Anti-Halation layer causing developing problems ?

david b · Nov 18, 2008

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Is it possible for the anti-halation layer to cause those bubbles?

I don't see how.

Please explain.

And if the anti-halation layer is causing those bubbles, how do you correct it?

Shawn Dougherty · Nov 18, 2008

David, do you presoak to remove the anti-halation layer? I always do and have never experienced the bubbles for whatever that's worth.

My presoak is in distilled water with a couple of drops of edwal lfn wetting agent. A quick agitation and soak while I get my developer ready and I dump it. All the color seems to pour out. I've done a second quick rinse to see if there is any color left and there never seems to be....

Photo Engineer · Nov 18, 2008

The AH layer is totally benign!

PE

david b · Nov 18, 2008

I do a one minute presoak. Always have.

Thanks Ron for the info.

Poohblah · Nov 18, 2008

FWIW, the OP stated in that thread that the AH layer was causing problems during fixing, not developing.

Photo Engineer · Nov 18, 2008

The AH layer does not and cannot cause any type of problem except a vague blue black background uniform coloration to the film that can be removed by a good wash or by refixing and washing.

PE

dvanlondon · Nov 19, 2008

Okay, well whatever the problem was, it was fixed by a second bath in the fix. I had assumed that the a-h dye (or the anti-curl layer) had become partially loosened and had settled at the base of the film in the tank, which is probably technically gibberish. It is clear though, that, for whatever reason, some chemical residue was gathering on the film in droplets and then drying, which when scanned produced the overlapping white shapes visible in the scan. I realised that there might have been a fixing issue when I compared the film to a previously developed film and noticed an obvious difference in opacity/transparency, and both symptoms seem to be cured by the same treatment. I'm not a chemist, so I don't know why or how, but both my specific problems (even if they are unrelated) were solved in this way...

david b · Nov 19, 2008

I am doing two rolls of Acros in rodinal 1+100 right now.

To start, I filled the tank and let it sit for one minute.
It poured out blue.

Then I refilled it and agitated for one minute.
It poured out pink.

Pink has alway been on the negs through the fixer until the final rinse.

Could this be my issue?

Anscojohn · Nov 19, 2008

dvanlondon said:
Okay, well whatever the problem was, it was fixed by a second bath in the fix. I had assumed that the a-h dye (or the anti-curl layer) had become partially loosened and had settled at the base of the film in the tank, which is probably technically gibberish. It is clear though, that, for whatever reason, some chemical residue was gathering on the film in droplets and then drying, which when scanned produced the overlapping white shapes visible in the scan. I realised that there might have been a fixing issue when I compared the film to a previously developed film and noticed an obvious difference in opacity/transparency, and both symptoms seem to be cured by the same treatment. I'm not a chemist, so I don't know why or how, but both my specific problems (even if they are unrelated) were solved in this way...

******
I forget whether you said you use reels. If you do, could it have been dried residue from wetting agent on one set of film guides?

Photo Engineer · Nov 19, 2008

David;

The colored dyes are acutance dyes and the AH dyes in the film. They pose no problem and wash out during the process or the pre-wet.

Photo Flo residue on reels can affect development of some films in some developers.

PE

Shawn Dougherty · Nov 19, 2008

Photo Engineer said:
Photo Flo residue on reels can affect development of some films in some developers.

PE

That's good to know... Time to scrub down those reels. Thanks, Ron.

dvanlondon · Nov 21, 2008

I do use reels and I wash thoroughly after use - it was my initial thought too that the tank or the reels might be contaminated. But as it seems the problem was post rather than pre development, I'm not sure what caused it. Certainly once this residue has been washed out, it does not reveal development errors. I'm sure it's just down to insufficient washing or Photo-Flo residue on the film

Anti-Halation layer causing developing problems ?

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