First Time w/ Delta 100

RattyMouse · Jul 7, 2018

So I finally got around to developing my first roll of Delta 100. I'm concerned a bit by the color of the film, it's visibly pink-ish. So much that my scanner can pick up the color, even though I scan in 16 bit black and white. I'm not sure how that works out.

Does Ilford Delta 100 need extra washing? I run a fairly aggressive washing routine at 10 inversions, 15 inversions, 20, 20, 20, and 20 inversions, all with fresh water. None of the rinse water showed any sign of pink. It always came out colorless. Conversely, my Acros 100 rinse waters always came out pinkish but the film never showed any signs of this color.

What's normal here? Do I need to improve in some area? I developed in Kodak HC-110, dilution B.

Thanks,

Edit: I figured out why my scans come out pink. Silverfast had an update and now the adjustments I make to the pre-scans are all lost just before the scan happens. So my scans were coming out as color scans, bringing along the pink color that the film has. Once scanned correctly the color is gone.

Rudeofus · Jul 7, 2018

I would not be surprised much, if this pink stain is the same story as TMAX pink stain. Chances are it will go away if you either use fresh fixer or if you place your processed and now pink negs into direct sunlight for a day or two.

RattyMouse · Jul 7, 2018

Rudeofus said:
I would not be surprised much, if this pink stain is the same story as TMAX pink stain. Chances are it will go away if you either use fresh fixer or if you place your processed and now pink negs into direct sunlight for a day or two.

I've developed quite a lot of TMAX400 and never seen a pink color. Did you mean TMAX100?

Sirius Glass · Jul 7, 2018

The tabular films such as Delta or TMAX require longer fixing times or fresher fixer than traditional grain films with longer wash times. That drove me nuts a few years ago until I figured it out. If the pink tint is not completely removed the films could fade.

RattyMouse · Jul 7, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
The tabular films such as Delta or TMAX require longer fixing times or fresher fixer than traditional grain films with longer wash times. That drove me nuts a few years ago until I figured it out. If the pink tint is not completely removed the films could fade.

I fixed this film for 5 minutes with extensive agitation. Does it need more?

Sirius Glass · Jul 7, 2018

RattyMouse said:
I fixed this film for 5 minutes with extensive agitation. Does it need more?

Sometimes I needed to use 10 minutes with fresh fixer.

Rick A · Jul 7, 2018

Kodak recommends a minimum of 6 minutes in fresh fixer, followed with extensive washing to remove the stain.I stopped using all but Acros 100 because tabular grain films are a total PITA to clear. Even after I thought I cleared my film, my final rinse in surfactant/distilled water would turn pink.

RattyMouse · Jul 7, 2018

Rick A said:
Kodak recommends a minimum of 6 minutes in fresh fixer, followed with extensive washing to remove the stain.I stopped using all but Acros 100 because tabular grain films are a total PITA to clear. Even after I thought I cleared my film, my final rinse in surfactant/distilled water would turn pink.

This post is regarding Ilford Delta 100, not a Kodak film.

All my rinse waters were water white. I didn't see the pink color until I pulled the film from the reels.

RattyMouse · Jul 7, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
Sometimes I needed to use 10 minutes with fresh fixer.

Wow. My film cleared in 2 minutes or less. I figured 5 minutes was good enough. I guess I'll have to go longer with my second roll and see how it goes.

Sirius Glass · Jul 7, 2018

Rick A said:
Kodak recommends a minimum of 6 minutes in fresh fixer, followed with extensive washing to remove the stain.I stopped using all but Acros 100 because tabular grain films are a total PITA to clear. Even after I thought I cleared my film, my final rinse in surfactant/distilled water would turn pink.

That is the secondary reason I stopped using tabular grain. The primary reason is that I like traditional grains much better.

RattyMouse · Jul 7, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
That is the secondary reason I stopped using tabular grain. The primary reason is that I like traditional grains much better.

Acros was such an easy film to develop. I can do it in my sleep. God damn you Fujifilm!

Rick A · Jul 7, 2018

RattyMouse said:
Acros was such an easy film to develop. I can do it in my sleep. God damn you Fujifilm!

I'm sitting on a sizeable stash of 120 and 4x5, just gave away the last of my 135.

Rick A · Jul 7, 2018

Sirius Glass said:
That is the secondary reason I stopped using tabular grain. The primary reason is that I like traditional grains much better.

That too. Plus T-Max has a UV blocking layer, it gave me grief trying to use it for alt processes in LF.

RattyMouse · Jul 7, 2018

Rick A said:
I'm sitting on a sizeable stash of 120 and 4x5, just gave away the last of my 135.

I had $2000 worth in my B & H shopping cart, ready to check out when I decided to wait a week. I figured that short amount of time would never matter. Holy crap was I wrong.

Rick A · Jul 7, 2018

There was a rumor circulating several years ago that Fuji was considering discontinuing Acros, I stocked up. I'm just now digging into my stash of 120, I treated myself to a Bronica SQaM. It helped me renew my film passion.

MattKing · Jul 7, 2018

Rick A said:
That too. Plus T-Max has a UV blocking layer, it gave me grief trying to use it for alt processes in LF.

Only the T-Max 100 has the UV blocker. Not the T-Max 400.
The general rule of thumb with any of the T-grain or related films is to fix for three times the clearing time, rather than the usual two times. And they will exhaust fixer slightly faster.
There is a whole Sticky thread on the subject - Kodak based, but still useful: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/pink-magenta-stain-not-blue-which-is-a-different-issue.69462/

Rick A · Jul 7, 2018

MattKing said:
Only the T-Max 100 has the UV blocker. Not the T-Max 400.
The general rule of thumb with any of the T-grain or related films is to fix for three times the clearing time, rather than the usual two times. And they will exhaust fixer slightly faster.
There is a whole Sticky thread on the subject - Kodak based, but still useful: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/pink-magenta-stain-not-blue-which-is-a-different-issue.69462/

I rarely, if ever, shoot anything faster than iso 100 film. I tried T-Max and Delta 400 films and dislike both. The 100 speed look digital to me, I so much prefer traditional grain film.

Wallendo · Jul 7, 2018

My anecdotal experience is that soaking removes more of the pink stain than rapid agitation. I generally get decent color clearance if I soak the film in the wash water for a few minutes after each agitation session. In other words, I agitate for 10 inversions and then soak for two minutes, change water and agitate for 20 inversions and soak for two minutes and so forth using 5 water changes, and a total washing time of 10 minutes. I can extend this by another round or two if the water still comes out with color.

RattyMouse · Jul 8, 2018

Thanks everyone. I'll give FP4 another try.

spijker · Jul 8, 2018

Delta 100 is my main film. Developed two 120 rolls last night. DD-X 1+4 7:30 min @24C, 1 min stop, Ilford rapid fix 1+4 6 min. Ilford wash method and 1 min water with photoflo. Negatives look good, no pink. I usually develop shorter than the 12:00 min @ 20C that Ilford recommends.

Andrew O'Neill · Jul 8, 2018

I always soak my films including Delta, fp4, hp5 in room temperature water for 30 minutes, after I've given them a good rinse in HCA (I use Fuji QuickWash..cheap and wonderful stuff I bring back from Japan). This has worked very well for me. RattyMouse, don't give up on Delta 100. It's a very nice film.

John Wiegerink · Jul 8, 2018

Andrew O'Neill said:
I always soak my films including Delta, fp4, hp5 in room temperature water for 30 minutes, after I've given them a good rinse in HCA (I use Fuji QuickWash..cheap and wonderful stuff I bring back from Japan). This has worked very well for me. RattyMouse, don't give up on Delta 100. It's a very nice film.

+1 as to the quality output of Delta 100

Adrian Bacon · Jul 9, 2018

RattyMouse said:
I fixed this film for 5 minutes with extensive agitation. Does it need more?

Which fixer are you using? I use Kodak fixer and always fix t-grain film for 15 minutes with constant agitation. I also wash for at least 15-20 minutes with a tube stuck down the middle of the canister with the water flow just fast enough to fill the canister in 60 seconds and dump the canister at 5 minute marks.

RattyMouse · Jul 9, 2018

Adrian Bacon said:
Which fixer are you using? I use Kodak fixer and always fix t-grain film for 15 minutes with constant agitation. I also wash for at least 15-20 minutes with a tube stuck down the middle of the canister with the water flow just fast enough to fill the canister in 60 seconds and dump the canister at 5 minute marks.

I use Ilford Rapid Fixer. 15 minutes?? Wow, I have never once fixed for more than 5 minutes. And I have shot a lot of T-Grain film in TMAX400. Never had an issue. Clearing times for my film are always around the 2 minute mark or faster so I figure 5 minutes is plenty.

NB23 · Jul 9, 2018

RattyMouse said:
I use Ilford Rapid Fixer. 15 minutes?? Wow, I have never once fixed for more than 5 minutes. And I have shot a lot of T-Grain film in TMAX400. Never had an issue. Clearing times for my film are always around the 2 minute mark or faster so I figure 5 minutes is plenty.

Kodak is not the same and requires much longer times.

First Time w/ Delta 100

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