Anti-halation on E100G?

[Calamity Jane]

Well, having my new darkroom, a new (to me) CPA-2 with a 3005 drum, a batch of Agfa "Process 44" that officially expired 2 weeks ago (no, the bottles WEREN'T full - I know, I know! ), and a brand new box of E100G, I could't resist doing some 8x10s yesterday and see what the Kodak E100G looks like. I ran some Fugi Provia when the chemistry was fresh and they were ok but lacked the colour saturation that I liked in the 4x5 Kodak E100G.

The 8x10s look good on the light table but, when you hold them just right, there is a bluish haze on the back of the sheet. I presume this is the anti-halation layer, though I have never seen it before.

If it is, then I have two questions:

#1 - Would the anti-halation layer be left because of the age of the chemistry or for some other reason? (I didn't get this on the Provia when the chemistry was fresh and it was developed in the same tank.)

#2 - How can I remove the anti-halation layer "post-processing" without damaging my transparencies? (If it is possible at all.)

Thanks gang!

 

[Photo Engineer]

If it is the antihalation layer, it can be removed by rerunning the tail end of the process starting with the wash after the color developer step and going through to the stabilzer.

Of course, if your tail end solutions are bad, then this won't help. It sounds as if the bleach and / or fix might have been bad or weak.

Usually though, if this is the case, you see grayish highlights and not a bluish haze. So, whatever it is, it does not exactly sound 'classic' to me for retained AH layer.

An alternate explanation is that the film base was not washed well enough in the Jobo drum, due to close contact with the base and drum surface. I have never used that drum, but I wonder, did you use the netting to back your film? I understand that there is one for 8x10 film. I've only done paper in those 3000 drums. I use the 2500 series for my sheet films.

PE

 

[Calamity Jane]

That makes sense P.Eng - the film base. The blue film has faded since the film dried but I'll rewash them in trays. I don't use screen and suspected something was left on the back of the film.

THANKS!

 

[Photo Engineer]

Don't forget to treat them in stabilizer if you re-wash in trays. The film may fade more rapidly if not re-stabilzed.

PE