"Cruddy" negatives!!

[stooth]

My last 4 rolls of HP5 120 film have had a strange crud that looks like fungus on the darker areas of my scans. I have replaced all chemicals with fresh. I have checked my lenses. The negatives are otherwise OK. When visually inspecting my negs there is no apparent substance on the silver surface. All of the film were from the same package. I have eliminated all of the variables I can think of. The only thing else I can think of is they may have been left in a vehicle in the sun for a while What does over heated film look like? My next experiment is with a roll of unrelated film. i am enclosing an attachment of a scan with the crud. Let me know your thoughts. Was it the heat?

 

[Jadedoto]

Good'eve,


They look like mineral deposits to me!

Are you using distilled water and.or surfactants (like Photoflo) when doing your final rinse?

 

[stooth]

Good'eve,


They look like mineral deposits to me!

Are you using distilled water and.or surfactants (like Photoflo) when doing your final rinse?

I use distilled water for the developer mix and use distilled water plus Photoflow, about 5 drops per 500 ml h2o, for final rinse. I use tap water for the main wash. there are no "deposits" with my 35 mm using same technique/chemicals?

 

[Jadedoto]

That is strange. Maybe it has something to do with a slip in QC at Ilford? I doubt it, but I wouldn't rule it out.

Does the gelatin seem deformed in any way? i.e. Are thetre visible obvious melting or deterioration on the base side of the film?

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

It could maybe be drying marks, but doesnt look like the correct pattern, and you said you cant see anything with visible inspec tion. Really crazy uneven development doesnt sound like it, but sorta like something's dried onto it...
Another possiblity is the sratch removal function on a negative scanner, for some reason I get some really crazy results when I have it turned on sometimes, but nothing in that sort of pattern I dont think, hm...

 

[George Collier]

One other possibility - water with Photoflo in it cannot be kept (stored) and re-used later. I did this once way back in my photo days (when money was more that scarce) and noticed floaties that look like the stuff on your walls in the scan posted. I don't know anyone who does this, but just a thought. Use a batch with as many rolls as you want, but mix fresh every time.

 

[thebanana]

water with Photoflo in it cannot be kept (stored) and re-used later.

I had similar markings on some negs this summer. Like you, I couldn't sort out the problem exactly, but I did use older mixed photoflo, so that could be it. It was confusing, because not every frame was affected. Since it was summer, overheating the film can't be ruled out either, although I have no idea what overheated film behaves like. That's not much help, but I share your pain!

 

[Ronald Moravec]

I have gotten deposits if I don`t use the proper amount of Photo flow. Frankly I do not understand why someone would try to use less than directions call out as the stuff is cheap as water when you consider all the effort and cost involved in a roll of film.

Next I would suggest glass bottles that are cleaned after each use and reserved for one chemical. Cheap plastic does not cut it and contaminents lurk in the bottom.

Try rewashing the film and proper amount of Photo flow.