Advice on my negatives - dark marks

pauldc

Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2005
Messages
188
Location
Kent, UK
Format
Multi Format
I used xtol 1+1 with Delta 100 (EI 100) for the first time today. Very nice but many of the negatives have marks on which I have never had before with other developers (mainly rodinal and aculux).

I attach a couple of examples - the first has dark spots all over and the second has marks near the edge in the sky.

Does anyone have any thoughts about what might have caused these 2 problems? Any advice most gratefully received!

I used a water stop and 10 minutes in Paterson fix 1+7.

Thanks
 

Attachments

  • Example 1.jpg
    30.4 KB · Views: 186
  • Example 2.jpg
    28.5 KB · Views: 175

NikoSperi

Member
Joined
Mar 2, 2004
Messages
575
Location
Italy
Format
Multi Format
The first one looks like you had a bubble trapped, preventing the developer to reach the film... unless that's not the side of the film which was on top. For the second... wow, that's a mess! Sorry, no idea.
 

TheFlyingCamera

Membership Council
Advertiser
Joined
May 24, 2005
Messages
11,546
Location
Washington DC
Format
Multi Format
NikoSperi said:
The first one looks like you had a bubble trapped, preventing the developer to reach the film... unless that's not the side of the film which was on top. For the second... wow, that's a mess! Sorry, no idea.
Click to expand...

The second one looks like some kind of water spotting. What format film are these? 35mm, 120, 4x5?
 

srs5694

Member
Joined
May 18, 2005
Messages
2,718
Location
Woonsocket,
Format
35mm
My only guess is air bells, at least for the one with the spots all over. The big half-circle in the other one looks like a water mark from bad drying, but I'm not sure if that's what you're asking about.

BTW, I read your subject and the first thought that came to mind was that Lord Voldemort was involved.
 

TheFlyingCamera

Membership Council
Advertiser
Joined
May 24, 2005
Messages
11,546
Location
Washington DC
Format
Multi Format

I'd disagree with the air bells assessment - those spots are too unevenly shaped to be air bells. They look like some kind of drip mark or chemical splash.

Did you clean and dry your reels between uses? (I'm assuming rollfilm here). If not, that could explain the splotches on the negative - chemistry from a previous batch dripped off the reels onto the frames while you were loading them.
 
OP
OP

pauldc

Member
Joined
Jun 5, 2005
Messages
188
Location
Kent, UK
Format
Multi Format
Thanks everyone.

The format was 35mm by the way. As far as I know my tank and reel was clean and the previous 3 films I had developed were also with Xtol. The only things out of the ordinary I can think of having racked my brains is that a) the developer solution looked a bit more frothy than usual when I poured it out b) I used the tank with pyrocat HD for the first time last month.

How do people generally clean their tanks and reels - with just hot water or something else?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Menu
Log in
Register
Cookies are required to use this site. You must accept them to continue using the site. Learn more…