No image on negative

rberry65 · Jul 24, 2013

I developed a roll of Adox Silvermax film in Silvermax developer. I got no image on the film, the film is completely clear. The frame number are not even visible. It looks as though the shutter did not open. I checked me camera and it is functioning properly. I mixed the developer around a month ago. Could the developer be exhausted and cause this problem?

dpurdy · Jul 24, 2013

When there are no numbers there was no development. Either your developer is completely dead or more likely you mixed up the bottles.
Dennis

Jesper · Jul 24, 2013

Sounds as if you started with the fix.

pentaxuser · Jul 24, 2013

As Dennis has said. You might have totally exhausted developer but total exhaustion to the extent of nothing on any frame is unlikely. My bet is you fixed first. Most of us have done it. My commiserations to you.

I'd label my processing containers "Fix" and "Developer" for next time and once you fill the fixer container, put it out of immediate reach so you can't get to it.

pentaxuser

pentaxuser

DLawson · Jul 24, 2013

rberry65 said:
I developed a roll of Adox Silvermax film in Silvermax developer. I got no image on the film, the film is completely clear. The frame number are not even visible. It looks as though the shutter did not open.

To address this phrasing -- frame numbers are not made by the camera (unless you are talking about a data recording camera back). Those edge marking are exposed by the film manufacturer.

That they were clear/missing is the reason I agree with the rest about fixing first.

Personally, I am prone to getting such things confused, so I try to lay things out clearly, left to right, nothing close to being next to each other, etc. And with all of that, I've still messed up storing the chemistry afterward.

Paul Glover · Jul 24, 2013

No frame numbers or other edge markings (totally clear film) means you had no development at all prior to fixing.

Had the edge markings been normal that would indicate the problem happened in camera. I have a roll of developed Portra with no images, just normal edge markings, which I keep as a reminder to always, ALWAYS check for proper film advancing after loading. I've had one roll of film fail due to exhausted developer, it had very very faint images and markings as opposed to being entirely clear.

rberry65 · Jul 24, 2013

Paul, keeping the blank roll of film as a reminder is an excellent idea. I have had this happen to me before but it has been so long ago that I couldn't remember what the problem was. Being I know for certain that I did not mistake the fix for the developer, I have come to the conclusion that my developer is completely exhausted.

bobwysiwyg · Jul 24, 2013

Been there, done that. Thankfully only once.. so far. My solution was clearly label all chem containers and line them up in order prior to processing.

removed-user-1 · Jul 24, 2013

Another possibility is that the developer is badly contaminated with fixer, which pretty much amounts to the same thing as fixing the film before developing. A couple times, I've accidentally poured fixer into the developer... :eek:

cliveh · Jul 24, 2013

No numbers = fix before development.

pentaxuser · Jul 24, 2013

rberry65 said:
. Being I know for certain that I did not mistake the fix for the developer, I have come to the conclusion that my developer is completely exhausted.

Have you retained any of this exhausted developer? If so keep it and if you have a film ready for development use it on the leader. If it goes dark then the developer is working at least to the extent that there will be some image and the film numbers will show up.

On the other hand you might be right of course. How old is the developer and when did you last use it and got proper development? That might help us get to the right cause of the problem but anyway I'll throw this question open to the many thousands of APUG developers here. Has anyone else managed to get the same "no numbers, totally blank film" that you have with "exhausted" developer after whatever period has elapsed since you last got developed negs?

pentaxuser

MattKing · Jul 24, 2013

For another wrinkle on this problem.

A procedure that includes pre-rinse, developer, stop bath, fixer, wash-aid, wash works well.

Whereas ...

A procedure that includes pre-rinse, stop bath, fixer, wash-aid, wash is guaranteed to disappoint.

jvo · Jul 25, 2013

just like one ...

every teenager has one fender-bender in them - that's part of learning to drive.

every darkroom worker has a finite number of screw-ups... sort of like a bucket list. once you've done it, your done - usually

be happy you've now done this one! NEXT!!

removed account4 · Jul 25, 2013

rberry65 said:
I developed a roll of Adox Silvermax film in Silvermax developer. I got no image on the film, the film is completely clear. The frame number are not even visible. It looks as though the shutter did not open. I checked me camera and it is functioning properly. I mixed the developer around a month ago. Could the developer be exhausted and cause this problem?

i did that a few months ago for the first time
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)
but i developed my stuff in HARDENER instead of developer

you'll do better the next time

good luck + remember to have FUN !

john

Clovis Blevins · Jul 25, 2013

I went 19 years and never mixed up fixer with developer. When my 16yo daughter expressed a desire to take and develop her own black and white film, after driving all day and turning each shot into a teaching/learning experience, and what seemed like forever getting her proficient at loading the developing reel, smart 'ol dad here gave her the fixer first and turned her first roll of film into a 4 foot clear leader. I felt sick to my stomach and could barely sleep that night thinking I completely discouraged her. But she stuck with it and we re-shot a roll the next day. You better believe I threw out everything and mixed all fresh in new, better labeled bottles. BTW, she loves film and darkroom work now. It's just magical to her.

MartinP · Jul 25, 2013

So far as I can make out, the Silvermax developer concentrate is intended to be mixed just before use, making only the volume required for the dev-tank - just the same as most other concentrated liquid developers. The only time one would mix far in advance of use is when a developer was being used in deep tanks (typically 15 litres volume), with airtight lids and a calibrated replenishment system to maintain activity.

Did you mix the whole bottle of concentrate at once and then store the resulting working solution for a month? If so, then there is a possible cause of your problem. If not, then the fixer went in before the developer or the tank/reel/containers were contaminated in such a way that the developer was rendered inactive.

No image on negative

removed-user-1

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