First time for Everything

[scorpius73]

Last night I was developing film that I shot with my Contax G1 and my Hassy 500CM. I loaded the film into the tank. Started going my chemicals. I noticed something was different when I poured out the fixer and it was pinkish purple color. I said to myself. Thats different. After all the steps. I took my film out of the tank for a look before hanging it up to dry. They were completely clear! I looked around the internet. Seems the suggestions are leading to dead developer. My developer was Xtol. I mixed it on January 14, 2011. I last used it about 2 weeks ago. The negs looked great. I guess it died in the last 2 wks. It wasnt my fixer because I checked it with silver exhaustion drops. It was fine. Just thought I would share my mistake after developing my own negs for the last 8 yrs after a 12 yr hiatus. First time this has ever happened to me. Anyone else in the same boat?

 

[oftheherd]

Seems like I have heard others comment on this and that it was the antihalation backing.

If not, someone will jump in to nay-say or confirm. As long as the negatives were good I wouldn't worry to much.

 

[scorpius73]

I confused you. The negs from last night were complete blanks. No frame numbers or anything. Just completely blank and clear.
The negs from 2 wks ago with the same developer, film, fixer etc were great.

 

[marcr1230]

You fixed it first instead of developing

 

[jmcd]

Sorry to hear about your blank film.

Is there any chance that you used fixer as the first step?

If you have any developer left you could process a small clip to see if the developer is still active.

 

[scorpius73]

You fixed it first instead of developing

The bottle was clearly marked developer. I checked the bottles after I saw what happened. I made a mistake somewhere in the process. When in doubt. I buy new developer and start over.

 

[scorpius73]

Sorry to hear about your blank film.

Is there any chance that you used fixer as the first step?

If you have any developer left you could process a small clip to see if the developer is still active.

I do. It will check it tonight. I will buy some Ilford ddx for my back up.

 

[marcr1230]

Maybe it was unexposed

 

[daninjc]

+ 1 for fixing first...
Done that, been there! Negatives came out completely transparent.:bang:
Still don't know how I could be so dumb, I also label the bottles, and try to be careful... but mistakes happens.
Now I always smell the developer before puoring it to make sure it's not fixer.

You fixed it first instead of developing

 

[Darshan]

Maybe it was unexposed

Numbers on the negs will still show up.

 

[tj01]

+ 1 for fixing first...
Done that, been there! Negatives came out completely transparent.:bang:
Still don't know how I could be so dumb, I also label the bottles, and try to be careful... but mistakes happens.
Now I always smell the developer before puoring it to make sure it's not fixer.

Smell test is the best

 

[arpinum]

I leave my test clip in the fixer until i'm ready to use it. I'll never screw the order up again.