Neopan 400 musings

[marcr1230]

Today I figured out how to remove the tail end of Fuji Neopan from the reel. With Kodak, you can peel off the tape that attaches it to the reel. With Ilford, the film is held by plastic nibs, if you push the film end towards the reel and pull up, then pull out, it comes free. With Fuji, the film is held by 2 nibs which pin the film to the reel through 2 holes on the film end. The Ilford method failed, but I found if I insert a small scrap of film, under the Fuji film and push it into the reel's slot, the end comes free with no damage. Of course I could just cut of the end from the reel, but what fun would that be.

I also see a lot of blue dye come off the film during washing, I wash for 5 minutes, then about 1 minute of wash-aid mixed into distilled water. when I pour out the wash-aid (photo-flo) the water is tinted blue/purple. I think this is the antihalation dye, but why is so much of it left after all the developing, fixing and washing ?

 

[Colin Corneau]

I've noticed some developers have this effect with some films -- TMax films in Rodinal come out deep blue/purple...Rollei films come out burgandy/pink. Ilford films don't give much of a colour as developer gets poured out...and Rodinal seems to be the developer that does this, in my experience. D-76 doesn't.

FWIW, I've had really nice results with Neopan400 pushed a stop to 800. Personal taste, of course, but it's just snappy sharp B&W.