Kodafix anyone?

[SolaresLarrave]

Impulsively, I bought a bottle of concentrate Kodafix to use something other than the Kodak fixer that comes in powder. I know that the bottle makes a gallon of the solution but would like to know if some of you have used it before.

Actually, I wanted to change fixers and bought this one without looking it up first. It happens that the Kodak fixer I used in the past was particularly weak... and I wanted to use a quicker fixer. Yeah, I know that if the fixer solution is weak it's probably my fault but anyway, has anyone here used Kodafix?

Thanks in advance! 🙂

 

[jshelly]

Yes, I use Kodafix

 

[spyder2000]

I've used it and I think it's really the equivalent of Rapid Fixer with the hardener added.

 

[Chris101]

Kodak's Rapid fixer has a separate bottle of hardner to be added at mixing time.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Most of my B&W stuff is Ilford & Agfa. I do have a small stash of a film made in the Czech republic (I think) and repackaged in Japan by Mitsubishi as Gekko. Can I use Kodafix in all of these films? Also, how much does it increase wash time even if I use HCA?

Thanks again! 🙂

 

[mhv]

Kodak's powdered fixer is a traditional sodium thiosulphate fixer whereas Kodafix is an ammonium thiosulphate hardening rapid fixer.

There are very few reasons to use the traditional fixers anymore, because they are less effective with any emulsion that contains silver iodide (on top of chloride and bromide). They work slowly, and are less effective with films (which now all contain silver iodide) and most modern papers (which also often contain silver iodide as well).

Hardeners are not useful anymore with any film coming from Ilford, Fuji or Kodak, but for second or third tier manufacturers, they can be useful. They're not deletrious or anything if you use them on Ilford/etc films, but there's just nothing to be gained.

Your bottle of Kodafix should have wash time instructions written on it. Otherwise I would say 1 min HCA for film, and about 15-20 wash time. Get a residual thiosulphate test from Photographer's Formulary if you really want to know.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

15 to 20 minutes washing? I wanted to avoid that long wash time and that`s why I bought the HCA.

Seems I'm taking this one back to the store... And probably exchange it for the traditional fixer, however unremarkable it be.

On the other hand... I'll check the bottle for wash time indications.

Thanks for the tips! 🙂

 

[mhv]

The hardener will make your wash time longer, even if you use HCA.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Darn... that's the reason. Thanks for the explanation!

 

[oscroft]

And probably exchange it for the traditional fixer

There's no need to go back to traditional fixer - just get a non-hardening rapid fixer.

 

[SolaresLarrave]

Alan, kindly advise, please... Thanks! 🙂