Three rolls wiped clean!

[MartinP]

Probably it is a good idea to read the instructions for the chemicals before using them too. Sounds silly, but 'assuming' times and temperatures and dilutions will eventually not work out.

 

[Pirate]

Honestly, I read them and thought I was following them correctly. I'll have to take a digi pic of the bottle and show what I was reading and why I thought I was doing it correctly all this time.

 

[Thardy]

So I've been UnderDeveloping it?

I can't see how not enough Developer would wipe everything out. I must be thinking about all this just backwards of how it really works. The Developer makes the image stick? So too little developer just wrecks things up a bit but it's not enough for anything to stick so it all just washes off??

Obviously it's late here and no light, so first thing in the morning I'll be outside shooting up this roll and developing at 1+7 with no Stop-Bath and I'll give the Fixer 3 minutes, then we'll go from there.

Thanks for all the help, I really couldn't do all this without you guys!!

Gross undevelopment is like fixing the film first as someone else said.

Go with 1:7 for five min, at 20 C. And you should be good to go.

http://www.digitaltruth.com/products/rollei_tech/ATPProspekt_gb.pdf

 

[gliderbee]

J
I'm using Rollei High Speed Developer, cut to a 1+7 working solution as per the instructions on the bottle, then cut to 1+7 for developing time of 5 minutes.

I think "working solution" is just that: the solution you work with. If you dilute that again by that amount, there's no developing going on because your developer is way too weak and all the silver will be removed by the fixer, hence a nice blank film.

Stefan.

 

[sevo]

Yes I was diluting to what the bottle said, which is 1+8 for the Working Solution. Then I was diluting for the 1+7 Developing. Can the film be wiped with not enough developer being used??

Of course it will be wiped, at least if you re-dilute to such a minimal concentration and do not increase the development accordingly - people doing ultra-low concentration stand development count the times in hours rather than seconds.

You are supposed to work with the working solution - if you are to prepare a intermediate which is to be re-diluted for use that is called a "stock" solution.

 

[Fraser]

Wow thats quite some developing process, as someone said before if there are no edge marking the developer is not working nothing to do with the fix, 50 secs fixer whats the rush I've always fixed for at least 5mins.

 

[zerobuttons]

A completely clear developed film would first of all suggest that the film has not been exposed at all.
I didn´t see any thoughts about this in the thread.

If the OP finds a working chemical solution and that still produces a clear developed film, the camera shutter should certainly be checked. Oh, and do remember to check for removal of the lens cap 😉

 

[Ronald M]

Spoiled developer. Liquids can go bad sitting on a shelf somewhere which is why I do not use them. Xtol types do not look bad when they go off, most others turn brown.

You need not develop an entire roll. 6 exposures is fine. Pull out 12" in the dark.
Mark your bench with tape.

I think you are misinterpreting the dilution or the instructions are wrong. Only Rodinal is diluted that far.

Contrast is controlled by time. Develop less if you want less.

All this assumes the roll is completely clear, no edge marks or fogged leader. This is a developer problem, spoiled or diluted too far.

When you work with powder, you know how how old it is. Ilford marks their developer with a date code, but it is a secret code which does you no good at all.
Pain English will do fine. So you crak the code as I have done or buy something else.

 

[Arvay]

1. If it was shot with RF camera you probably forgot to take the lens cap off...
2. The shutter doesn't work properly
3. The developer is exhausted

 

[sevo]

A completely clear developed film would first of all suggest that the film has not been exposed at all.

I'd interpret "completely clear" as "not even showing margin imprints" - and unless the factory had a major screw-up as well, that must be due to processing.

 

[Roger Vadim]

To determine your "clearing time" for the fixer you drop the (cut) leader of the film in a bit of fixer and wait until that is totaly clear. usually this takes 2-3 minutes. Then double this time and you have your fixing time - with T-grain films I ad another one - two minutes.

Never heard about your method with a drop you descriped. And 50 seconds fixing is way too short...

A little overfixing is no bad, too short and your pictures are gone soon...

 

[zerobuttons]

I'd interpret "completely clear" as "not even showing margin imprints" - and unless the factory had a major screw-up as well, that must be due to processing.

The situation with no margin imprints was not what I was thinking about, since I didn´t see the OP confirm whether or not these were present or not. I checked again now, and the OP indeed mentions in an earlier post that the margin imprints are missing.

In this situation you are right - something in the developing process is not right.....

 

[user237428934]

Just took a quick look at the data sheet of the developer. Dilution 1+7. It seems that you did the dilution process two times. Why?

 

[Pirate]

It does appear that it was my dilution process being done twice that was my problem. When reading the instructions on the bottle, it first has the dilution to get the Working solution. Then, it gives a chart that shows the dilutions to use for different times- 1+7, 1+8, 1+15.

This being my first time using this Developer, I interpreted the instructions as saying "Dilute to 1+7, then Dilute your Working solution for the times you want to use." Thus being 2 dilutions.

Totally my mistake, but after the clip tests at plain 1+7, everything looks just fine. Additionally another friend mentioned that this Developer suggests not using a Stop-Bath, so now, I'll use a straight 1+7 and then fixer.

When I did the Fixer test, it only took 26 seconds for the film to turn totally clear, then doubling that would give me the Fix time of 50 (52) seconds. I'll lengthen that to about 3 minutes for good measure.

Got a couple more rolls so we'll see in a little bit.

 

[Tim Gray]

Word of advice if not using stop bath (I don't). After the dev and before the stop, fill the tank with water and agitate for 30 seconds. It works kind of as a stop, but it also helps prevent too much carry over of the dev into your fixer.

 

[Pirate]

Done. Perfection. You guys are the Best!! Thank you so much for all your help.

The roll is hanging up to dry and will be scanned this evening. It looks beautiful.

I had planned on doing a few minutes of water-stop before the Fixer, so no problems there.

This is just awesome. The pictures are from this morning while I was about around the neighboring town to make this practice roll, and it looks so beautiful hanging to dry. Everything is just like it used to be when I was doing this at my last home last year before packing everything and moving. I love this stuff.

Ok, scans in a couple hours after it dries!

 

[MartinP]

Well done 🙂 It is easy to get discouraged but instead you have done some never-to-be-forgotten learning! Like I wrote earlier, almost everyone has made a development cock-up at some point 😉

 

[robbeiflex]

Well done 🙂 It is easy to get discouraged but instead you have done some never-to-be-forgotten learning! Like I wrote earlier, almost everyone has made a development cock-up at some point 😉

Only at some point? Some of us do it regularly! 😉

 

[Pirate]

I'm sure I'll do it again and be right back here begging for help, the next time I change developers.....

 

[Pirate]

A couple shots from the roll that developed:

http://th02.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2011/009/1/b/on_the_street_by_dudewithad700-d36u26y.jpg

http://th07.deviantart.net/fs70/PRE...o_a_day_number_6_by_dudewithad700-d36u2hj.jpg