Bad Fixer?

[inzite]

I've been getting some strange frames recently and it appears to be more serious... the negatives from my understanding should be transparent after development however it seems in some areas near the sprocket holes there are like an opaque like stain... in the below example, the stain is also on the negative (picture) itself as well hence all the crazy stuff you see on the picture. Bad Fixer?

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

yes. while i am not an authority on fixer, i can share with what i have experienced:

* milky = not fixed enough
* opaque patches near sprocket = fixer near exhaustion.
* brown stain on negatives after drying = air reacting to the silver
residue from not fixing enough.

i use ilford rapid fixer, and mix 1+4 as per instructions. my recent
fixing has been quite extreme, same fixer for around 18-20
times with lengthening of fixing time. my last two rolls, i experienced
brown stains and opaque patches.

raytoei

 

[Roger Hicks]

yes. while i am not an authority on fixer, i can share with what i have experienced:

* milky = not fixed enough
* opaque patches near sprocket = fixer near exhaustion.
* brown stain on negatives after drying = air reacting to the silver
residue from not fixing enough.

i use ilford rapid fixer, and mix 1+4 as per instructions. . .

raytoei

Seconded.

Cheers,

R.

 

[inzite]

awesome guys! I've read online that I can go back and refix the crazy ones? (with new fixer, obviously)?

and also, i noticed the problem is more severe for my first 10 frames or so? Any idea why? is it the agitation method? I use Patterson tanks and Ido the figure 8 agitation with a rotation up side down thrown in there.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Yes, unless you already have the brown stains or unless (I can't really see from the image) the film was touching during part of the development. When you re-fix you'll find out soon enough.

Cheers,

R.

 

[inzite]

**
and also, i noticed the problem is more severe for my first 10 frames or so? Any idea why? is it the agitation method? I use Patterson tanks and Ido the figure 8 agitation with a rotation up side down thrown in there.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

inzite, if i can make a guess...

your first 10 frames were wound deep in the reel and got less fixer while the outer frames received more fixer. maybe you should increase your agitation (maybe not, i only agitate 10 turns and then leave it alone) but you should definitely get a new batch of fixer.

raytoei
singapore

 

[FrozenInTime]

The standard test for fixer is to use a piece of film e.g. the leader that was cut off while loading the tank, and determine the clearing time.
i.e. once in the fixer, the un developed test film piece should go completely transparent in 60-120 seconds. The real film should be fixed for twice at least twice the clearing time.

Re-fixing is worth doing on your marked negatives.

 

[inzite]

🙂 great! thanks for the help guys 😀 i shall go buy new fixer today and do a film lead test as well when i develop now going forward 🙂

 

[Roger Hicks]

The standard test for fixer is to use a piece of film e.g. the leader that was cut off while loading the tank, and determine the clearing time. . . .

For additional sophistication and a better idea of the fixing time, put a drop of fixer on the film; let it act for 20 seconds or so; then do the fixer test: http://www.rogerandfrances.com/subscription/fixer exhaustion.html

Cheers,

R.

 

[Rob-F]

I keep fixer tester in the darkroom. It comes in a tiny squeeze bottle. I test by taking a ml or so of the fixer in a graduate cylinder, then dropping one drop of the test chemical into the fixer. If nothing happens, the fixer is good. If the fixer turns cloudy white, it's bad. I test after fixing each roll. If the test turns out bad, I re-fix in fresh fixer. When the final fix is in fresh fixer, that's a step toward archival permanence. A thorough wash is another step in that direction.

If the fixer tests good after doing a roll, I know it's OK to use next time, at least as the first fixing bath.

I use a similar procedure with prints. After fixing a batch of 6 to 12 prints, I test the fixer. If bad, I throw it out and re-fix. This contributes to archival permanence in prints, as well.

 

[nikon_sam]

Yes, unless you already have the brown stains or unless (I can't really see from the image) the film was touching during part of the development. When you re-fix you'll find out soon enough.

Cheers,

R.

If most of the roll is fixed properly (clear)and just a few areas are still milky white when you pull the film off the reel then the film was touching...mostly due to the film not loading on the reels properly...
Throw it back in some fix and it should clear pretty fast...

 

[Rob-F]

If most of the roll is fixed properly (clear)and just a few areas are still milky white when you pull the film off the reel then the film was touching...mostly due to the film not loading on the reels properly...
Throw it back in some fix and it should clear pretty fast...

Yes, I agree. Though when this has happened to me, when I finally got the hypo cleared, I find the developer didn't reach the film either. Result: a blank spot.

 

[zauhar]

This is perhaps wasteful, but I put 600 ml of fresh fixer (enough for my 2-reel tank) in a liter bottle, put a piece of tape on the bottle, and mark it to track number of times I use the fixer. I use 600 ml 5 times (max 10 rolls of film) and have had no bad experiences thus far.

Randy

 

[inzite]

😀 thanks guys, i just went and bought new fixer and made new batches and it looks all good, very nicely done negs 😀


Scan-130311-0001 by inzite, on Flickr

 

[Roger Hicks]

Great news!

Cheers,

R.