Help with dark negs

cpnp · Jun 7, 2010

I am shooting legacy and arista at 100. Processing rodinal at either 1-50 or 1-100. agitating 30 seconds at start than 5 every minute using the time chart from digital truth. After the developer I wash two times. Then use Arista fixer for either 1 to 2 minutes then wash three times using the 6-12-24 method. All of my negs come out so dark that it takes 5-10 minutes to scan 1 frame. What am I doing wrong.

mike c · Jun 7, 2010

Could be over exposure or over development,expose a roll at your normal asa and develop 1/2 of it at one half the developing time you have been using and see if it is ok for you.Then develop the second half less or more depending on what happened to the first half . Digital truth is not allways right,if the film has a manufacture recommended time for Rodinal try that.

Christopher Walrath · Jun 7, 2010

1 to 2 minutes in the fix sounds AWFULLY on the low end. If the film is cleared at all, it is probably just barely so I would suspect. Bare in mind, whatever you do, only change one thing at a time. That way you don't redo the whole thing and do not know where you had gone wrong.

Rick A · Jun 7, 2010

I'm wondering if the film is not cleared fully, two mins in fix is not enough even for fresh TF-4 at working dilution. I shoot Arista EDU Ultra 100, and it takes 5 mins in TF-4, or 5 mins in fresh Silvergrain Clearfix Neutol (1+4 ). I've seen underfixed film turn dark when exposed to light. I've not used Arista fixer,so no comment on the brand or times they recommend. The other possibility is overexposed more than overdeveloped(just a hunch).

Ian Grant · Jun 8, 2010

Ilford's recommended fixing time is 2-5 minutes in their Rapid fixer or Hypam at 1+4 and they are both strong fixers.

The OP doesn't say which Arista fixer he's using but some aren't rapid fixers so he needs to check the instruction that came with that particular fixer.

In practice though some films clear & fix far quicker than others so I'd do a leader test to see just how fast Legacy Pro clears in this fixer, then double that time. The Arista rebadged Foma films clear very quickly compared to Ilford Delta 100 & 400.

Ian

cpnp · Jun 8, 2010

Thanks to all for your help...Bob

ic-racer · Jun 8, 2010

cpnp said:
t so dark that it takes 5-10 minutes to scan 1 frame. .

I have no idea how dark that would be.

In the analog realm, you can objectify or quantify negative density based on a few parameters. First would be the base density. Second the shadow density and thirdly the highlight density.

Your base density should be less than 0.2 log d. The shadow density around 0.2 above that. Highlights should be around 1.8 to 2 above that.

Ian Grant · Jun 10, 2010

Good point, negative density has nothing to do with scanning time, that is a combination of the particular device used and the resolution set.

However getting decent quality whatever the system used does require properly exposed & processed negatives.

Ian

Help with dark negs

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