1+4 for film, 1+9 for paper

BetterSense · Mar 9, 2015

What is the reasoning behind having film rapid fixer be more concentrated than paper?

480sparky · Mar 9, 2015

Fixing times are different for film with the two ratios.

bvy · Mar 9, 2015

Michael R 1974 said:
But note at least in the case of Ilford, the recommendation is to use film strength fixer for paper processing as well.

I think that applies to fiber. RC is 1+9.

480sparky · Mar 9, 2015

MattKing · Mar 10, 2015

For a lower volume, hobbyist photographer, using 1 + 9 for paper can mean greater economy, due to less waste.

If your printing volumes are high, and you use the fixer to close to capacity, the two dilutions will give similar results.

Films need the stronger dilution for complete fixing.

Sirius Glass · Mar 10, 2015

MattKing said:
For a lower volume, hobbyist photographer, using 1 + 9 for paper can mean greater economy, due to less waste.

If your printing volumes are high, and you use the fixer to close to capacity, the two dilutions will give similar results.

Films need the stronger dilution for complete fixing.

He said what I was going to say.

Slixtiesix · Mar 10, 2015

You can use 1+4 for paper as well, especially with FB. It will yield shorter fixing and therefore shorter washing times. I don´t see much sense in diluting it more, because the throughput per volume of stock will be the same.

RalphLambrecht · Mar 10, 2015

BetterSense said:
What is the reasoning behind having film rapid fixer be more concentrated than paper?

I fix film and paperwith 1+4 with the two-bath fixing method for archival processing.

NedL · Mar 10, 2015

I use 1+4 for both. I think I started doing it because the capacity for Ilford rapid fix was only listed for 1+4, and then I never really thought about it again.

miha · Mar 10, 2015

There is no benefit in fixing RC at film strength. With FB it promotes faster washing.

RalphLambrecht · Mar 13, 2015

miha said:
There is no benefit in fixing RC at film strength. With FB it promotes faster washing.

the benefit is consistency.Who wants to keep several bottles with different fixer dilutions around.1+4 makes for a very thorough and fast fix for fim, RC and FB.what is recommended for film should work well for RC as well, bot are a gelatin coating on a plastic substrate.I still recommend two-bath fixing for all.
it's fast and economical.

480sparky · Mar 13, 2015

RalphLambrecht said:
the benefit is consistency.Who wants to keep several bottles with different fixer dilutions around.1+4 makes for a very thorough and fast fix for fim, RC and FB.what is recommended for film should work well for RC as well, bot are a gelatin coating on a plastic substrate.I still recommend two-bath fixing for all.
it's fast and economical.

Yep. Same reasoning behind all the 2-stroke engines I own. I make sure I buy something with an engine that takes the same gas/oil ratio as what I already have. Who wants to have 16:1, 30:1, 40:1 and 50:1 sitting in the garage?

Sirius Glass · Mar 13, 2015

480sparky said:
Yep. Same reasoning behind all the 2-stroke engines I own. I make sure I buy something with an engine that takes the same gas/oil ratio as what I already have. Who wants to have 16:1, 30:1, 40:1 and 50:1 sitting in the garage?

No, just two bottles of hypo: one for film and one for paper. There are two bottles for stop bath: one for film and one for paper. There are two or more bottles for developer: one[+] for film and one for paper.

BetterSense · Mar 13, 2015

I am actually more interested in why 1+4 is needed for film. As has been pointed out, both film and RC paper are silver gelatin on plastic, so if 1+9 is sufficient for paper, why not film?

Sirius Glass · Mar 13, 2015

BetterSense said:
I am actually more interested in why 1+4 is needed for film. As has been pointed out, both film and RC paper are silver gelatin on plastic, so if 1+9 is sufficient for paper, why not film?

As noted in the previous post, because film needs a stronger concentration of hypo to clear the film and fix it.

1+4 for film, 1+9 for paper

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