unfresh fixer

[fledah]

Hi,

I process a film and fix it with a fixer wich was quite exhausted ( fixed about 7x120 rolls). I have ugly processing marks on my negative. Do you if there is a way to fix like trying to fix the negative a second time ?

here's an exemple :

I'm sure that the problem comes from the fixer, i processed a second roll with a fresh fixer and it's ok.

 

[morback]

You can always fix twice.

I'm not sure this is a fixer issue, also I'm surprised you only get 7 rolls out of your fixer. You must mix a tiny quantity.

I'm curious to hear expert opinion on the why of this dark band.

I think it would be nice to have a sticky with examples of all the problems one can encounter with developing film. A film troubleshooting database. Maybe divided by processing/camera/lens categories...

 

[tj01]

Re fix the negs

 

[Keith]

I'm currently using a batch of fixer that has done over twenty rolls of assorted 135 and 120 and a fair few 4x5 negatives and it still works so your fixer shouldn't be the problem!

But a snip test will confirm if it's OK!

 

[sparrow6224]

You sure it was wound on the reel without a wrinkle/fold/contact? (I'm projecting.)

 

[fledah]

I checked the reel before removing the film and hanging it, everything looked ok but i'm not 100% sure. It's the second times that happens each time with a fixer that fixed about 6 - 7 rolls.

I don't think the negative "sticked" (i'm not sure it's the right term, I mean the negative wasn't in contact with himself inside the reel) because all the views are affected by the problem.

I'm using Tetenal superfix 550ml 1+3 ( 180ml of fixer)

troubleshooting database is a great idea !!

PS : If administrators are ok, (bandwidth issue, heavy post) I can put on that post the 8 picture of that roll to show you the stains all along the roll.

PS2 : I'm sorry for english mistakes, I hape everyone can understand me 😉

 

[xayraa33]

Was there enough developer in the tank to begin with?

 

[Finder]

Can you show them to use as negatives rather than positives? And include the edges.

 

[fledah]

Was there enough developer in the tank to begin with?

My tnak recommend 550ML and I always put 600ML of developper. I develop this way for 2 years

 

[fledah]

all the pictures from that roll (positives):

Negatives :

 

[Roger Vadim]

Had the same issue once when I poered not enough developer in the tank, the film had this underdeveloped strip simillar to yours. I first thought about the camera, shutter caping, all sorts of things. then I realised that i must have taken not enough developer. I figured out that the film got wet and got fresh developer on that area through shaking the tank, but it exhausted to quick.
so it looks like not enough dev to me. wouldnt exhausted fix look different? dont know, it never happened to me...

 

[MartinP]

If the fix was exhausted then the result would be visible everywhere as a sort of creamy light-haze, or at least irregularly depending on the agitation. When you see an apparently underdeveloped strip along one side of the roll it does tend to point to not quite enough developer. I suppose everyone has done it once or twice. If the strip was affected by not enough fixer, then it would be denser on the negative (due to some emulsion remaining in that part) and lighter on the positive. Generally fixer is used with a big margin of safety so it should be rarely a problem.

To get some confidence back about your fixer, take an undeveloped scrap of the same sort of film and place a drop of fixer in the middle of it. It will clear or at least go partially clear (depends how big the 'drop' is) then place the whole piece in the fixer which you want to test. When you can't see a difference between the dot and the rest of the cleared film then that is the clearing time at the moment. Fix for double the clearing time (unless the film instructions recommend even more time of course) and when the clearing time test itself has doubled, change the fixer for fresh.

If anyone is tempted to use the same bottle of fixer for film and paper, keep your fingers crossed that you don't find tiny paper fibres dried on to your negatives. It's prudent to keep the two uses separate 😉

 

[fledah]

So I ruined a roll due to a lack of developer. I'll check my tank looking for leaks. Thank you very much for you helping to discover the problem you are really nice.

By the way i liked the first and the third picture 🙁 🙁

PS : You have your first entry in the troubleshooting database 😉