I am getting strange streaks on the emulsion side of the film ever since I switched fixers from the Kodak Fixer in 1 gal powder to Ilford's Universal Fixer at 1+4. Maybe I should just switch back, but I was wondering if hypo clear would help this, but I just don't hypo clear for some reason. Anywho, is anyone using this Fixer with good results, and if so, how??

-- Mike DeVoe (cameraservice@gci.net), February 02, 2001

Answers

I use it all the time and I don't have this problem. I always do a final soak in distilled water with 2 drops of Edwal LFN (low foam wetting agent) per liter--the negs dry clean, with no streaks or spots.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), February 02, 2001.

Ilford Universal fixer at 1:4 works fine; be sure you're fixing long enough, 3-6 minutes depending on temperature, and I strongly recommend continuous agitation.

_Always_ use HCA.

What's the appearance of the streaks?

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), February 02, 2001.

I have used both fixers, with good results. Currently using the Ilford fixer. Make sure you are rinsing well. You didn't say, but are you using some kind of final rinse? i.e "Photo-Flo" When ever I get carried away with too much, it will leave "light white" streaks the length of the film. A drop or two is plenty. I have found that shaking off the excess water after the rinse eliminates any steaking at all, and it drys quicker.

-- John Clark (john.e.clark@starstream.com), February 02, 2001.

Thanks for the responses, I think that I may have used too much photo- flo, but I tried rinsing a second time, to no avail. I don't agitate my fixer, and I'm thinking I might have to use a HC agent. For John, the streaks are really only visible from certain angles, kind of like an oil sheen on a puddle, but without the spectrum of colors like oil. My second batch with the fixer was some high-key scenes, and of course,there was no trace of the streaks on print. I think I'll try some agitation, hypo clear and the edwal wetting agent, see if that clears things up.

-- Mike DeVoe (cameraservice@gci.net), February 02, 2001.

Try soaking the negatives for 15 minutes or so in distilled water & drying without Photo-Flo. If you don't get streaks, you know the Photo-Flow was the culprit.

Mix you photo-flow or LPN with distilled water & use fresh each session. Use at most half of suggested amount of PhotoFlo.

-- Charlie Strack (charlie_strack@sti.com), February 02, 2001.

When I used to use Photo-Flo I found that half the recommended strength in distilled water worked best. Now I use LFN in distilled water. Be sure to fling all the water droplets and _do not squeegee_.

Since we can't see these marks, it _could be_ that you're not getting adequate fixing. Agitate it! Kodak used to recommend continuous agitation for rapid fixer; now they've backed off to intermittent, same as Ilford recommends....and many people complain of inadequate fixation of t-grain type films.

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), February 02, 2001.