Processing my first roll of 35mm

[stradibarrius]

I am going to process my first roll of Kodak Tmax 100, 35mm today.
I am using a 2 reel plastic tank.
D-76 developer, 1:1, 12 min.
Kodak indicator stop bath, 1:63, 30 seconds
Kodak powdered fixer
Wash 5 min.
Kodak Photo Flo for the final rinse. 30 sec.
Everything is being done at 68 deg. F.

My question is how long should I fix? The Kodak site says 5-10 min.???

 

[Shangheye]

If it is not a rapid fixer, then that is probably right. I use Ilford Rapid Fixer and that is usually 3 mins ..Good luck. K

 

[trexx]

% to 10 min is the time for the fixer. It is not an exact time. Just twice as long t o clear in the minimum. Fresh fixer 5 min should be OK. I generally start the fix and agiate for one minute. Then set the tank down and do some clean up. I agitate from time to time. At some point I see more then 5 min. have passed and I empty the fixer.

You can take a couple of inches of the leader from your film and place in dish with fixer, in the daylight. Watch how long it takes to clear. Note this time and once twice that time has passed it is generally assumed that the film is fixed. When I mix fixer I do this and write it on the bottle. I check from time to time and when the time to clear is twice the time when fresh I consider it time to mix up fresh fixer.

As you are mixing fixer, I would strongly recommend you to the clip test so you know that the fixer is mixed properly. YOu can also take that same piece of leader and put a drop of your d-76 on it to show it is active also befor you test the fix. You'll get a black dot where the developer was and the rest clear.

 

[Konical]

Good Morning,

When fixing T-Max film, remember to favor the longer time. 10 minutes in regular Kodak fixer is probably OK, assuming that the fixer is fresh.

Konical

 

[goldenimage]

I always fix for 10 min, agitating 30 sec each minute, good luck and post the results if you can

 

[Jeff Kubach]

Good Morning,

When fixing T-Max film, remember to favor the longer time. 10 minutes in regular Kodak fixer is probably OK, assuming that the fixer is fresh.

Konical

I agree. I found that T-max needs more time in fix.

Jeff

 

[PhotoJim]

Is that wash long enough? It's been awhile since I've used acid fixer, which requires a longer wash time (and I used a hypo clearing agent step to reduce wash time too). My instinct is telling me you'll need 15-30 minutes of wash, but I'm not positive I remember correctly.

 

[stradibarrius]

I don't know, I am just going by what the Kodak process sheet states. It says to run the water in til it overflows for 5 mins. or fill and dump the tank 10 times. Is this not enough?

 

[PhotoJim]

I suspect it's too short. I'd probably double that.

There is a chemical known as hypo clearing agent or wash aid that you can use to shorten the wash. You wash for a minute or two, use HCA for a couple of minutes, and then wash for about 5-10 minutes. More bother, but quicker and more environmentally friendly.

I'm sure some of the APUGgers that develop with acid fixers will have some advice shortly.

(Alkaline fixers are hard to find, so don't worry about them for now - there are particular reasons I use them [I develop a lot with tanning developers, in case people find this in their googling] - and one of their advantages is that they require less of a wash time. I still use a 15-minute running water wash though.)

 

[stradibarrius]

The Ilford publication also says 5-10 mins in running water or 10 changes of water in the tank? I am not being argumentative, I am only reading what the sheet says. I guess when it come to washing a little extra will not hurt???

 

[Chazzy]

The Ilford publication also says 5-10 mins in running water or 10 changes of water in the tank? I am not being argumentative, I am only reading what the sheet says. I guess when it come to washing a little extra will not hurt???

Unless you have a water shortage or water is expensive in your area, that is exactly the case.

If you have hard water, after the wash you might want to let the film sit in some distilled water and Photoflo (half strength) before hanging it up to dry (maybe 3-5 minutes, but more won't hurt). If you do this with film still in the reel, you might want to scrub the spirals of the reel with a toothbrush and cleanser afterward, as some report Photoflo contamination creating problems. Or else it might be easier to take the film out of the reel before you give it the soak. My own practice is to transfer the film to another container entirely for the final soak in distilled water and half-strength Photoflo.

Finally, don't worry too much. Developing black and white film is hard to screw up in a big way, as long as you use the correct time for the temperature of the developer. Later on, you can work on fine-tuning the amount of contrast that you want.

Another piece of advice that you didn't ask for: do things the same way every time, and only change one thing at a time if you want to experiment. Don't change the kind of stop bath or fixer that you use at random. It doesn't really matter whether you agitate 10 seconds every minute or 5 seconds every 30 seconds, for example, but stick to one regimen consistently. Then your results will be predictable, and if you change one thing only, you will know that that thing accounts for any differences that you see.

Have fun!

 

[stradibarrius]

Charles I agree, My goal is just to get a good negative with a "basic" process. After I have learned how to consistently get good negatives then I can move on the being more creative.

My water is not hard but it is expensive and in "shot" supply. We have had water restrictions for the last 2 summers when it is so hot.

Would it be correct to say that as long as the tank is overflowing with the water running in 8-10 would be ok? I do plan to use photo flo.

 

[Chazzy]

8-10 minutes without the use of a wash aid sounds short to me. If you use a short wash, be sure that you at least start out right and rinse the film several times, to get rid of the fixer that physically adheres to the film. Then you can worry about the fixer that soaks out of the emulsion.

 

[stradibarrius]

Success!!! This first roll turned out great!!! Some og the shots show the different reanges of tone and I can see very good detail! I just hope when I try to print I get as lucky!

 

[Chazzy]

Congratulations! Keep on having fun!