Developing problem TMAX 400 with D76

[saturnales]

I have processed undreds of rolls of TMAX D76 before with D76. For the last 10 rolls, I ended up with uneven development and black tiny spots everywhere on the film. I made some new solution. Method and temperature are the same as usual. What's wrong?

Please, help!!!! :bang:

 

[le vrai rdu]

the powder seems to be not well diluted, that would explain the black dots 😉

 

[nikon_sam]

I would like to know too...I have some older Tmax (120 film-400 asa) that's been in the frige ever since I bought it and no matter what developer I use I get tiny black specks all over...even in the non image area...I've used D-76, HC-110 and Rodinal...any other film I develop comes out clean...
For now I only use this film for testing not for real images...

 

[saturnales]

Could it be the film itself? Really?

 

[oftheherd]

I tried Tmax when it first came out, in D76. I don't recall now exactly what the problems were, but I couldn't get any good results and haven't used it since. I hope someone can come up with a good explanation here.

 

[le vrai rdu]

Tmax can give a very "flat" result, low contrast etc, I use to had 1 minute more in the soup and it is ok 🙂

 

[saturnales]

Dots

Dots

It's not «flat result» here. But dots. Black dots. Or white tiny spots on prints, if you want. Like particules. But I used fresh solutions. Same technique all always. Must be 5 or 6 rolls wasted with this strange thing!

 

[nikon_sam]

Could it be the film itself? Really?

I don't know what else to blame...what format film are you having problems with...mine is 120...I use the same chemicals to develop Neopan and have never seen these tiny black specks...:bang:
I have about 20 rolls of this film and I can't trust any of it...

 

[Mudman]

Sam - I had a similar thing happen with my Tmax, but its only noticeable when the negs are really underexposed. Does it look like this for the little black/white spots? I ended up burning in a lot of the image so they didn't show up. Developed in D76 1:1 @ 10' 15"

 

[venchka]

TMY or TMY-2?

I have not noticed this with NEW Tmax 400/TMY-2 in Xtol 1:3 and continuous agitation. Sandy King wrote an article on the 4x5 film for View Camera magazine. He used D-76 1:1 for the article. No problems.

Your problem is strange indeed.

 

[nikon_sam]

Mudman,

That's about what it would look like but more...these black specks are everywhere, in the image and non image areas and these are on properly exposed negs outside midday...
This is old expired Tmax 400 pro that I bought new years ago (expired 03/2001) but has always been in the frige and up to a few months ago was 4 pro packs still wrapped in plastic...I have 15 rolls sitting here in unopened boxes...
I bought two of these bricks of film years ago and did use most of the first brick without any problems (that I remember)...The last few roll of the first brick I started seeing the specks so I just used them up hoping that the next brick would be fine...I've used a few rolls from the first pro pack and the problem is still there...

 

[saturnales]

In my case, it's on a fresh film...

 

[lorriman]

Must be picking up cosmic hadron collider rays. Each spot is actually a black hole and I recommend getting household insurance for when your house disappears. Don't forget to get a tent and some thermals.

 

[degruyl]

While I have not had extraordinary results (flat) I have had no problem with TMY in TMax Dev or D76. Internet rumor might be enough to get me not to shoot this film.

Has anyone seen this problem with TMax Dev as well as D76 / Rodinal / HC110?

 

[Dwig]

There's more to processing film than the developer!

While its possible for spots of "overdeveloped" film to occur as the result of improper mixing of powdered developers, it is far more likely to occur from improper dilution of the final wetting agent (e.g. Kodak's PhotoFlo). Overly concentrated wetting agent will leave small crystals on the surface of the film which will render as crisp edges white spots on the print. Spots resulting from undissolved components in the developer will have a softer edge.

Always dilute wetting agents properly. Errors on the side of overly dilute don't hurt, but errors on the side of overly concentrated do. Kodak's PhotoFlo 200 needs a 1:200 dilution. If your tap water is particularly hard, you should consider diluting the wetting agent with bottled drinking water instead of using the tap water.

 

[Mudman]

Sam - I cloned and burned down a lot of the spots on mine. I thought at first it was just dust or just me. Weird you're seeing it at the same time. This is TMY2. The roll of older Tmax 400 that I developed (at 12' 30") came out fine.

 

[nzhang]

Could be fixer's problem. How long did you fix the film? Tmax 2 needs more time to fix and will use up the fixer faster.

 

[saturnales]

Fixing about 5 minutes, as usual.

 

[Trius]

Since these are black specks (appear white on a print), it almost has to be material deposited on the film. Some suggestions:

1. Examine both sides of the film under as much magnification as you can. If this is deposited material, it would almost certainly be on both sides, i.e. emulsion and base.
2. If you haven't done so already, make prints of all the negs on one strip of film, assuming you have already cut. Re-wash that strip for a good amount of time in filtered water and rinse with distilled water; dry in a dust-free environment. If the specks persist, examine to see if the are the same specks in the exact same places. If they are exactly the same, then it may not be deposited material after all, but a problem with the film itself. Black spots mean exposure or over-development, and the latter doesn't seem possible since the rest of the image is correctly developed.
3. Check other films developed in the same chemistry.

 

[saturnales]

Looks like it's «in» the emulsion. I do not get it on all frames. 2-3-4 frames, then OK. Could I have a 100 feet roll with a problem «in» it? I never had problem with Tmax before, but let me tell you I don't like this film now!