No more stop bath

Relics

A
Relics

  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
The Long Walk

A
The Long Walk

  • 0
  • 0
  • 22
totocalcio

A
totocalcio

  • 4
  • 0
  • 71
Untitled

A
Untitled

  • 7
  • 3
  • 129
Jerome Leaves

H
Jerome Leaves

  • 3
  • 0
  • 75

Recent Classifieds

Forum statistics

Threads
197,446
Messages
2,759,129
Members
99,501
Latest member
Opa65
Recent bookmarks
0

rduraoc

Member
Joined
Dec 19, 2004
Messages
202
Location
Brussels
Format
Medium Format
I've never used a stop bath in film, other than plain tap water. I develop all my films (normally HP5+ in Rodinal or ID-11) mixing developer and fixer with tap water, and when the development stage ends, I just fill the tank 3 times with water, and then fix. Never seen a problem. But I'm a rookie, so...
 

Flotsam

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2002
Messages
3,221
Location
S.E. New Yor
castilg said:
Hi I wanted to ask if other user use a stop bath when processing film I started to use plain water bath insted and so far so good
any comments are welcome

I use one. Water will work fine but the fixer life suffers. In the end, it is probably more economical to use a stop bath.
 
OP
OP
Gustavo_Castilla
Joined
Sep 11, 2004
Messages
898
Location
Bryan Texas
Format
Large Format
stop bath

Flotsam said:
I use one. Water will work fine but the fixer life suffers. In the end, it is probably more economical to use a stop bath.

I try to mix new fixer as needed I may put 3 or 5 120 roll trugh it (1500mml)
and mix some more as needed but I like using the water bath best (no smell)
LOl
 

Lee Shively

Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2004
Messages
1,324
Location
Louisiana, U
Format
Multi Format
I use water and a stop bath. I rinse the film in water after pouring out the developers and then give it 30 seconds in a stop bath. As pointed out previously, stop bath increases the effective life of fixer.
 

Ian Grant

Subscriber
Joined
Aug 2, 2004
Messages
23,247
Location
West Midland
Format
Multi Format
Flotsam said:
I use one. Water will work fine but the fixer life suffers. In the end, it is probably more economical to use a stop bath.
True if you use just one water rinse, but if 2 or 3 then I'd doubt it makes any differance.

If you use Tmax films its the incorporated dyes that diminish the fixers life far faster.
 

fhovie

Member
Joined
Mar 20, 2003
Messages
1,250
Location
Powell Wyoming
Format
Large Format
I only use stop bath with Amidol - (one kind of paper developer) and only then a VERY weak acetic acid solution - such that it is exhausted when I dump the tray. And that only because I had some staining when I didn't use it. I use an archival fixer and developers don't mess with it's ph much. I test it an dump it after it fails to completely clear a test film strip in one minute and get the full capacity of sq/in per liter the fixer should get.
 

Nick Zentena

Member
Joined
Nov 21, 2004
Messages
4,668
Location
Italia
Format
Multi Format
Flotsam said:
I use one. Water will work fine but the fixer life suffers. In the end, it is probably more economical to use a stop bath.

True with an acid fixer. With an alkaline fixer the stop will kill your fixer faster.
 

Dean Williams

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
212
Location
Northern Ida
Format
Multi Format
I've always used a stop bath, and can't see any downside to it. Acid fixer lasts longer with a stop, and if you're using short development times, your developing can be more precise. Fixer costs a LOT more than stop. I'd rather extend the life of the fixer than skip the stop.
Using water is fine, though, if that's your preferred workflow. You'll just go through more fixer.
 

Dean Williams

Member
Joined
Jan 17, 2004
Messages
212
Location
Northern Ida
Format
Multi Format
That's some big gravel there, Mr. Gravel. (Just noticed your avitar).
 

Flotsam

Member
Joined
Sep 30, 2002
Messages
3,221
Location
S.E. New Yor
Nick Zentena said:
True with an acid fixer. With an alkaline fixer the stop will kill your fixer faster.

Remember Aggie's old sig?
"When life hands you Lemons, Make stop bath."
 

Bob F.

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2004
Messages
3,978
Location
London
Format
Multi Format
I always use acid stop. A teaspoon of citric acid in a litre of water and dump it when the session is over. Total cost under 20p (and mucous membranes still intact, unlike SOME acids I could mention...) - why not?...

Cheers, Bob.
 
Joined
Dec 12, 2004
Messages
2,361
Location
East Kent, U
Format
Medium Format
I posted an extract from the Ilford Manual on the thread "I need a universal fixer" which may or may not be of interest.

Regards,

David
 

Maine-iac

Member
Joined
Oct 12, 2004
Messages
462
Location
Island Heigh
Format
Med. Format RF
castilg said:
Hi I wanted to ask if other user use a stop bath when processing film I started to use plain water bath insted and so far so good
any comments are welcome

Toujour water. Pas de problem!
 

DeanC

Member
Joined
May 28, 2004
Messages
358
Location
Mill Valley,
Format
Large Format
castilg said:
Hi I wanted to ask if other user use a stop bath when processing film I started to use plain water bath insted and so far so good
any comments are welcome

I use plain water when processesing film in my Jobo. The fact that the bottle my fixer (TF-4) comes in says "DO NOT USE ACID STOP BATH" probably has something to do with my choice. :smile:

Dean
 

Bob Carnie

Subscriber
Joined
Apr 18, 2004
Messages
7,734
Location
toronto
Format
Med. Format RF
I prefer a stop bath in both film and paper, it immediately stops development dead in its track.
When printing I find it extremely important to stop development and not wear out my fix as fast.
 

Ole

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Sep 9, 2002
Messages
9,249
Location
Bergen, Norway
Format
Large Format
I use water with film, and with paper as well - except in the case of lith printing, where it's crucial that the development stops immidiately.

If I use fixer it is citric acid, about 10-15 grams is one liter of water.

Getting acid stop in an alkaline fixer shold not be a major problem. I use OF-1 (metaborate version) with citric acid stop, and have had no problems with lith prints. I would not use the bicarbonate version with an acid stop, nor would I use acetic acid stop with alkaline fixer.

OF-1 should be well enough buffered to take the small amount of stop that clings to the paper.

If the life of the fixer is shorter because I use water instead of stop, I have never noticed. But I mix new fixer frequently, preferring not to risk poor fixing for the sake of saving fixer. Film and the time to use it is far more valuable than fixer.
 

dancqu

Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2002
Messages
3,654
Location
Willamette V
Format
Medium Format
You put 3 to 5 rolls of film through 1500ml of fresh fixer?
And no more? I might do that but I use fixer very dilute.
I think you are likely throwing a lot of good fixer down
the drain. Dan
 

Joseph

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2004
Messages
28
Location
Gloucester,
Format
35mm
The Film Developing Cookbook, pg 103, suggests that a water stop bath will allow shadows to continue to develop (while highlighs do not) and can also enhance adjacency effects.

Has anyone found this to be true ???
 
Last edited by a moderator:

dancqu

Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2002
Messages
3,654
Location
Willamette V
Format
Medium Format
Does that 1500ml of working strength contain 300ml of concentrate?
I've found that 20ml of 60% in a solution volume of 500ml will
completly clear a 120 roll of Pan F+. So I'd put 15 rolls
through 300ml of concentrate, ONE-SHOT.

You'll need to put a roll or two through and see how it goes.
I'd give a roll 3 minutes constant agitation, then see if it's done.
Test with a little exposed roll. That puts the silver load on the
fix and the quantity of fix is then the "worst" case amount.

The 20ml may actually be more than needed. I'll be doing some
more tests in a few days. Dan
 
Photrio.com contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.
To read our full affiliate disclosure statement please click Here.

PHOTRIO PARTNERS EQUALLY FUNDING OUR COMMUNITY:



Ilford ADOX Freestyle Photographic Stearman Press Weldon Color Lab Blue Moon Camera & Machine
Top Bottom