Ilford Matte Fiber Paper Streaks.

[jeffreyfina]

Hi APUG users, I am new to these forums and figured that now is a good time to start posting. I have a niche for film.

Anyway, I am having an issue with my Ilford Matte BW paper. It seems to streak in one direction (horizontally, landscape). I did notice my contact sheet dried and the streaks went away, but the prints I just did have these disernable streak marks and it looks like crap. Although I am really enjoying the look of the prints, the streaks are an eye sore. Anyone have any insight to this (I am not the only one, a few other students in my college have the same issue).

 

[DKT]

how are you processing them?

 

[reellis67]

It sounds like stray light from a nearby enlarger is fogging your prints. I know that working in a gang darkroom is *far* from ideal as the person next to you always seems to want to insert their negatives while the enlarger is on, or they forget to close the filter tray, etc... If you could post an example it might help us troubleshoot with you.

- Randy

 

[Ole]

"Streaks" is a very diffuse term, almost as bad as "steaks". So I'm afraid we'll need a little more information: Do the streaks go all the way from edge to edge? If you expose a paper to uniform light (turn on the overhead light and give it a zone V exposure) does it still show the same streaks? If it does that, I'm sure Ilford will replace your paper. Eliminating a manufacturing defect is a very good idea at this stage!

 

[Neal]

Dear jeffreyfina,

Could you post an example?

Neal Wydra

 

[Stoo Batchelor]

Hi Jeffreyfina, and welcome

May I ask, are the streaks like a mottled effect, amost in a slight visable honeycombe pattern?, and what grade are you printing at?

Regards

Stoo

 

[jeffreyfina]

Thanks for all the quick responses.

As for the processing, I am using the basic chemicals (developer, stop bath, fixer, fixer remover, water wash).

I appologize for the bland terms. When I get back home from college ill take a picture of the image(s) in question. Keep posted I am very happy about the quick responses. Found a new learning forum!

 

[Simon R Galley]

Dear Jeffreyfina,

Firstly I am sorry you ( and others ) seem to be having ' difficulties ' with one of our products, what you need to do please, is to give the exact description of the paper from the box end and its batch number, you can PM me, I would also suggest you follow Ole's suggestion, to me it does not seem from the description a typical fault that could happen in manufacture ( but you never know ) if it is we will of course replace it.

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN technology Limited

 

[Paul.]

I have experianced a student who dryed an inproperly washed print through a roller type dryer and contaminated the rollers with fix, we all had streaky prints for the next couple of sesions untill the wet prints cleaned the rollers.
One of the problems of a group darkroom, of course no one would admit they had done it when half a box of paper was in the bin.
Regards Paul.

 

[Bob F.]

Sounds a bit like exhausted developer or insufficient agitation, but it's impossible to say at this point so I'll just add my voice to: "more info please, preferably a scan" and to Ole's suggestion to fog a sheet to a light grey and see what you get after processing. Check that it's not on the negative rather than the paper as it also sounds a bit like bromide drag.

Good luck, Bob.

 

[jeffreyfina]

Again, such overwhelming amount of people helping. Very good stuff.

Dead Link Removed is a high res image of a scanned image. I had used a filter, but the same issue is happening without the filter.

The Product information is this:
Ilford MGIV Multigrade IV FB Fiber Matt
CAT 183 3919
MG4FR5K

I was also talking to a member last night on APUG chat room and asked him the same question. He thought it may be the individual enlarger. My ultimate goal here is to find out the issue and eliminate it. Others I develop with (in the same chemicals and all) do not have this issue. Two others in another class and myself have the issue. I will test a new enlarger on monday to see if that is the "killer."

Thanks again for all the responses and who would have thought I would get a comment back from the actual Ilford Director!!

 

[jeffreyfina]

Well I tried another enlarger and no streaks. It is odd and my professor still does not believe it was the enlarger. Non the less, I will not be using the one that causes me issues.

 

[matti]

I once got banding when I didn't mount the lens board correctly. It leaked light. It didn't look like your image, though, but might be worth checking out.
/matti

 

[Simon.Weber]

It looks to me as though your image didn't develop fully. Maybe you should make up a fresh bath of developer.

I do remember from my own experience that chemicals get abused very, very badly in student darkrooms. At my university, the only remedy was to work when nobody else was in the darkrooms and buy my own fix. The fix they had was re-used and, in my opinion, totally useless.

Though with you, as I said, it seems to be the developer that's gone off or maybe has been mixed with stop or fix.

Simon