How to Avoid Spotty Negatives?

In general I find that washing 4x5 and 120 films works the best. 35mm is bit of a problem as the perforations add edges where water drops can hold. If they dry there - they will create spots.

Do not overlook the advice of mfogiel to keep the films under an angle immediately after rinse for a minute or two. It really helps a lot.

Be sure to leave the films to dry in a clean and not too warn or windy environment. Dust is everywhere and if it gets on the film while it is wet, it may stick to it and be hard to remove. Bathroom seems to be the place usually.
 
3js said:
No, they won´t, because you use the paper towel to the non emulsion side. The emulsion side you do with your fingers max 2 times ....
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Interesting to read about other peoples practises. I've never found water spotting to be a big problem but when it does occur, its usually just where you don't want it. Murphys law. I'm going to have to try this paper towel thing sometime.
 
damien.murphy said:
I'm considering distilling my own water, but am just at the thought process stage now. Does anyone here distill their own water ?
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Distilled water is essentially non-existant. I have one of these: http://www.millipore.com/catalogue/item/z00q0v0ww which produces ultra-pure water (up to 250 L / day) and it is much less energy sapping and produces MUCH purer water than heat distillation in a home set-up. It uses several ultrafine filters and semi-permeable membranes. This is the same way that "distilled" water that you buy (and a lot of "ultrafine drinking water") is produced. The problem with drinking water in NZ is that it is likely to be very pure spring water with a LOT of dissolved solids rather than deionised water with very few. It's a hazard of having such a good, consistent pure water supply.

Look in the laundry section of the supermarket; distilled water in Oz and NZ is typically sold for steam irons.

Let us know how you go. Good luck.

Marty
 
I had a similar problem to the OP with 35mm negs. It was solved completely by adding a couple of drops of Tetenal wetting agent to the tank for the last 30 seconds of the wash (and no need for distilled water).

Regards,
D.
 
Have you tried for DWater at some of the auto service places. I many countries the radiator is filled with D water. Many places still revitalize their acid auto batteries with distilled water. Yet, I do not think distilled water is essential. Just get photoflo and it will work just fine with any decent filtered non-hard water. Something like Brita water filters or those using resins will remove excess salts from the water. Add a couple of drops of photoflo. I dip the film 3 or 4 times in water with photoflo and hang it. Then I wear a rubber glove and use the index and middle finger as a squeegee and drain most water. Let it dry overnight. Be gentle with squeegeeing when you use some films like efke with soft emulsion. YOu will get a hang of it pretty soon. Cheers.
Arun


PS: Do not think of millipore and such things, instead you are better off investing in a D3x or M9 and such...
 
It's too bad that distilled water is hard to get.

The fix is definitely distilled water + photo flow as a final step. You only have to use distilled in the final step. No wetting agent, no squeegee - just dump and hang after the last step.
 
This was one of those "Well, obviously!" moments for me, but if you are hanging negatives in a room or a space that's heated or air conditioned by forced air, don't. Put the film somewhere away from all that moving, dust-laden, air. In my case, the only spot that meets that requirement is one small closet.
 
i tried simply to wash more after fixer and it helped a lot (i do double of ilford recommendation) - even with very hard water, for the last bath i use filtered water and drop of wetting agent.
 
[FONT=Arial, helvetica, geneva, verdana]Wetting agents are no more no less but detergents and they are supposed to make the water softer, with less surface tension so it flows better and does not form droplets (so called "sheeting action"). Then the water evaporates. If there is too much of the agent in the wash, there will be stains from it, as detergent does not evaporate. Washing film even for hours will not help with spots but can eventually damage the emulsion.
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