Worried - Need Experience to Calm me :)

M

MoTR

APX Addict
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Jun 10, 2006
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Hey all,
I started developing myself 2 weeks ago, done 5 rolls so far. 3 Delta 400 1 Neopan 400 and 1 APX 100 tonight.
Now The thing is. Im a wee bit worried. I think my negs are very opaque, as if their not developed enough. Im relativly new in the B&W scene so IM not sure should my neg be "darker" than C41 negs? Or am I doing someting wrong.

Now I knwo your going to say well what do they scan like, my scanner died before I got my first roll into it so Im not sure. Im just worried about continuing to delop the stack of rolls I have here if Im ruining them all.

Im sticking to manufacturers dev times, using Ilfosol-S and Rodinal.

They look all right when put up to a decent light, I think... :)

Any suggestions to calm my mind :)

Yes this is a rant thread in a way :p

Cheers!
Jay
 
Mfgr`s times may not fit your situation. Stick to one film and one developer to start and make 6 test exposures all the same subject, pull out 12 inches in the dark and develope it.

You must print it to see where you stand.

The more you skip around with different film , the more confused you will become.

This whole art is cut and try and then repeat what works. Change one variable like developer, paper, enlarger light source, and you must test all over again.
 
Is it possible your fixer time is off?

How are you determining your fixer time? If it is insufficient, sometimes opaqueness occurs.

I cut a small strip from the film, drop a small drop of fixer on it, let it sit for 3 minutes, then drop the film strip with the small clear area in fixer solution, time the time it takes for the entire test strip to become clear as the original small clear area, double that time with your ultimate film

So if your test strip with the small clear dot takes 2 minutes, your fixer time for the final film strip will be 4 minutes.
 
the other suggestion is to stick to one film, one developer ...

It is easier to tweak the outcome when you narrow the possible variables. Gives you less possible suspects for things going wrong.

good luck
 
Hmmm fixer could very well be it. cause I couldnt find decent times for the fixer I was using. Agefix (Agfa) so I was using 5mins as the general time that seemed to be online?
Does anyone know what kinda times agefix should be used for??
 
After 5 mins in fix you could visually check the negs and then keep on fixing until you are happy.
 
Hmmm yeah from what IM reading I think IM not fixing enough.
Whats the situation on refixing negs is that doable??
 
MoTR said:
Hmmm fixer could very well be it. cause I couldnt find decent times for the fixer I was using. Agefix (Agfa) so I was using 5mins as the general time that seemed to be online?
Does anyone know what kinda times agefix should be used for??
Click to expand...

Jay, unlike deveopers that have published times, a fixer solution is best used with an individual test to determine the proper time.

I've reached the point where I can guesstimate my fixer time, but it took a lot of development practice to get there. And also sticking to one fixer, one film etc.

Like I said, you will need to cut a small 1/2 inch strip of the film you intend to develop. Drop a small drop of your fixer solution on it (doesn't matter which fixer brand you are using). Let it sit for 3 minutes until the small drop of fixer begins to clear the film. Then get a timer ... drop the entire 1/2 inch test strip into a small container of your fixer solution (I use a film canister) and time the amount of time it takes for the 1/2 inch test strip to clear ENTIRELY to the same clarity as the small initial test drop area.

Whatever that time is, you DOUBLE it, that is your fixer time.

This method allows you to re-use your fixer solution until you feel like discarding it. It also allows you to fix practically any solution strength you want and not worry about which brand of fixer you are using. It is always tailored to be accurate for your specific fixer and film combination.

hope that helps :)
 
Heheh 4-5mins has became 16and everything looks good then :)

Any advice on refixing the negs? Tonights batch even would that be ok?
 
Flyfisher Tom said:
Like I said, you will need to cut a small 1/2 inch strip of the film you intend to develop. Drop a small drop of your fixer solution on it (doesn't matter which fixer brand you are using). Let it sit for 3 minutes until the small drop of fixer begins to clear the film. Then get a timer ... drop the entire 1/2 inch test strip into a small container of your fixer solution (I use a film canister) and time the amount of time it takes for the 1/2 inch test strip to clear ENTIRELY to the same clarity as the small initial test drop area.

Whatever that time is, you DOUBLE it, that is your fixer time.
Click to expand...

I've read about this method before but here's what I don't get: Why can't you just dump the whole test strip in the fixer from the beginning and see how long it takes to clear? What's the test drop for??
 
Jay, I made the same mistake the second time I developed a roll of film and then went back, dunked the negatives in fixer and they were all fine. You'll see!

Jamie... I wondered the same thing myself... I don't know why it's done in two stages, but I guess you want to see the effective time it takes to really clear the strip.
 
Jamie123 said:
I've read about this method before but here's what I don't get: Why can't you just dump the whole test strip in the fixer from the beginning and see how long it takes to clear? What's the test drop for??
Click to expand...

My guess is it is to ensure that maximum clearing has been reached, and to act as a control. If the whole test strip is dropped in, you need to guesstimate when maximum clearing has been reached. And you could be off by some small amount of time, depending how good you are at judging opaqueness or clearness.

With a test drop already present, you have a more accurate assessment of when the rest of the test strip matches the test drop area (which, by virtue of having twice the dose of fixer on it already, is guaranteed to be 100% cleared and fixed in total). In other words, it acts as a control (100% fixed) for your eyes to judge the correct fixing time for the rest of the test film strip.

That is my guess :)
 
Jay

The best diagnostic is the rebates they should be clear but the manufactureses print and other identification should be clear and dark.

Your shadow detail is just right for exposure if you can just see it as a positive held up against the light.

If you have overexposed the dark areas will have no details.

Noel
 
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