Is this reticulation?

[brothernature]

I just processed some tri-x and a single frame from the two rolls in this tank has small marks on it, only in the center. Is this reticulation? All my chemicals should have been within ~2 degrees of 68F, so I'm not sure how it could have happened but I don't know what else it could be. It's not dust or anything on the negative. The marks are very small. Any ideas?

Here's a hi-res photo: https://d12c9k59mfk1gc.cloudfront.n...Shot 2019-03-07 at 12.49.37 AM.png?v=16f260ba

 

[randy stewart]

marks

marks

I doubt it. It's probably dirt, scratches, or a manufacturing defect in the film. Reticulation is a cracking or splitting of the emulsion. When induced by poor processing, it will generally effect a large area of the film, not one frame out of two rolls.

 

[Dogman]

Maybe a fingerprint or some object touched the wet emulsion. Not reticulation.

 

[Bill Clark]

Easy definition:

Reticulation takes place when there are variances in temperature between the solutions. This includes developer, stop bath/or water rinse, fixer and final wash.

I’ve had it only once. I was in a big rush with business photographs and wanted to wash the negs in a hurry using too warm water and bingo. Nice grain. Lucky it was on 1 roll. Learned my lesson. Consistent temps with all solutions includes wash water.

Just google “reticulation in photography.” Quite a few articles and examples will pop up.

 

[Larry H-L]

Looks like paper fiber lint to me. If it is not on the negative, perhaps it is coming from your scanner or enlarger?

 

[brothernature]

Here are two more examples, looks like it affected the other roll too.

Example 1

Example 2

It's not anything from the scanner, if I use a loupe I can see the pattern on the negative, they are very very small. I'm not convinced it's dust or a fingerprint since the pattern seems so distinct. Could it be the quality of the water? I've never had trouble using my tap (from a well) water before, but maybe something has changed, I guess I'll be using distilled from now on.

 

[Steve M.]

The new images look closer to minor reticulation, but it's probably not that. Since the first dog photo looks like it does, you may be right on contamination of the chemicals. No need to buy distilled water, you can just boil your tap water. I filter everything through paper coffee filters. Developer, stop, fixer, etc. Actually, I don't use stop anymore for film, just for prints.

 

[drewbarb]

The new images you posted below do look more like reticulation to me, but the first did not. Now that I'm seeing the second set of images, I suspect the first may have been, too- but I have never seen reticulation to affect only part of the film. It's always been all or nothing in my experience. I don't suspect water quality here, but temperature. It could also be something present in the film itself. Was this film ever frozen? If it was and then thawed too hastily it could end up looking like this. Especially the newer examples seem to indicate something like this, with the halo effect around all the cracks indicating where chemistry pooled in the tiny cracks and changed development and resulting film density. Curious.

Whatever the cause, I'd suggest revisiting your technique. If you freeze film, allow it to thaw slowly, and be careful with your temperatures, from storing and handling film through each step of processing it. Let us know if the problem persists.

 

[Larry H-L]

The second set of photos looks much more like reticulation from a chemical or water temperature change. I've never seen thawing frozen film have an issue, other than from the roll sticking to itself from condensation buildup in a humid environment.

 

[brothernature]

Strange. I dont freeze film, it's kept at room temperature in my closet before using. The only thing I can think of is the rolls were taken in the heat in Mexico. It wasn't crazy hot, and I didn't have any troubles with the first 10 rolls from the same trip, but maybe these two were left in the sun somehow.

Definitely going to be using distilled water from now on though and pay much closer attention to all chemical temps throughout. Still scratching my head a bit on this one though.

 

[JPSuisse]

No, I think it is just the dog loosing hair quickly. Some of them shed a lot of hair you know... 🙂

Seriously, though, I don't think you need to switch to distilled water. I use it only in a very last mini-rinse to avoid any residue from drying.