Antihalation dye Fuji Acros 120

NedL · Nov 27, 2012

The other day I developed a roll of acros 120 for the first time. The negatives came out fine and it seems to be true that this film retains detail even in strong highlights. I also noticed a nice tone in pure blue sky that I wasn't expecting and didn't know about. I used HC-110E ( "Ilford agitation", 4 inversions at the beginning of each minute), followed by stop bath for a minute or so, followed by Ilford rapid fix for 4 minutes ( also using "Ilford agitation" ), followed by "Ilford" wash method but with 10, 20 and 40 inversions. Finally I soaked it in photoflo for 5 minutes or so while I ran the hot shower and generally got the shower stall ready to hang the film.

With Tri-X, my only other experience with 120 film, the antihalation dye comes out in the developer. This time, the developer, stop, fix and washes all came out clear, but the photoflo step turned purple. My question isn't important, but I'm curious why the dye was not washed off in all the prior steps, but came out in the final wash? Doesn't that seem sort of odd? I was surprised to see the purple tint around the film at that point and was happy that the negatives are clear!

polyglot · Nov 27, 2012

It (like Tmax films) needs more washing than a traditional film to get the dyes out. I think they're sensitiser dyes rather than anti-halation but don't know for sure. You'll probably find the fixer came out pink too and will fade over the course of a few minutes.

If it's still pink, you're maybe not done washing. I suspect that it doesn't really matter too much though - washing is primarily to get the fixer out of the emulsion and I've no reason to believe that is any more difficult than with a traditional film. However, the "Ilford Wash" is really minimal; I prefer to use at least 6 changes of water and about 10 minutes total of immersion. You don't need to be agitating the whole time, just let it sit for a minute or two between groups of agitations to let the dye diffuse out.

NedL · Nov 27, 2012

Thanks, very interesting! The fixer could have been pink and I might not have noticed when I poured it back through the funnel into its bottle. I'll pay more attention next time!
Edit: and I will take your advice regarding washing!

Gerald C Koch · Nov 28, 2012

I've never used Acros but some films have a colored film base. The color is in the plastic and no amount of washing will remove it. It is there to prevent light piping in 35mm film.

II stopped using Plus-X a few years ago because the film base was so darkly colored that i had trouble evaluating the negatives.

Klainmeister · Nov 28, 2012

Huh, I have been using Acros nearly exclusively for about 7 years now and I pre-wash it where a deep purple/blue dye comes out. Not sure how it could come out clear.

ath · Nov 28, 2012

Yes, with ACROS some dyes wash out slowly in the wash. It needs time, not agressive agitation. I just let it soak 1min between the fillings of my extended Ilford washing sequence.

NedL · Nov 28, 2012

Thanks everyone! As usual APUG is a wealth of information!

derwent · Nov 29, 2012

Yes, Acros needs a lot more washing than the Ilford wash to get the dye out...,

DREW WILEY · Nov 29, 2012

With rolls I just rinse a couple of times in drum, then stick a hose with a trickle of water down the
middle of the roll, or with sheets put them in a small archival print washer, then leave the room for
dinner or the news etc. When I come back in fifteen or twenty minutes the ACROS is completely
free of antihalation dye. Never an issue.

Monday317 · Dec 17, 2017

NedL said:
The other day I developed a roll of acros 120 for the first time. The negatives came out fine and it seems to be true that this film retains detail even in strong highlights. I also noticed a nice tone in pure blue sky that I wasn't expecting and didn't know about. I used HC-110E ( "Ilford agitation", 4 inversions at the beginning of each minute), followed by stop bath for a minute or so, followed by Ilford rapid fix for 4 minutes ( also using "Ilford agitation" ), followed by "Ilford" wash method but with 10, 20 and 40 inversions. Finally I soaked it in photoflo for 5 minutes or so while I ran the hot shower and generally got the shower stall ready to hang the film.

With Tri-X, my only other experience with 120 film, the antihalation dye comes out in the developer. This time, the developer, stop, fix and washes all came out clear, but the photoflo step turned purple. My question isn't important, but I'm curious why the dye was not washed off in all the prior steps, but came out in the final wash? Doesn't that seem sort of odd? I was surprised to see the purple tint around the film at that point and was happy that the negatives are clear!

I use Jay Defehr’s pPD-based Halcyon developer, with great results on Acros. Because this is a replenishment soup, any goo coming off the film accumulates in the developer, potentially changing its characteristics, not likely for the better. When I pre-rinse a 120 roll of Acros, I get a cyan pour-off that goes clear after 4 or 5 rinses. Years ago, I read a very weak (.02%) sodium sulfite solution was great for clearing unwanted dyes prior to developing. Indeed, when I do the series of pre-rinses, and get a clear result, a single rinse with the sulfite solution provides a couple more tinted pours, so it seems to work, and I do this as a routine. I tested both unrivaled and pre-rinsed negatives; unrinsed has a very slight bluish cast to the base, rinsed base is clear. Both examples have the same apparent grain & tonality, so a one-shot developer would not seem to need the pre-rinse. But replenished developers should be pre-rinsed to avoid dye buildup.

Monday317 · Dec 17, 2017

FWIW, you can easily make up a .02% solution of sodium sulfite by just adding 1 gram of sulfite to a gallon of distilled water. Since a gallon of DIH20 is a bit more than 4 liters, my 1 gram is usually a bit “fat”—1.1 or 1.2 grams in a U.S. gallon. Close enough for Government work...

albada · Dec 17, 2017

Monday317 said:
FWIW, you can easily make up a .02% solution of sodium sulfite by just adding 1 gram of sulfite to a gallon of distilled water. Since a gallon of DIH20 is a bit more than 4 liters, my 1 gram is usually a bit “fat”—1.1 or 1.2 grams in a U.S. gallon. Close enough for Government work...

.02% is one part in 5000, which would be 1 gram in 5000 grams of water, which is 1 gram in 5 liters. So I suggest making your 1 gram "thin" instead of "fat".
Not that it makes any practical difference...

Mark Overton

Monday317 · Dec 17, 2017

albada said:
.02% is one part in 5000, which would be 1 gram in 5000 grams of water, which is 1 gram in 5 liters. So I suggest making your 1 gram "thin" instead of "fat".
Not that it makes any practical difference...

Mark Overton

Well yeah, Mark. A little too much rounding, now that you mention it. I couldn’t say just how much sulfite would cause a noticeable problem, but scans to date show no difference between pre-rinsed and unrinsed grain pattern or size at high magnification. So I basically measure out a gram or so (a quarter teaspoon), pour it into a gallon of Wal-Mart distilled water, and go to work. Thanks for the reminder, I’ll go thin next time.

Antihalation dye Fuji Acros 120

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