fixer poll

when do you look ?

  • 10 seconds

    Votes: 3 5.2%

  • 30 seconds

    Votes: 5 8.6%

  • 1 min

    Votes: 6 10.3%

  • when its done

    Votes: 43 74.1%

  • i forgot

    Votes: 1 1.7%

  • when i pick it up

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    58

removed account4

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whatever your fix
old hypo or quick/rapid/speed ...

when do you look at your stuff
 

mooseontheloose

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It depends -- fiber or RC? test print or final?

For proper prints, regardless of paper, I wait until it's done (as with film). For test prints I check after 30 sec for RC and one minute for fiber. I never leave prints (or film for that matter) in the fix past their fixing time.
 

BetterSense

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I turn the lights on soon after the print is in the fixer, whether they are test prints or not.

With film, I use 2-bath fixing, and I look in after the first bath. If it's not cleared, I know to rotate my batches.
 

Photo Engineer

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Bad question. Not specific enough.

Ask film, paper, acid and alkaline and it might mean something! Ask stop no stop and it takes on even more significance.

PE
 

JLP

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30 seconds for paper and for film when i pull it out of the Jobo for washing, i don't look at the film until fixing is complete.
 

MattKing

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Film: when it's done.

I was referring to prints when I answered the poll: after 30 seconds.

I use RC paper. My work-flow includes stop bath, and acidic rapid fixer at paper strength.
 

Ray Rogers

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I think Haist(?) pointed out that exposure to light too soon can -potentially- result in the formation colorless, insoluble complexes, that, later, can decompose to colored product(s)... therefore I never short cut the fixing process nor any associated built-in saftey margin.

Besides, the added Anticipation creates extra Exhilaration!
 

Ray Rogers

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Rick A

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I dont care what he says, I'm sticking to my old tried and true methods. I have fogged film and paper in the past by allowing light to strike them too soon after stopping, and not having fixed long enough. Call me stodgy and old fashioned, I dont care, I'm not changing now.
BTW, when setting up a poll, make it clear as to what you are asking, this one is beyond vague, I had no idea what you are trying to ascertain by the wording.
 

Mike Wilde

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For film I run PE's Superfix sometimes, and it is usually done in under 2 minutes, so why peek. I do pull on time, because this stuff has enough punch to vaccuum up the image as well if left too long.

So more often I run TF-4 scratched mixed. It is more of a 3 minute stuff. so for film, why peek.

For prints it depends on if RC and FB. If RC in TF4, 1:3 with a slosh of the tray at the beginning. So I usually lights on at 1' or so, and flip to the rinse tray after 2'. This is with a running water stop bath.

For FB, 30" acetic stop bath, 3-5' in first fix (lights on after about 2') , then to a still water holding bath, and 5 minutes with agitation for all all prints, and flip my way though the pile for teh full period.
 

grahamp

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Film stays in the tank until fully fixed. Unless I have a concern about the film I usually wash it before I examine it (that keeps fixer off my hands). I do test my fixer activity, though

Prints stay under safelight for at least half the fixing time. That is at least 30 seconds even with a strong rapid fix on fibre based paper.

So I don't think the poll is detailed enough to get reasonable statistics.
 

moki

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Film: When it's done. Every few films, I take a short look to see if the clearing time is still ok. If it's twice as long as with fresh fixer, it's time get new chemicals. My fixer isn't very strong, so one or two more minutes won't eat the picture.

Paper: About 15 seconds, but I only turn the light on for a few seconds to see if everything's alright or if I need to make another print (hard to see some mistakes like uneven development with darkroom lights). Afterwards there's no light until the prints are washed and dried.
 

wclark5179

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Dec 31, 2002
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Film = 2 min. Always done. Fix another 30 sec or so. If it isn't clear at around 2-3 min. then I get rid of the fixer.

See, I fixed that!

Smiles!
 
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