Just hand-processed my 1st roll. A couple of questions...

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I just processed my first roll of B&W. It was Agfa APX400 in Rodinal 1:25, Kodak indicator stop bath, Agefix, Photo-flo. What do you use to wipe the negatives after coming out of the Photo-flo? sponge?fingers? How do you use the photo-flo? and how long? My negs seemed to have turned out fine. I need to get to my neighbourhood darkroom to do a contact sheet (my project this spring is to set up my own darkroom). Also the negs turned out grey in colour-is this the proper colour, and does it make a difference. I am comparing them to a roll of APX100 that a pro lab developed and they are almost purple in colour.

Thank you for listening to a newbie developer.

Roger

-- Roger Bird (rbird@i4i.com), February 11, 2001

Answers

Do _NOT_ wipe them with anything. After the Photo-Flo, take the film off the reel, grab each end and snap it a couple of times to fling off drops, then hang it up in a dust-free place to dry.

Mix your Photo-Flo with distilled water, soak the film on the reel in it for a couple of minutes with gentle agitation. After you've hung up the film wash the reel to remove the Photo-Flo.

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), February 11, 2001.


Don't worry about the negs turning out gray, that's perfectly normal. The purple color is a coating that will come off with enough washing. Probably the pro lab didn't wash the negs as long as recommended, or they skipped a hypo clear step, either of which could result in the purple color remaining. However, it makes no difference in printing or in negative longevity.

-- Mark Wilkins (mark_wilkins@yahoo.com), February 12, 2001.

Agreeing with John, the only thing I have to add is before you take the roll off the reel, give it a quick flick of the wrist to get most of the solution off the film. Cheers

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), February 12, 2001.

Thanks for the info so far. Keep it coming. One other question... Can the Agfa Agefix fixing solution (at proper dilution) be re-used or should I use it as a one-shot fixer?

Roger

-- Roger Bird (rbird@i4i.com), February 12, 2001.


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