Help! My film is in the pre-wash and I've got no developer for the next week, what d

horacekenneth · Nov 15, 2014

I loaded Arista.edu 400 (35mm) onto a Paterson Reel, put it in the tank, poured in some 68 degree water, went to mix up some developer - and there isn't any left!

Do I,

A. Leave it in the water for a week while I order some new developer...

B. Dump the water out and let the film dry inside the Paterson tank...

C. ?

D. ????

snapguy · Nov 15, 2014

After

Well I thought I'd heard about everything after fifty years of dip-and-dunk. You sure don't want to soak the film for a week. I think I'd look on the Internet to find a recipe for some coffee-based developer or something I could make up in a few minutes. I'm sure there are folks around who can give you a better way to go. I'm stumped.

eddie · Nov 15, 2014

Where in Maryland are you? There are a few members in the area.

jovo · Nov 15, 2014

I'd suggest plan B. Unless what's on the film is crucial, I think the least good that can come of it is that you post what has happened after a week in the tank drying out (geez, sounds like an alcoholic's detox, doesn't it?). I suspect you'll get usable images, but I'd really like to know for sure. And, you'll never load film without being certain there's developer, stop bath, and fixer ready to use. lol!

horacekenneth · Nov 15, 2014

A little south of Baltimore.

The film is crucial. You're right I'll always check after this. There is a camera store in Baltimore that carries D-76 and other chemicals but it is closed on Sunday. Should I let the film sit in the pre-wash for 48 hours or let it dry in the tank for that long?

Thanks for the help, I've got no idea what long-term soaking will do to the film.

Dr Croubie · Nov 15, 2014

Well, you can at least buy coffee and hopefully washing soda at a convenience store, probably vitamin C somewhere around too. KBr is probably out of the question, but regular iodised salt works too apparently. Could be a good time to try Caffenol?

horacekenneth · Nov 15, 2014

APUGuser19 said:
I believe I'd give it a photo-flo bath as if you had processed it, hang up to dry in the dark, and spool it back on the dried out reel and tank, and set it aside till some developer can be found. That's really all you can do.

That makes sense. I'm afraid even my darkroom lets enough light in that over 48 hours the images would be gone

removed account4 · Nov 15, 2014

snapguy said:
Well I thought I'd heard about everything after fifty years of dip-and-dunk. You sure don't want to soak the film for a week. I think I'd look on the Internet to find a recipe for some coffee-based developer or something I could make up in a few minutes. I'm sure there are folks around who can give you a better way to go. I'm stumped.

do you have any instant coffee ?
or do you have some DEKTOL or another print developer?

if you have can you get cheap instant coffee, make a strong pot 3tbs / 4oz cup of coffee instead of 2tbs, put your film into it and let it sit for a few hours ... or ...
if you have stock print developer put a few oz into the coffee you just made and let your film stand develop in the coffee and print developer for 30-40 mins
(agitate once to get the bubbles off )
if you have print developer like dektol dilute it 1:10 and process your film / agitate normally for 10 minutes

good luck !

bdial · Nov 15, 2014

Soaking it for more than 5 or 6 hours will remove the emulsion from the film base. And it would probably not dry well in the tank, which would leave it quite vulnerable to emulsion damage even if it's not immersed. If you don't have some place where you could dry it out of the tank, I'd drain the tank and get some developer of some sort asap.
If you can hang it up, since it's heating season, it should dry within a few hours, and you could put it back on the reel in a tank if keeping your darkroom dark isn't convenient.

Maybe you could take a drive up to B&H tomorrow?

horacekenneth · Nov 15, 2014

bdial, that is not what I wanted to hear but that is what I want to know.

I do have Dektol and I could mix it up and use it tonight. Dilute it at 1:10 and process normally for about 10 minutes? (And this is separate from the instant coffee, which I don't have, right?)

Thanks

jnanian said:
do you have any instant coffee ?
or do you have some DEKTOL or another print developer?

if you have print developer like dektol dilute it 1:10 and process your film / agitate normally for 10 minutes

good luck !

removed account4 · Nov 15, 2014

horacekenneth said:
bdial, that is not what I wanted to hear but that is what I want to know.

I do have Dektol and I could mix it up and use it tonight. Dilute it at 1:10 and process normally for about 10 minutes? (And this is separate from the instant coffee, which I don't have, right?)

Thanks

yep, no coffee required, just dektol .. @ 68ºF like everything else
you'll have nice crisp negatives ...

horacekenneth · Nov 15, 2014

Okay, thanks everyone.

Jnanian, I found some links you posted about developing film in Dektol from back in 2009. I got the general impression that Dektol 1:10 for 10 min is still pretty contrasty and if I'm going for more midtones I might let off the time, even down to 5 minutes. What do you say?

Thanks so much,

Horace

horacekenneth · Nov 15, 2014

Oh my goodness I am such an idiot. I posted a few weeks ago about printing on some expired ilfobrom and how oddly long it was taking.

I just pulled the Dektol powder out to mix it up and noticed that it asks you to heat the water to 100 degrees. The stuff that I thought was Dektol that I mixed up for that Ilfobrom - it asked for 120-138 degrees. That's what D-76 asks for. I've been developing my paper in freaking D-76.

I have more developer left...so that is good. But oh my goodness what a rube I am.

MattKing · Nov 15, 2014

I wish you all the best.

And I thank you for making two mistakes that I have never made (so far).

So that I won't have to make them myself.

laser · Nov 15, 2014

PhotoFlo and drying is a good answer. The film will still be quite sensitive to light but the wetting will have removed some of the sensitizing dye so the speed will be decreased. Excessive wet time (days) will cause gel-swell and destroy the adhesion between the layers and the support.

When you develop the film I would wash it for 10 minutes or so to remove the Photo-flo residue before developing. Then develop as you normally do after pre-soaking.

Bob Shanebrook
www.makingkodakfilm@yahoo.com

Ricardo Miranda · Nov 16, 2014

I loaded Arista.edu 400 (35mm) onto a Paterson Reel, put it in the tank, poured in some 68 degree water

Then develop as you normally do after pre-soaking.

Why pre-soak the film?
Foma doesn't say anything about the need or not for a pre-wash: http://www.foma.cz/en/fomapan-400

Bill Burk · Nov 16, 2014

horacekenneth said:
Oh my goodness I am such an idiot. I posted a few weeks ago about printing on some expired ilfobrom and how oddly long it was taking.

I just pulled the Dektol powder out to mix it up and noticed that it asks you to heat the water to 100 degrees. The stuff that I thought was Dektol that I mixed up for that Ilfobrom - it asked for 120-138 degrees. That's what D-76 asks for. I've been developing my paper in freaking D-76.

I have more developer left...so that is good. But oh my goodness what a rube I am.

Alright! Two mistakes canceled each other out... So you have D-76 after all and the film is probably fixed, washed and hanging to dry by now.

Sorry I didn't see this sooner or I would have helped you narrow down the Dektol developing times... Yes 1:10 for 10 minutes is the old rule of thumb (1 minute for every part of water, so 1:5 for 5 minutes, 1:6 for 6 minutes etc.). I'd done some tests and had more precise results to share but that would have gotten you ballpark development.

Dr Croubie · Nov 16, 2014

APUGuser19 said:
I know of no good reason NOT to presoak.

Doesn't the emulsion soak up all the water, and change the developing times?

Ricardo Miranda · Nov 16, 2014

Ah, thanks! Still, I'll follow the recommendations from Ilford on that matter. I was just curious what was the reason some use it.
Thanks for the explanation.

StoneNYC · Nov 16, 2014

Help! My film is in the pre-wash and I've got no developer for the next week...

Why use wetting agent that could mess things up?

Why not use the old photojournalist trick and and pour out the water and fill it up with isopropyl alcohol and use that to quickly dry the film in the tank?

Then when it's time to actually develop it, give it a longer wash than normal to make sure it's all clear

horacekenneth · Nov 16, 2014

Developed the film last night in D-76 everything looks good.

Thanks for your help everyone, I almost left that film in the water overnight.

Bill, yep two mistakes turned out in the end. And hey d-76 1+1 can develop prints at 5-6 minute times.
I'm not planning on making that mistake again but I would be interested in hearing more about your tests with film in dektol.

removed account4 · Nov 16, 2014

horacekenneth said:
Okay, thanks everyone.

Jnanian, I found some links you posted about developing film in Dektol from back in 2009. I got the general impression that Dektol 1:10 for 10 min is still pretty contrasty and if I'm going for more midtones I might let off the time, even down to 5 minutes. What do you say?

Thanks so much,

Horace

sorry i missed this, it looks like bill answered it for me, and you found d76 after all

hope the photographs turned out great !
john

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