MyNameIsGregor
Member
Hey there,
I am new to developing 35mm film. I've just developed my first roll.
I was pre washing my film 3 times before pouring in the developer (Cinestil). When I put the developer back into its bottle, I noticed that the color has slightly turned red (I was developing Portra 400) and now I am afraid that the developer is ruined or unusable for further developing processes.
Looking forward for your responses
Thanks much!
I am new to developing 35mm film. I've just developed my first roll.
I was pre washing my film 3 times before pouring in the developer (Cinestil). When I put the developer back into its bottle, I noticed that the color has slightly turned red (I was developing Portra 400) and now I am afraid that the developer is ruined or unusable for further developing processes.
Looking forward for your responses
Thanks much!
agentlossing
Well-known
The pre wash shouldn't hurt the developer, you probably just pulled some of the dye off the Portra film through the normal development process. I haven't developed Portra so I can't say for sure but I've had developer tint everywhere from yellow to pink to dark green with different films. Still works fine. I do think you might be overdoing the prewash though, I usually skip it entirely and I've never had a problem. But a pre-soak of a couple minutes can get some of the dyes out which would otherwise color your developer.
Godfrey
somewhat colored
I often pre-soak film in plain water for a minute just to aid in getting the developer into the film fast and without bubbles. I would not worry about the resulting color tint in used developer ... As long as your using the developer within its prescribed limits, the tint in it from doing development doesn't matter at all.
G
G
steveyork
Well-known
Obviously don't soak or pre-wash with two part developers like Diafine.
joe bosak
Well-known
I think it goes blue or turquoise with Fomapan.
shawn
Veteran
With 35mm Fomapan you won't get much color. 120 will come out very turquoise though as the antihalation layer washes off. I always pre-soak my film for a minute or so to get most of that off and to stabalize the temps of everything before the developer goes in.
Shawn
Shawn
agentlossing
Well-known
It's strange, I've only every gotten green with Fomapan but not consistently. 100 and 200 aren't green. Maybe it was 400 that is? I haven't shot that in a while.
Freakscene
Obscure member
The colour depends on the film, format and developer. It comes from the antihalation agents - how they look can be pH dependent so the developer matters.
Pre-washing removes some of the antihalation agents, which is why the pre-wash water can be coloured. But C41 colour film is designed not to be pre-washed - without getting into arguments (pre-washing always causes arguments) - all you are effectively removing by pre-washing Portra are the wetting agents added to the formulation to aid the developer wetting the film rapidly and evenly. There is no need for it. ECN-2 films are different, but when used for still photography they are rarely developed as intended anyway.
Marty
Pre-washing removes some of the antihalation agents, which is why the pre-wash water can be coloured. But C41 colour film is designed not to be pre-washed - without getting into arguments (pre-washing always causes arguments) - all you are effectively removing by pre-washing Portra are the wetting agents added to the formulation to aid the developer wetting the film rapidly and evenly. There is no need for it. ECN-2 films are different, but when used for still photography they are rarely developed as intended anyway.
Marty
neal3k
Well-known
My water is well water with lots of iron and manganese. I pre-wash with distilled water so the film of water with contaminants left on the film and reel when I empty it do not mix with the developer.
jankap
Established
So do I with distilled water.
But not 3 times. What for 3 times?
Also, put the reel into the developer and don´t pour the developer into the tank.
The film should instantaneously get in contact with the developer. Over its whole surface.
But not 3 times. What for 3 times?
Also, put the reel into the developer and don´t pour the developer into the tank.
The film should instantaneously get in contact with the developer. Over its whole surface.
css9450
Veteran
I like the rich vibrant blue of the Shanghai GP3 film and the Cat Labs stuff also (which is just re-labelled Shanghai). It looks like windshield-washer solution, except even more concentrated!
With that said, I pre-wash my 120 films.... I don't think it hurts the developer. I make sure I drain it all out and shake the tank really well before adding the developer. I don't want to mess up the dilution of my developer.
With that said, I pre-wash my 120 films.... I don't think it hurts the developer. I make sure I drain it all out and shake the tank really well before adding the developer. I don't want to mess up the dilution of my developer.
joe bosak
Well-known
Yes could have been 400, whatver film it was was noticeably blue-green before development; the anti-halation dye apparently. I gave up on Fomapan because I decided it was too thin but I can't remember why - probably I had trouble with getting the 120 size onto my developing reels. Plus I was getting the frame numbers on some pictures (I assume due to light through the red window on the camera). Since then I've mostly used HP5 which I've had no such issues with. But the developer comes out colourless with HP5, which is a bit boring.
agentlossing
Well-known
400 is pretty thin as I remember, I have no such complaints with 35mm Fomapan 100 or 200. 100 especially dries very flat, which is nice for scanning on a flatbed. 200 is slightly more curly but more or less like HP5 and other Ilford films.
These Foma films do well being shot over box speed, I like 100 @ 200 and 200 @ 400, so you might try shooting 200 like HP5.