Adofix and T-grain films

[Agulliver]

I've started using Adofix P made up from powder recently, as it is very economical. I've had great results with Fomapan 100, 200, 400, Ilford HP5+, old Kodak Tri-X, Adox Silvermax, outdated Fortepan, outdated Acupan 800....several different emulsions.

I've tried Ilford Delta 400 in 120, and Kodak T-max 3200 in 135, and neither film cleared properly. The image is fixed but the film base remains dark grey.

I was adding a couple of minutes, compared to the 3-4 minutes I was using for traditional films. And just yesterday I tested an exposed strip of Fomapan 400, which cleared in just over two minutes so my batch of fixer is fine. I also tried washing and refixing the Delta 400 film today, to no avail. it won't clear.

So...assuming the films were not fogged (unlikely) is there any known reason why Adofix would not work with modern T-grain films? I tend to prefer traditional films but will be shooting some Delta 3200 next month.

In past years I have successfully developed T-grain films (T-Max 400, 3200, Delta 100, 400 and 3200) with Ilford Rapid Fixer and I was not expecting any issues with the Adofix as it's preformed very well up to now.

For the record I develop using ID-11 usually, occasionally Microphen, using a water stop bath between developing and fixing.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

I am unfamiliar with the T-grain films but some films do have a tinted gray film base. With such films it is the plastic base itself that is tinted so no amount of fixing will remove the color. Despite the color if the negatives do not show any cloudiness (particularly toward the center) then they are fixed. T-grain films contain a significant amount of silver iodide. This is slow to be removed especially with non-rapid fixers like Adofix P.

 

[David Lyga]

Thank you Gerald: I always wondered why I got cleaner negatives with some films when using rapid fixer. - David Lyga

 

[darkroommike]

The Kodak Tmax films contain quite a bit of silver iodide, and powdered fixes made with sodium thiosulfate are much less effective at clearing/fixing these films. The liquid rapid fixer types are much more effective.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

Thank you Gerald: I always wondered why I got cleaner negatives with some films when using rapid fixer. - David Lyga

Whenever in doubt it is always good to check for retained silver. With T-grain films it may be necessary to extend fixing times by 50 to 100%. It should be safe to do this without risking any bleaching.

 

[fdonadio]

I double fix times with T-Max and "regular" Kodak hypo-based fixer. I do have some ammonium thiosulfate and will mix rapid fixer from scratch in the future, since I really love T-grain films.


Cheers,
Flavio

 

[Agulliver]

With the Delta 400 and TMAX 3200 I fixed using Adofix, this wasn't the usual grey tint I have seen with other Delta and T-Max films in the past (eg when using Ilford Rapid Fixer). The base was so dark that the negatives were basically useless. I did extend the fixing time at least 50% compared to more traditional emulsions, and this didn't seem to help. Maybe the silver iodide issue is pertinent here, as it is a real difference between the T-grain films and the traditional ones.

Thanks for all the advice, I think I will use Ilford Rapid Fixer for my upcoming projects on Delta 3200 just to be safe, then go back to the Adofix when I slip back to the HP5+, Fomapan and so on.

 

[37th Exposure]

Have you contacted Adox? Maybe you got a bad batch of fixer, or maybe they have some advice.
I have fixed Tmax in ordinary sodium thiosulfate fixer with no problems. The clearing time was very long compared to traditional films like Tri-X or HP5, but it can be done. I now use rapid fixer for everything since the price is the same these days.