Sometimes I get a translucent stain that runs along the length of the film (like last night!) This seems to be an intermittent phenomena for me. Typically it will run the full length of the film, but only along one half (ie top or bottom) or the centre of the roll. Usually purple, although I have had brown. On going thru my neg archive, I noticed that it has occurred on Ilford and Kodak films, and on both old and new type films. It doesnt seem to affect printing noticably, but I still dont like it! I keep a scrupulously clean darkroom (or try to), and usually use XTol 1+1, acid stop bath, and Ilford Hypam rapid fixer (usually w/out hardener)

Does anyone have any ideas where this stain comes from? What could I be doing to cause it? I'd like to avoid it in future.

Thanks

-- George Paltoglou (stellar@optusnet.com.au), November 22, 2001

Answers

It sounds like a fixer problem. Does it happen when you use fresh fixer? Do you agitate your fix the same way you do your developer? It could also be that your film is not on the reel correctly and the film is coming in contact with itself.

-- Ed Farmer (photography2k@hotmail.com), November 22, 2001.

George,

It sounds like to me that it is the anti-halation dye. Try washing (and maybe fixing/HCA too) a little while longer.

Johnny

-- Johnny Motown (johnny.motown+bwworld@att.net), November 22, 2001.

Well, the fixer was made up fresh from the bottle, but the bottle had been opne for several weeks, so maybe it was a little old. I did notice that the fixer came out a little purple (and so did the film - TMZ), although it appeared to clear up by the time I did the second film (Delta 3200 - which did not come out stained). The antihalation dye idea along with not perfect fixing make sense. thanks.

-- George Paltoglou (stellar@optusnet.com.au), November 22, 2001.

Tmax films drink fixer for lunch. Give them a longer fix than other films.

-- Sriram (r_sriram@ziplip.com), November 22, 2001.