4 rolls of negatives came out blank!

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jon2512chua

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Need help to figure out what went wrong. Note that this is not my first time developing film (or even HP5) at home.

Ok so I just developed 6 rolls of HP5, first 2 rolls (pushed to 800) came out fine. The next 4 rolls at 400 came out completely blank, and I don't mean just thin negatives, but completely NOTHING! The developer and fixer used are freshly mixed right before developing the first 2 rolls of HP5 pushed to 800.

Here are the steps I took, so you guys can help me identify what went wrong:

1. Pre-soak for half a minute to 1 minute.
2. Developed with Ilfosol 3 (1+9) at 20 degrees celsius for 6.5 minutes. Agitated for the first minute, then for the subsequent minutes, agitated for the first 25 seconds..
3. Water stop bath for 1 minute.
4. Fixed with Ilford Rapid Fixer (1+4) for 5 minutes.
5. Rinse for 10-15 minutes.

Obviously I'm super bummed about the results, but I really want to know where I went wrong. Any help/ideas are greatly appreciated.
 
Sounds like you fixed the films before you developed them.

It happens (that's why my fixer is in a completely different type of bottle than my dev)
 
znapper said:
Sounds like you fixed the films before you developed them.

It happens (that's why my fixer is in a completely different type of bottle than my dev)
Click to expand...

That's a possibility I'm currently entertaining, but I'm 99% sure the brown liquid went in first, then the clear one, which came out pink/purple-ish.

Though, I just realised that when I poured out my developer, it's abnormally bubbly. Like, soapy bubbly. Might this indicate something?

Any chance of you using the same mixing jug, and/or stirrer for developer and fixer solution without washing both or either properly?
Click to expand...
I do use the same mixing cyclinder and stirrer, but I did wash them. Would trace amount of fixer really ruin the entire developer solution? Also, if this is really the case then my first 2 rolls would have been ruined as well, which didn't happen.
 
Just want to throw this in.
I had exactly the same thing happen to me recently. Turned out the shutter had bust on my Leica.
Check that your camera IS still working properly.
 
With something like this, the first question is edge markings on the film or no? If yes, you got no exposure, shutter, lenscap, something. If no, the developing was messed up. Fixer first, bad dev, or the like.
 
@ecowarrior Don't think that's the case, just checked the shutter.

Note that there are no film branding or numbers on the edges, so it's definitely a development problem, or at least that's what the internet is telling me.
 
There are only 2 things that could have happened, and you can exclude one or the other by looking if the fims are COMPLETELY blank, or can you see the film markings and frame numbers on them.
1) If you cannot see anything, even on the edges, then you have NOT developed the film before fixing.
2)If you CAN see ILFORD HP5, the frame numbers, etc, but NO images, then you have not exposed the film.
In the case nr 2 there are typically 2 main causes: you had the lens cap on, or your shutter is bust.

IC that the film was completely clear - so you did not develop.
Do yourself a favour - buy 3 jugs, mark one with red tape ( developer) the second with blue tape (fixer) the third with white tape (final rinse). This way you will keep everything separate and develop a routine. BTW, I use fresh fixer every time, so there is no need for a stop bath.
 
I once failed to load the film correctly and it didn't advance. That is when I learned about back winding the take up reel so I could see it advancing.
I was really shocked when I got a blank strip of film back from the lab.
 
jon2512chua said:
That's a possibility I'm currently entertaining, but I'm 99% sure the brown liquid went in first, then the clear one, which came out pink/purple-ish.

Though, I just realised that when I poured out my developer, it's abnormally bubbly. Like, soapy bubbly. Might this indicate something?


I do use the same mixing cyclinder and stirrer, but I did wash them. Would trace amount of fixer really ruin the entire developer solution? Also, if this is really the case then my first 2 rolls would have been ruined as well, which didn't happen.
Click to expand...

IIRC ilfosol 3 is a clear liquid, so perhaps it was not what went in first? Or does it turn into a brownish liquid over time?
 
I agree with the general consensus, you fixed then developed.

How you didn't figure this out the first time I'm not sure. Fixer has a VERY distinct smell... Especially when it comes out of the tank after fixing.
 
Don't feel bad, most folks put the fix in first eventually. Only takes once to make you really paranoid about making sure bottles are well labeled.
 
I keep my fixer in a coke-bottle, makes it stand out.
Then again, I always mix my dev. 🙂

I almost did the same mistake with color-film once. I actually stabilized the film as a first step. Luckily that didn't ruin the develop process (although I was just about to pour blix in when I discovered the mistake, 3 seconds from disaster indeed).

That is the problem with the same looking bottles, some day you are going to use the wrong bottle no matter how it is labeled. Different looking bottles are harder to get wrong. (but even then it sometimes happens, as one simply forgets to develop the film, this is often related to the amount of beer drunken 😉 )
 
I got a roll of negs back from the lab once that were blank, and green. They had no idea what went wrong, and the camera was functioning properly. I didn't even have a lens cap for it, so that wasn't an issue.

Could be you didn't get the tank cleaned out good before putting the second batch of film in, but that's a long shot since I would assume you also rinsed the first rolls in the tank.

PF
 
I'm guessing exhausted developer - I know Xtol can be fine one day, and do nothing the next, with no apparent change in colour (its clear). Perhaps Ilfosol does the same ?
 
If your film has no marks on it, there was a development problem. Brown developer means bad news... I used Ilfosol 3 for a while, and it has a relatively short shelf life.

Let's hope you didn't have some very important shots in those rolls.

The last time I developed, I poured water in the tank assuming it was the developer. There I was, agitating and counting... and then I realized my mistake. Fortunately I noticed it on time.
 
I have just developed a roll with Fomadon r09 and the negatives turned very very thin. It was due to exhausted developer...for sure. So yours might be completely exhausted?
 
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