Does anyone know of a way to remove or cover up water marks on negatives?

Chris

-- Chris Jones (cvj3341@acs.tamu.edu), January 18, 1999

Answers

Use 70% isopropyl as the final rinse. Soak in the alcohol for 1-2 minutes, hang up to dry in 10-15 minutes. no spots of streaks what so ever. Replace the alcohol after about 20 rolls of film. It works!!

-- Gene Crumpler (nikonguy@emji.net), January 18, 1999.

I agree Isopropyl works, but there are cheeper alternatives. I use either a wetting agent ( Ilfotol 1:200, but any other would do as good) or simply give the final rinse in destilled water. I think this is the best. If you use alcohol, be aware that any impurities will soak into the emulsion and eventually cause archival problems, so the alc. should be of the highest possible grade. Evgeni.

-- Evgeni Poptoshev (evgeni.poptoshev@surfchem.kth.se), January 20, 1999.

One method that I frequently use to remove water spots is to rinse te film in ionized water as not to add to the contaimination. I then rinse the film in Photoflo 2000 for 2-3 minutes. That usually does the trick for me.

-- Colin J Davis (Corrrosive@aol.com), January 28, 1999.

Photoflo or Ilfotol work well for me. I see others have had the same results

-- Gregg Tashker (forgregg@aol.com), February 02, 1999.

I use Kodak Photoflo to rinse my Minox BW negatives. 5 drops in 200 CC of distillted water. No deposite, not water marks.

-- martin tai (martin.tai@capcanada.com), February 04, 1999.

I have used Ilfotol but even still used to get the very slightest water rings. However by using the water from the kitchen drinking water filter first the roblem was cured.

-- Anthony Brookes (gdz00@dial.pipex.com), February 21, 1999.

Chris,

I can't say how to remove the spots, but it is easy to prevent them: Always use distilled water for all of your film chemicals. It's cheap and it prevents any mishaps from our dubious water supply. Also, it's not a bad idea to give your prints a final sloshing in a tray of distilled water prior to drying. I have found that chemicals from my tap water will dry on the print, creating an annoying haze. Distilled water is great stuff. Use a lot.

-- Mark Finhill (Finhill@keyedin.com), May 18, 1999.