Odd "stars" on negative

[siguii]

Recently I shot and developed a long-expired roll of Portra 160NC. The entire roll (including space between frames) ended up randomly scattered with these little star-like dots. I've never seen anything like it before. Was it a problem with the film, or my developing?

 

[chip j]

If it's on the emulsion side, looks like old wetting agent to me.

 

[siguii]

They seem to be part of the image itself, not something on the surface. Digital-ICE does nothing. Also, I think I inspected the negatives and saw the spots before I used the stabilizer/wetting agent. The next two rolls of film I developed with the same batch of chemistry also came out fine.

 

[snapguy]

developer

It looks to me as if developer chemicals are not getting to the film in those small spots. Could this be from foreign matter in the developer -- small grains of old developer that has chrystilized or something? Just a thought as I see it.

 

[siguii]

Wouldn't they appear as dark spots, in that case?

 

[Sirius Glass]

Possible air bells. Did you thump the tank on a hard surface to release the air bubbles just after you added the developer?

 

[siguii]

I believe I did, as I usually thump the tank on the sink right away. I've also not had anything like this appear on any negatives before or since. However I haven't tried shooting any more 160NC.

I was also using fresh chemistry, but this was my first time using separate bleach and fix baths. (I've since developed two more rolls with the same batch and they turned out fine.)

Wouldn't air bells appear as dark spots, instead of light spots?