blank film(?)

[oldrangefinderguy]

Okay, here's the background. First, this is hardly my first time developing my own film. I've been at it for years. It's not a new batch of developer either. I used the same batch of diafine which had worked well on other films. Those familiar with diafine will know that the stuff just doesn't suffer with age but instead actually seems to get better. - Sort of like fine wine but hardly for internal consumption of course. The only difference here is in the tank I used. After dropping my trusty old plastic tank and busting a chunk off the lid, I decided it was finally time to try out the stainless steel tank and reel I had sitting around in the junk drawer. I never tried stainless before. A bit nervous about the whole infamous loading thing.

So that's the background. So I bit the bullet and practiced the loading thing and went for it. Blank film. Okay, two possibilities suggested themselves: one - I had grabbed an unexposed roll by mystake. two - I loaded it incorrectly. I was tempted to dismiss the latter possibility dispite some streaks on the film that could have indicated that the film was touching in places due to improper loading because I figured that the film should still have been properly developed where it was not touching.

A second attempt seemed in order. Unfortunately I got exactly the same results. Now a third possibility suggested itself: did I have a faulty tank that somehow did not allow the chemicals to flow correctly over the film? This also seems unlikely for the simple fact that the chemicals have to go somewhere. The tank is only big enough for one reel. The film would have to be submerged in the chemicals, right?

I'm at a loss to explain these results. What am I doing wrong? Any help would be appreciated.

thanks,
Randy

 

[FrankS]

blank film - not even the edge markings/frame numbers?

 

[Thardy]

Completely absolutely clear..no frame numbers? Fixed before dev.

Clear image area, underexposed, exhausted developer.


Remix and label carefully all of your chemicals and try again. I had the same thing happen at a prolab. They said I loaded the film wrong in the camera.

 

[oldrangefinderguy]

Wow, that's some quick replies. No, not even frame numbers or edge markings; absolutely clear. Can't imagine fixing before developing. I tried two rolls with this new tank with the same results. The tank is the only new variable. I've been developing film for years and I don't think I've ever made that particular mistake. Lot's of other mistakes, of course, but not that particular one. Can't imagine doing it twice in a roll in any case. As for exhausted developer - it's diafine which lasts years.

I think I'll have to break out another tank and try that. I have another plastic tank in my junk drawer. If I still get the same results, then it's the chemicals. If all's well, then something's up with the stainless tank - either my loading or the tank itself.

thanks,
Randy

 

[MartinP]

Check the developer with a scrap of film first (a bit of the leader etc) looking for the obvious dense black, as if you somehow managed to fix-before-dev the first time then the diafine will probably be dead due to contamination from the fixer and stop-bath.

 

[FrankS]

Using the new steel tank may have knocked you off stride a bit. A chemical mixup seems likely.

 

[oldrangefinderguy]

Ooops. The majority opinion seems to indicate a chemical mix-up. On reflection, this does seem to make sense. Once the developer was polluted with fixer any further attempts would naturally come out with the same results. Ah well, guess I'll have to put on my heavy boots. Really need to kick myself over that one. The worst part: that was the last of my diafine. It might be a long wait to get my hands on more being as the local camera store recently when belly up. Might just have some Microphen unmixed somewhere......just got to lace these things up......here we go.....Ouch!

 

[drewbarb]

I'd try a roll from a different batch. In more than 20 years of shooting I've only once come across a defective roll which had a clear error in manufacture, but if you're sure you didn't fix first and your film is clear, with no manufacturer's info in the film edge, I have to suspect something might be wrong with your film.

 

[pesphoto]

Sounds like maybe your film wasn't exposed in camera. Are you sure it caught on the spool?

 

[FrankS]

Sounds like maybe your film wasn't exposed in camera. Are you sure it caught on the spool?

If that were the case, Pesphoto, the film edge markings/frame numbers would still be properly developed.

 

[pesphoto]

oh i see, just fishing for answers. Never happened to me, but Im sure its just a matter of time. Randy, let us know if you figure this out.

 

[oldrangefinderguy]

Actually, as much as I hate to admit it, it really must be a mix-up of the chemicals due to human (me) error. Can't be the film: two rolls with the same results, both bulk-loaded from a 100 ft roll that provided other perfectly fine rolls in the past. The films were not shot in the same camera. It was a new tank for both films, but this shouldn't really explain the problem. Even if loaded wrong, the film would still have been submerged in the chemicals and at worse the only problem there could have been due to the film touching at spots causing localized defects only. Yep, must have goofed up the chemicals.

 

[FrankS]

Happens to the best of us! 🙂

 

[drewbarb]

Well, with the info we have now, it does seem that a chemical mix-up is most likely. I'm sorry to hear about your trouble- esp. with the familiar story of your local camera shop going bust. I buy all my film and chemistry through the mail these days, since my local stores don't carry anything but digital point and shoots and one or two rolls of color film.

I know it's largely the Wal-Mart effect of consumer buying habits (i.e. doing what we can to get the best prices, even at the expense of the local businesses) that has hurt the local photo stores, but now that they don't carry any product for us film photographers, and their prices are so inflated when they do, I basically have to buy from the big mail order places. I hate sending all my photo money away from my local economy, so I try to spread it out and order from a few different places, at least- but on the other hand, it is very convenient to get what I need via UPS.

My point is that you can order fresh chemistry and have it in a day or two. Whatever you do, good luck. Let us know if re-mixed chemicals help.

 

[oldrangefinderguy]

thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. Got to sign-off now.

Randy