I am getting streaks on my TMX 100 4 x 5's. Here's what I'm doing....

using a Jobo 2583 drum with 2509n reels - not using the black "wing" attachments - loading the film, emulsion side out - sometimes 4 sheets per reel and sometimes 5 or 6

I have tried TMAX RS and XTOL. I have done a prewash of water for 5 minutes in the Jobo and I have done it without for the RS. I read somewhere (I think it was on jobo.com) that it says not to do a prewash when using XTOL, so I have not. I do the RS 1+9 75F for 10 minutes. XTOL 1+1 68F 7-something minutes.

After the developer, I use Kodak indicator stop bath for a minute or so. Then Kodak fixer or Ilford rapid fixer with hardener for 8 minutes.

I do 4 5-minute washes with water in the Jobo then soak them in Photo-Flo 200 for about a minute per sheet. I run the negs under the facet front and back for maybe 5 seconds then hang from one corner.

We do have hard water where I live, but we also use a water softener.

The streaks are more noticable in the sky and clouds of the shots. If it's a horizontal shot, the streaks are vertical, and vice versa. When using the XTOL, the streaks looked like water runs, but were at least a half stop difference. Unfortunately, I'm waiting for a lensboard for my camera, so I can't shoot a bunch of tests right now.

Does the emulsion being on the inside or out make a difference? Should I use distilled water for my presoak, mixing developer, diluting stop bath, fix, etc?

-- Mark Wiens (mark@wiens.com), December 21, 2001

Answers

Mark, first you should use the wing flaps, they keep the film in place and aid in random agitation. You dont mention if you are using a Jobo procesor or a motor base like a Beseler. But if you are using a motor base the rpms are too slow and you need to switch the tank every so often to avoid streaks. If you are using the Jobo the reason you are getting streaks is because you are not using the flaps, the drums rotate fast enough to prevent streaking if you use the flaps. There is no difference if you put the emulsion facing in or out.

-- Jorge Gasteazoro (jorgegm58@prodigy.net.mx), December 21, 2001.

Mark, I am not a Jobo user but one thing you said may be causing you a problem. Photo flow type solutions should be used in very very dilute solutions and you should probably not re-reinse the negs in tap water. I just hang mine straight from the photflow solution. Some people have suggested using a generous spray of distilled water on the hanging negatives.

-- jeff schraeder (jeff@circlesodclarity.com), December 21, 2001.

Jorge, I'm using a Uniroller motor base. It does not have a speed control like the Beselers do. What do you mean by "....rpms are too slow and you need to switch the tank...."? Switch the tank? Thanks for the responses.

-- Mark Wiens (mark@wiens.com), December 21, 2001.

Emulsion side _in_ and use the wing things. You certainly can use a presoak with Xtol; if you keep it short, like a minute or less, it won't cause any significant development changes.

I gather you're rinsing the negs _after_ Photo-Flo? If so, stop doing that; you're undoing what you're using Photo-Flo for. Mix the Photo-Flo in distilled water, soak the sheets in it like you're doing, then fish each one out, fling off the droplets and hang it to dry. Do _not_ squeegee or otherwise touch it.

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), December 21, 2001.

Wash for 10 minutes and don't rinse with water after the Photo-Flo. You will un-do the purpose of it.

-- Allan Fontanilla (allan@fontanilla.com), December 22, 2001.

Mark, what I mean by the rpms too slow is that if you use a Jobo processor, the machine spins the drum at about 75 rpm, with the Unicolor or the Beseler, I guess they are about 30 to 40 rpms, with this slow rotation you get "sheeting" meaning a layer of water that stays almost in the same place. this is why you need the wing flaps, to create a little more turbulence. As to switching the tank I mean to change the rotation by turning around the tank every few minutes. Since you have an Unicolor, if you have a more modern one then it should have intermitent rotation, a few turns clockwise and a few counterclockwise, if it only rotates one way then switch the ends of the drum so that you get some time going counterclockwise and a few clockwise. Hope this helps!

-- Jorge Gasteazoro (jorgegm58@prodigy.net.mx), December 22, 2001.

The film must face inwards. James

-- james (james_mickelson@hotmail.com), December 25, 2001.

What is really strange with your case Mark, is what you mention about the streaks you have on your sheets being Vertical on the Horizontal shots and vice versa. The sheets are all placed in the same direction in the tank, whether the shots are horizontal or vertical. So, if the streaks are caused by something that happens IN the tank, how comes they are not constantly directed vertically or horizontally ??? Maybe you should look for causes before or after the time the sheets are in the tank. Do you hang your sheets horizontally or vertically, or depending on the orientation of the picture (in order to be able to check your negative image while they are drying) ?? Maybe something happens with your film while loading it (or unloading it) or even while it is in the camera... If the bellows of your camera create some kind of inner light reflection (remember that the lens covers an area much larger than the film) this will be much more evident on the side the sky is, and will always be recorded on the lower side of the film (as it rests in the camera). When you are making a vertical or horizontal shot, the side on which the reflection will appear will switch. The first thing I would do is to check the inside of my bellows. Then, check for light leaks in my camera.

-- George Papantoniou (Papanton@hol.gr), December 26, 2001.

Well, I must have done something right this time! I started my procedures with a 5 minute presoak with distilled water. I loaded the film, emulsion side in, attached the black plastic holders, and stuck with my normal development, stop, and fixing techniques. I washed the negs in the Jobo for 10-15 minutes with distilled water, changing the water every 5 minutes. I mixed Photo-flo with distilled water and hung the negs thereafter. I hang my negs diagonally. All this was done with the TMAX RS. I have not done any tests using XTOL, but I can keep everyone informed. Thanks again for everyone's help!

-- Mark Wiens (mark@wiens.com), December 26, 2001.

Under close examination, I see streaks when I use a 1+9 dilution. No streaks reported so far under 1+4 development.

-- Mark Wiens (mark@wiens.com), December 26, 2001.