35mm specific drying marks

[Tom Kershaw]

Starting to process 35mm film again, the results when dried show some residual marks that I don't get processing 120 film. The marks don't show on prints but I'd prefer if they weren't there. Although my final bath is deionized water and Ilfotol diluted according to the ILFORD recommendation, perhaps I should use a more dilute solution with 35mm film.

Tom

 

[trexx]

If you use metal spirals there is a large gap between the film on 120 and not so with 35 ( or even 220 reels .) Lifting the spiral out of the tank there is more water carried with 35 then 120. When I lift the spiral I I give a strong whip ofthe wrist to dislodge as much water as I can and have little trouble with water spots.

 

[nickandre]

With B+W film I've found using only distilled water to work very well. There isn't any dissolved gunk so there can't be any marks. If you want to use the Ilfotol as well you can go as dilute as you like. Try distilled water without ilfotol and if that doesn't work add a little bit back in.

 

[Anon Ymous]

Tom, I use 135 film only and all my films get the same treatment, that is distiled water with 2 drops of Photo-flo 600 as the final bath. I use APX100, Tri-X and TMY2. I only get minor drying marks with Tri-X; they don't show up in prints. Is it really a 135 film specific problem, or is it something specific to a certain film?

 

[Tom Kershaw]

Tom, I use 135 film only and all my films get the same treatment, that is distiled water with 2 drops of Photo-flo 600 as the final bath. I use APX100, Tri-X and TMY2. I only get minor drying marks with Tri-X; they don't show up in prints. Is it really a 135 film specific problem, or is it something specific to a certain film?

I've been processing 35mm Delta 100 film, but plan to process other 35mm films within the next couple of weeks.

Tom

 

[DanielStone]

so Tom,

are you referring to HARD WATER residue? I have found that when processing 35mm, I need to run my fingers down the sides, OVER the sprocket holes, cause water generally gets trapped in the sprocket holes.

btw, I make a gallon at a time of distilled water with a few drops of photo flo 200, no problems so far. I get 8-10 bottles at a time of distilled water, and I just take a gal. bottle and mix up a gal at a time.

I have used just straight distilled H20 before too, letting the film sit it in for 2 min or so after washing. Give it 20-30s of agitation, and then let it sit for the rest of the time. single shot only(heck, its cheap to get consistent results in the end, even for a poor student like me ).

-Dan

 

[BetterSense]

I use ultrapure, semiconductor-grade water and I still occasionally get spots. I assume it's leftover film of photoflo. What helps for me, is after hanging the roll up, I tilt it at an angle. I have a metal bit toward the bottom that I can magnet the bottom to so it's at an angle. Then the solution only has to flow a few cm till it is off the image area and hits the lower sprocket area of the film, rather than flowing all the way down the film.

 

[Tom Kershaw]

I use ultrapure, semiconductor-grade water and I still occasionally get spots. I assume it's leftover film of photoflo. What helps for me, is after hanging the roll up, I tilt it at an angle. I have a metal bit toward the bottom that I can magnet the bottom to so it's at an angle. Then the solution only has to flow a few cm till it is off the image area and hits the lower sprocket area of the film, rather than flowing all the way down the film.

This is an interesting suggestion as I do tend to tilt 120 film outside of the film dryer before hanging to dry. 35mm is obviously more difficult to handle due to the length of a 36exp film.

Tom