J&C100 BLOTCHY! any ideas??

[fhovie]

I have used J&C100 before and never had a result like this. I have heard there are consistancy issues with this emulsion and wanted to know if this is one of those issues or if it is something else. See the example:

J&C100 at 100
Hassy 500 CM - 50mm Distagon - Red filter
Pyro 510 72F 1:100 8min - Water stop
TF3 fixer. - No temp changes in process - all fluids at 72F

I have used this process before and did not have this result. The only difference is that this film sat for months (6) before processing. Is it likley that this is due to the long wait? It is not reticulation. The emulsion is not cracked. It is more like the emulsion was not even or that somehow it became etched.

 

[grahamp]

Is it even on all frames? If it was the first or last frame I would wonder about mold. Any surface etching visible with glancing light on the emulsion or base?

 

[Donald Qualls]

I've seen marks like this with Kodak films that sat in the roll for 30-40 years; I wonder if the paper used on the Pro 100 could react similarly in a shorter time? Dampness tends to accelerate this, and condensation can cause marks similar to this on its own (due to redistributing dyes in the emulsion). Any chance going from refrigeration to room temp without a vapor barrier might have bitten you?

Can't say I've held any film that long in a long time, though -- since I started processing my own, the longest I've kept a roll of exposed B&W is about a month.

 

[colivet]

I don't really know what you are talking about. I see grain, not blotchiness. I had blotchiness with Efke films before but it didn't look like that and a simple water bath before development solved that.
Now your print looks grainy and have no idea what it is.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Could be the backing paper or it could be pepper grains. Too hard to tell.

If on the surface of the film, it is the backing paper, if in the emulsion it is pepper grain. There are other things it could be as well.

PE

 

[titrisol]

I don;t see any, didi you scan the film or the paper?
Can you see this with a loupe?
If you don;t have one use your 50mm lens reversed as one.

To me it seems like digital scannin gartifacts

 

[Ronald Moravec]

There are dark spots all over the sky. How could you miss them?

Could be undisolved powder in the developer.

 

[reellis67]

Like Donald said, I too have seen this in old films that sat for some time before processing. I would try another film from the same batch and process it right away using the same chemicals to try to narrow it down. Try to eliminate things by changing one thing only at a time. Also, have you emailed John about it? There should be a date on the package that he can use to tell you of any known issues.

- Randy

 

[fhovie]

I am concluding that it is the backing paper used on this econo film. The film sat for several months after exposure. I think it is likely related to moisture as well. Thanks!

 

[Bruce Osgood]

I am concluding that it is the backing paper used on this econo film. The film sat for several months after exposure. I think it is likely related to moisture as well. Thanks!

I think you're right. My first impression was a drying problem, maybe the film wasn't ready to be dried; lack of fotoflo or not rinsed enough but setting arouln undeveloped makes more sense to me.

Sorry, no advice.

 

[titrisol]

Look like digital "grain" to me

There are dark spots all over the sky. How could you miss them?

Could be undisolved powder in the developer.