Photoflo fixer! yeeeaaaaahh!

[Perry Way]

Okay, I knew this would happen one day. Unlabeled bottles of chemicals.. I have only one reel/tank combo for 120 film so I've got to do this one roll at a time. Throw in a mighty stiff cocktail and instant presto you have a chemist's nightmare.. or.. in my case photoflo fixer! Yeah, you heard me right. All steps were accurate until I poured the fixer in and saw foam coming out of the top of the tank. Hmmmmmm... delayed reaction and I looked at the bottle of fixer at my right on top of the sink. It was still full! Oh my my... I poured the Photoflo instead of the fixer! Quickly I poured out the Photoflo, and then I rinsed like 5 times, agitated like crazy on each pour, hoping that I could fix it and forget it. Pour in the REAL fixer and time while agitating. Pour out the fixer and wow, it's got a nice looking candy purple tint to it. How interesting.. Wait, that's not supposed to happen.. It's supposed to be straw colored. So I rinse rinse rinse and then I peek. WOW what a result! I mean this is amazing! I wonder if this is how discoveries are made. Through the error part of trial and error. Wow, the film is like totally completely opaque. There is no release of the emulsion whatsoever, but....... BUT... the dark places of the negs are dark where they should be. How freakin' wierd and yet simultaneously awesome looking is this? I mean these negatives are so awesome looking I can't describe it. I'm going to have to scan these negs when they are dry tomorrow after work when I get home from my day job. You have to see these negs. This is the most wierdest thing I've ever seen. But that's not saying very much because I have a huge gaping gap of time that spans like almost 20 years I would guess, where I didn't do squat in the darkroom.

So.. my question is, have any of you ever made the same mistake?

Shoot man, now I'm going to have to re-shoot these negs. darn! Well, there's always tomorrow, eh?

 

[Ian Grant]

1notsosharpmonkey

Try leaving the film in fixer for half an hour, sounds like the Photflo stopped it being able to interact with the emulsion.

Ian

 

[Steve Smith]

I think Ian is right. If you were to open the tank before the fixer has fully cleared the film, you will see a similar thing.

p.s. I love your avatar image Ian. Is it derived from a photograph? It looks like an old book illustration.


Steve.

 

[tim_bessell]

Well, there's always tomorrow, eh?

Tomorrow is only a day awayyyyyy y y y y y

 

[Ian Grant]

p.s. I love your avatar image Ian. Is it derived from a photograph? It looks like an old book illustration.
Steve.

A recent Ebay acquisition Steve, actually I haven't seen it yet as it's in the UK at the moment.

Ian

 

[bdial]

If you give them a little more rinsing then some fresh fix, they should be ok.

 

[PeteZ8]

Maybe try some hypo clear if the fixer doesn't do it.

 

[BetterSense]

I don't understand what happened.

Since my D-23 replenisher and rapid fixer are in the same style bottle, I just know one day I'm going to put 23mL of rapid fix in my D-23 instead of replenisher.

 

[Ian Grant]

We don't know how strong the Photoflo solution was but it sounds like it has inhibited the action of the fixer, partially or totally.

It's better to put your fixer in a totally different type or colour of bottle that way it's a clear distinction.

Ian

 

[Perry Way]

We don't know how strong the Photoflo solution was but it sounds like it has inhibited the action of the fixer, partially or totally.

It's better to put your fixer in a totally different type or colour of bottle that way it's a clear distinction.

Ian

Its better to not mix photographic chemicals with alcohol! Whewwww!!!! Had a wee bit to drink there. Russian Quayludes are mighty stiff!

Well these suggestions were all good. So I attempted to refix the negs with fresh fixer and wouldn't you know, it worked somewhat, but the negs are way far wrong. The density is not great, I think the prints are going to look very dark, but I'm going to give it a try. I was taking photos of these mighty Oaks that were well over 1000 years old, all gnarly and leaning over having ripped the roots up about 500 years ago at least as it tipped on its side and still growing like a charm. Photos were taken under canopy wholely. So maybe they are what they are.. I will see when I enlarge them like next weekend since I am out of print chemicals and haven't yet placed my order on Freestyle. I was using a new ambient light meter. So maybe it's reading incorrectly? Time will tell...

Thanks for the suggestions guys!