I just finished developing a new experience for me. I ran a test roll of HP5 in D-76 stopped and fixed normally. After washing, when I removed the film there was nothing on the film. Nothing, no frame numbers or manufacturer's name. I processed at 68 degrees and the chemicals were fresh. Anyone have any ideas of what caused this. Thanks for the input!

-- Thomas Williams (willat2@msn.com), April 29, 2000

Answers

The film wasn't developed.

I suspect you inadvertently poured fixer in when you intended to pour in the developer, or maybe if you were diluting the developer 1:1 you missed adding the developer to the water.

Or the developer may be completely totally dead, but that's rather unlikely.

Happens to all of us.

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), April 30, 2000.

Check your developer with the "leader" from a 35mm film. No need for a tank, just dip it in the developer for 6 to 8 minutes at 68 deg.F in normal room light. It should go completely black.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), May 02, 2000.

Sounds like your film never went through the developer. Your first bath was either water, stop bath or fixer, followed by fixer. The lack of edge numbes, etc., is the definitive clue to this. For future reference, keep this idea in mind: Developers have a "slippery" feel to them, while fixers are "grippy." Knowing this tactile difference can help in avoiding mistakes when the lights are off.

-- Dick Bolton (dickbolton3@hotmail.com), May 13, 2000.