Fixer Suggestions?

4strinbass · Jan 9, 2012

I'm shooting a lot of Arista and developing in Rodinal. I've been using Ilford Rapid Fixer, but was wondering if there were any suggestions of other fixers I could use.

Something that'll be good for re-use, keep well, economical.

BradS · Jan 9, 2012

About five years ago, I switched from Ilford rapid fixer to Lauder chemical rapid fixer. I buy it by the gallon from Keeble & Shuchat in Palo Alto but, I think it is pretty widely available. For me it is a better product and it is less expensive too!

Sundowner · Jan 9, 2012

I've shifted over to Sprint's fixer, personally. It's non-hardening, which is great for paper, but you can make it into a hardening fixer easily. I've had very good results.

removed account4 · Jan 9, 2012

Sundowner said:
I've shifted over to Sprint's fixer, personally. It's non-hardening, which is great for paper, but you can make it into a hardening fixer easily. I've had very good results.

+1

sprint chemistry is great...
liquid concentrate ez to mix

ROL · Jan 9, 2012

I use TF4 for everything, film and paper very economical in that sense.

Chris Douglas · Jan 9, 2012

arista

I am using Arista Universal Fixer. Less than 3 bucks a gallon and works great. The stock solution also seems to store well.

Bruce Osgood · Jan 9, 2012

I switched to TF-4 a couple of years ago. Gave up on acid stop baths and go from developer (film/paper) to rinse and TF-4. No acids are used in my work flow and no smell and it does save some money when you don't need a stopbath.

If you can't buy it locally and need it shipped remember you pay shipping for what is essentially water.

4strinbass · Jan 9, 2012

TF4 & TF5 seem like the fixers I'll probably go shoot for.

L Gebhardt · Jan 9, 2012

TF5 smells much better than TF4, so I've switched my film processing over to that. I've been using Kodak C41 fixer for paper. I have it for C41 processing, and it seems to work just fine. Given how cheap it is, I can change it more frequently.

jim appleyard · Jan 9, 2012

Lots of folks use C-41 fixer which is the same C-41 used for color film. I know little of it other than it gets lots of b/w users. Perhaps those folks will spot this thread an jump in.

bdial · Jan 9, 2012

I did the switch to C-41 fix last year. Here's the reason; 5 liters of Ilford Hypam, $25.99, 5 gallons C-41 fix, $36.50 Adorama's pricing.
Shipping for the Hypam is about $12.00, and for the C-41 about 33.00.

I ordered mine from my local camera shop/mini lab, they were able to give me a good price on shipping since they made it part of their regular chem order.

The plain C-41 fix (Not the RA version) is a a straight, nearly neutral PH, rapid fix. I found the recommended dilution by doing some searching in here, and then made some retained silver tests (using selenium toner) to nail down the the proper fixing time for my papers. (1 - 1 1/2 minutes). The RA fix isn't good for B&W, though I don't know the specific reasons.

I'm still using the last of my TF-5 for my film, but as soon as that's exhausted I'll be using the C-41 for everything.

Newt_on_Swings · Jan 9, 2012

I second Ilford Hypam, the stuff is just repackaged rapid fix, works at same dilutions and has pretty much the same capacity (maybe a little less).

Calumet on Amazon is your best choice if in the states. They used to have free shipping as well but not anymore. It is $25 plus $5 shipping. For 5 Liters.

I called in once thinking their label marking indicating expired stock, but was mistaken as their sticker is for their own stocking system indicating received date. I was told by their CSR that Hypam is a product they routinely sell in good quantities so the stuff is always very fresh from them.

MattKing · Jan 10, 2012

Hypam is actually a different formulation than Ilford Rapid Fix, but the difference is fairly minor.

Ilford Rapid Fix is not formulated in a way that permits the adding of hardener. Hypam is formulated in a way that permits the adding of hardener.

In addition, Hypam is oriented toward commercial users, and therefore isn't sold in the smaller quantities that one can find Ilford Rapid Fix packaged in.

Rudeofus · Jan 10, 2012

bdial said:
The RA fix isn't good for B&W, though I don't know the specific reasons.

RA4 frequently uses BLIX instead of separate bleach and fix. If you use BLIX instead of fix for B&W, the bleach part turns your silver image back into silver halide which is then dissolved by the fixer part.

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