I do not have flourescent tubes in my dark room, as I was aware of the continued flourescence. The problem was solved completely by fixing some more.
I now put a peice of the undeveloped film leader into a shot glass and cover it in the fixer I am going to use, if it clears in less than 2 minutes I know the fixer is ok. I always remove the lid of the dev tank after 3 minutes, and check the film is clear beffore washing, as at this point light will not affect the film.
I also test my paper fixer in the same way, but the limit is only 1 minute, any longer, and I mix up fresh fixer.
Good to see some new members. This forum has been very inactive of late.
Regards Bob... |
Jürgen Loob (Jotloob)
Member ( <10 postings)
Username: Jotloob
Post Number: 6
Registered: 08-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 3:48 pm: |
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Bob
I am developing B/W films since more than 30 years and never ever had any trouble with developer or fixer . True ! !
How comes it ? ? ?
I always use fresh solutions and do not keep them for a longer period of time .
For example : When the fixer can fix 12 rollfilms (120) i pour him away when i fixed ten or eleven films . For developer i only use stock or 1+1 . Therefore i am always on the safe side .
Developer and fixer are the cheapest things in the whole image process , not to forget , what you possibly invested on money , to get to a particular place to shoot your images .
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