Out of Fixer.... What to do?

DNG

DNG

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I ran out fixer, and didn't realize I was out of the concentrate
Went to soup some film in a newly acquired Konica C35, and I was getting chemicals out, and noticed my 1 gal premixed fixer was empty and I had no used fixer either.. :bang:

Is there anything I can use (Household Chem) to provide at least enough time for a look at a test roll in light .. like for a few hours of grace before it goes black?

It will be about a week before I can order some more.
 
I don't think so. I looked into quite a few home-brew recipes because I like to experiment with Caffenol but the consensus seems to be that there's no viable substitute for sodium (or ammonium) thiosulfate.
 
You can certainly take a look at the unfixed image, but it's more like looking at prints than negatives- and all the silver remaining in the film will hide some mid-tones from you. Assuming a proper stop bath and then some rinsing to be sure all developer is gone I'd expect there wouldn't be much problem in peeking. Remember it is only developed silver that remains on the film after fixing- not exposed silver. We've all made the mistake of pouring in the Fixer first and ended up with blank film sans even edge-printing. The films should be able to sit on the reel for a few days in the dark and should fix fine after a water rinse to soften up the gelatin. I've not tried this, but I wouldn't toss the film by any means. And get on the phone to B&H or Freestyle if you can't drive to get fix!

PS- If it is going to be more than a few hours till you can fix be sure the film is not sitting in water in the developing can, or the emulsion will dissolve away.
 
Well, stop, wash and another acid stop should give you some fifteen seconds to a minute to visually inspect the wet, stop soaked, unfixed film before it turns black. But unless you already have built up experience with visually checking that film and developer this way, it will not tell you anything more than that the camera exposed at all - you cannot interpret the film as if it were already fixed.
 
sevo said:
some fifteen seconds to a minute to visually inspect the wet, stop soaked, unfixed film before it turns black.
Click to expand...

I disagree that the film will turn black. Even loading films in full sun doesn't make the leader turn black, it is developer that does that. Assuming the developer is fully removed from the film I don't know that there would be any effect. I've seen students have developing cans fall open when pouring out the stop bath, fixed films are fine even if there is extended panic. I'd say go for it. Worst problem I'd anticipate is the emulsion getting damaged from staying wet too long where it's in contact with the reel.

Inspection development of sheet films uses light during development to peek at the films. And yes this requires some practice to do well.
 
sepiareverb said:
I disagree that the film will turn black. Even loading films in full sun doesn't make the leader turn black, it is developer that does that. Assuming the developer is fully removed from the film
Click to expand...

It is hard to predict whether and when that succeeds - usually you are right, but I've had nasty failures where film fogged immediately when inspecting it two minutes down into the fix.

sepiareverb said:
Inspection development of sheet films uses light during development to peek at the films. And yes this requires some practice to do well.
Click to expand...

That is a very different matter - it takes a desensitizing dye in the developer and very special dim light at the absolute edge of visibility to do that.
 
Well, like i said, it is a test roll, for spacing, auto-exposure accuracy, basically...since it is an Auto-Exposure Only camera...
I have no "earth shacking" images 😛

I will give it a go, a double Stop (Stop/Rinse/Stop/Rinse extra time), with newly mixed Ilfordstop as an extra precaution.

Thanks for the input...so far....
 
DNG said:
Well, like i said, it is a test roll, for spacing, auto-exposure accuracy, basically...
Click to expand...

Then you will be fine.

sevo said:
I've had nasty failures where film fogged immediately when inspecting it two minutes down into the fix.
Click to expand...

Sounds like very exhausted fixer. 😱

And I might venture to guess you're one of those 'no stop bath' processors?
 
Well, in 37min, I shall have a look.... I did use a two stop bath method as suggested, and an extra long rinse, (I do 20min normally... at 5 changes per minute in my kitchen sink faucet)

Rodinal 1:25 for 6 minutes with a 20s agitation every 60s
 
Isn't it a shame we can't go to any local photo shop and pick up some chemicals?
Sorry, just venting...

Best to the OP for finding a solution (pun intended!)
 
t.s.k. said:
Isn't it a shame we can't go to any local photo shop and pick up some chemicals?
Sorry, just venting...

Best to the OP for finding a solution (pun intended!)
Click to expand...

I could, but, downtown Indy is $20.00 of gas at $3.35 per gal, not worth it. I can pay $13.00 shipped from B&H, and have it 3-4 days...Which I will do next week.

I am just giddy to see if the camera needs other adjustments other than the seals, and RF accuracy. before I drop it off at my Local repair shop www.camerarepairs.com
 
Gas is $2.06 a litre here in NZ for unleaded 91 octane but what the hell it's still cheaper than bottled water.
Hope you solve the fixer problem.
 
I accidentally wasted the last of my fixer too and am being lazy about restocking. I kept under fixing negatives then having to refix them in a pyrex dish which is what led to the eventual waste of chems all over the floor and sink.

I seem to remember someone saying C41 fixer works but the SM Tank Fixer I have seems much more expensive in use than some cheap B&W chems.
 
Well, I can tell at least the spacing and exposure through the milkiness...
And all looks good, NOW, will it survive a 2 hour dry, so I can scan to see the sharpness of this Konica C35... So far, even through milky negs.... it looks sharp.....
 
Here are 2 sample scans. I was able to get past the milky color, but the grain didn't have a chance... I used Fuji NP 400 at 400 in Rodinal 1:25 at 20c for 6m

There are drying impurities... No Photo Flo, just hung up to dry....

Even after a few hours, I don't any more darkening. So, in a tight spot, this can be done... I guess, if it was important negs, I could put them in a 100' film
can, and rewash and fix later...But, It will turn over time if I don't store them properly, I'd guess...

EDIT:
The Spacing is irregular, but no overlapping, the Auto-exposure works well also.... So, just some new light seals, RF adjustment, and spacing adjustment... Not bad at all...very pocketable film camera when wearing my hoody this winter...

800px--Konica%20C35---%2005---.jpg



800px--Konica%20C35---%2002---.jpg
 
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