Jobo C41 kit, spots

[BenJT]

I developed 6 rolls with a fresh C41 kit (its the unicolor/jobo/tetenal powder press kit) tonight and there are spots on the base side of the film that appear to be crystallization, some areas of the film have it less or not at all but some areas are pretty bad. I used distilled water for all steps, so I don't see how it could be mineral deposits, I've seen those and this looks different. What can I do to get this stuff off? Can I restabilize them with something else? I've been reading and it looks like kodak final rinse is an option. I tried clipping off a couple negatives and restabilizing them with some old tetenal stabilizer from another one of these kits I mixed 6 or 7 months ago (that didn't give me any of these spots), the resulting negatives look better but I think I would need to go for longer to completely get rid of the spots and I don't know if its possible to over do it. I also tried wiping the spots off with a micro fiber cloth which worked but I don't want to scratch them. Any help is appreciated, I've never run into this particular problem and these are kind of important negatives.

 

[Vonder]

The stabilizer is the issue. I have never been able to get spot-free negatives if I use it as the kit directs me to, so now my final step uses photo flo and just a capfull of the mixed stablilizer. Will it matter? I don't know. I'd rather have spot-free negatives. In your case you can rewash with lukewarm water and use a photo flo rinse. That will clean them up.

 

[CatLABS]

You can also use Sprint wetting agent/stab since you are in MA, it will not only b available at any photo stire (K ellis in portmouth), but it is also locally made .

 

[Bob Carnie]

What kind of wetting agent did you use, also sometimes the culprit could be your water supply being too hard.. It is very possible as I have seen this in toronto, specifically on prints
after hypo clear has been used or film not using distilled(which you are) but even for the final wash.. you may want to consider leaving the film set in a graduate with distilled water for a period of time ..
QUOTE=Ben Totman;1549567]I developed 6 rolls with a fresh C41 kit (its the unicolor/jobo/tetenal powder press kit) tonight and there are spots on the base side of the film that appear to be crystallization, some areas of the film have it less or not at all but some areas are pretty bad. I used distilled water for all steps, so I don't see how it could be mineral deposits, I've seen those and this looks different. What can I do to get this stuff off? Can I restabilize them with something else? I've been reading and it looks like kodak final rinse is an option. I tried clipping off a couple negatives and restabilizing them with some old tetenal stabilizer from another one of these kits I mixed 6 or 7 months ago (that didn't give me any of these spots), the resulting negatives look better but I think I would need to go for longer to completely get rid of the spots and I don't know if its possible to over do it. I also tried wiping the spots off with a micro fiber cloth which worked but I don't want to scratch them. Any help is appreciated, I've never run into this particular problem and these are kind of important negatives.[/QUOTE]

 

[BenJT]

Thanks guys.

Bob, I didn't use a wetting agent, I've read that tetenal stabilizer does and doesnt contain a wetting agent, and even more confusing is that the last kit left no spots at all and this one left spots on all 6 rolls. The film never came in contact with water that wasn't distilled. I'm going to try filtering the stabilizer through a coffee filter later and then sponge squeegeeing with it, hopefully that will get the spots off.

 

[BenJT]

What ended up getting the spots off the film was running a sponge dampened with distilled water across the base side of the film. Rewashing and restabilizing without wiping the film with a sponge just resulted in spots again, I'm never using that crap stabilizer again.

I purchased kodak final rinse to replace the unicolor stabilizer, its a 45ml bottle to make 5 liters. Is it correct that if I want to make a working solution of 500ml I should add 4.5ml of the final rinse concentrate? And about how many times could I use that working solution?

 

[polyglot]

Good call on getting the Kodak stab, and yes you just mix it proportionally.

Keep using it until it gets dirty, eg from bits of dust carried over by the film, etc. Depends how carefully you store it and protect it from dust/lint while in use. Certainly tens of rolls.

 

[BenJT]

Cool thanks, I think this little bottle will last a while at the rate I shoot and develop!