Hi everyone. This is a really cool forum. I'm really new to developing (just learned how to spell emulsion last week. ;-) ). I developed a roll of Tri-X and TMax 400. On one roll (I forget which one), there was some kooky purple fog. Any idea what it is and what causes this? Will it carry over to my prints?

I used D-76, Kodak Indicator Stop Bath and Kodak Fixer. After washing, I wet them down with Photo-Flo.

Thanks in advance, Johnny

-- Johnny Motown (johnny.motown@att.net), December 15, 2000

Answers

The purple was on TMX. You did not fix it long enough. If you re- fix it the purple will disappear.

-- Louis Jensen (jenluc@ix.netcom.com), December 15, 2000.

Would guess the purple was your TRI-X.

They will print fine.

"Motown"- Detroit Area???

-- Jeff RIehl (jtriehl@netzero.net), December 15, 2000.

That's the anti-halation backing on T-Max. Be sure you've fully fixed (for fresh normal Kodak Fixer, I go 8 minutes, less for rapid-type fixers), then rinse and use Permawash or Hypo Clearing Agent and wash again according to instructions. I like my negs nice and clear.

-- David Goldfarb (dgoldfarb@barnard.edu), December 15, 2000.

Thanks for the answers everybody! This forum is great! My friends and I could not figure out what was going on. This is really my first venture into B&W photography. I'm pretty new to photography in general. Last year, I broke my point and shoot on a trip to Las Vegas. Too expensive a repair so I bought a digital camera with the intent of learning more about photography. This past summer, I ventured back into film and have gotten interested in doing my own B&W from start to finish (partially because it cost too durn much to have someone else develop it for me!).

As for the Motown reference, not Detroit. At one point in time, I worked for Lockheed Martin in Moorestown, NJ. Part of the email addrees read @motown.ge.com. People started referring to me as such so the name stuck. :-)

Thanks again, Johnny Mastin (Johnny Motown)

-- Johnny Motown (johnny.motown@att.net), December 15, 2000.

This fog is NOT due to insufficient fixing, however you do need to make sure that Tmax film is properly fixed (longer and with fairly fresh fixer).

It a dye that will either fade over time, or can be washed out. Some form of hypo clear and washing works best to get it out in a reasonably short time. Or a table spoon of sodium sulfite in 1 quart or liter of water will also work (homemade HCA).

-- Terry Carraway (TCarraway@compuserve.com), December 16, 2000.

This has happened to me before, both in my high school photo class and in my college newspaper developing--both of which situations we were pretty much the opposite of anal with our chemicals. I've been told by others that the purple signifies that you haven't fixed long enough (or the fixer is getting old and needs to be done for longer), that if you do that it goes away. And you can do it again even after you've washed it,I think. If it's uniformly purple and not too dark, in my experience they've printed okay anyway. But in the past I had some that were purple on the bottom half, and when I printed them that part was very grainy and hazy while the rest was in focus (darn). I'm just a student, and I'm not the most informed person on this, but in my experience since I've started being much more picky about knowing chemicals are fresh before I use them (and since I've started using my own and not sharing them with 20 people!), and fixing for plenty long, my negs have been nice and clear.

-- keri (bearcat28@hotmail.com), December 20, 2000.

Johnny, The purple stuff can easily gotten rid of. Here's how I do it; first I pre-wash my film for 5 minutes in clear water agitating every once in a while then dump that water out (there goes most of the purple stuff), then fill and drain a couple of times more. Then I process according to the film directions-always with new chemicals. And, I always fix for a full 10 minutes. Why no one has suggested the above-pre-wash-I don't know. It only a few more minutes and it works every time. LaRoy

-- LaRoy Owen (TakeapicOwen@netscape.net), December 31, 2000.

A prerinse isn't necessary and in some cases is undesirable.

Develop and stop as normal, then give three to six minutes in reasonably fresh rapid fixer with _continuous agitation_. After the fix, give the film a couple of minutes in HCA, then wash normally.

Anchell & Troop (and also Crawley I believe) suggest that standard sodium thiosulfate fixer just isn't sufficient to fix newer-style films and recommend rapid fixers. I don't know whether they believe the fixer can't fix the film or that it was take an inconveniently long time; they don't explain.

The following comes from Kodak publication F-32, iow, the instruction sheet....

Fix at 65 to 75°F (18 to 24°C) for 3 to 5 minutes with vigorous agitation in KODAK Rapid Fixer. Be sure to agitate the film frequently during fixing.

Note: To keep fixing times as short as possible, we strongly recommend using KODAK Rapid Fixer. If you use another fixer, such as KODAK Fixer or KODAFIX Solution, fix for 5 to 10 minutes or twice the time it takes for the film to clear. You can check the film for clearing after 3 minutes in KODAK Rapid Fixer or 5 minutes in KODAK Fixer or KODAFIX Solution.

Important: Your fixer will be exhausted more rapidly with these films than with other films. If your negatives show a magenta (pink) stain after fixing, your fixer may be near exhaustion, or you may not have used a long enough time. If the stain is slight, it will not affect image stability, negative contrast, or printing times. You can remove a slight pink stain with KODAK Hypo Clearing Agent. However, if the stain is pronounced and irregular over the film surface, refix the film in fresh fixer.

Wash for 20 to 30 minutes in running water at 65 to 75°F (18 to 24°C) with a flow rate that provides at least one complete change of water in 5 minutes. You can wash long rolls on the processing reel. To save time and conserve water, use KODAK Hypo Clearing Agent.

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), December 31, 2000.