Speckled B&W negs - help!

[sockeyed]

Several times now I've found small speckles on my B&W film after processing. At first I thought that it was from improperly mixed D-76, perhaps some undisolved crystals sticking to the emulsion, but I've found the same developing with Rodinal.

Please see the attached pictures.

This is what I'm using:

Film: Tri-X and TMax 100

Developer: D-76 1:1 or Rodinal 1:50

Kodak Stop (quite old, perhaps a decade, recently mixed from concentrate)

Ilford Rapid Fix

Regular wash

Kodak photo flow (also a decade old)

If anyone has any idea why this is happening, I'd love to hear it. Thanks in advance!

-Ben

 

[sockeyed]

I forgot to attach the images.

First is a detail of the speckles, 2nd is the entire image.

First picture is on Tri-X at 1600 in D-76
Second is on TMax at 100 in Rodinal

 

[Chaser]

probably had a bad wash......or it could be too many minerals in your water that you are diluting your developer with...might try using distilled water and see if that fixes it...i had the same problem then i started diluting my hc110 with distilled water and it was cured....

 

[GeneW]

Also try distilled water for a final rinse and distilled water with your Photoflo.

Gene

 

[matu]

How did you scan the pictures?
Could it be that dirt is on the scanner, not on the neg.
You should examine your negatives to discard this.

Pablo

 

[Stu :)]

pH test your water supply. I wouldn't be surprsed if it's 'hard water' (alkaline).

Gene and Chaser are right, mix up your chemisty with distilled water, not the stuff you buy to drink! You can normally get it liters of the stuff for ¢¢¢ from automotive supply stores. They sell it for topping up car and marine batteries.

Also do a first wash, final wash and rinse with wetting agent/photo-flo using distilled water too.

Stu 🙂

 

[sockeyed]

Thanks everyone! Vancouver generally has softer water, but perhaps there are things in it causing this nasty outcome. I will go and pick up some distilled water, and hope that makes a difference.

Cheers.