Rewash C-41 Negatives to get rid of streaks?

Amfooty · Oct 8, 2017

I just got some 4x5 portra back from CSW film systems and almost every single negative is filled with both dust and what looks like hard water streaks. Can I rewash the film using photo flo to help get rid of the streaks?

CSW is one lab i'm never going to use again...

Amfooty · Oct 8, 2017

Svenedin · Oct 8, 2017

Looks like it’s scratched as well.

WilmarcoImaging · Oct 8, 2017

Washing couldn't hurt IMO. Because there is no official "wash" step in C-41, what I would do is soak the film in plain water at 100 deg F for 15 minutes, with agitation every few minutes. Then 1 minute in Tank Final Rinse, squeegee, then hang to dry. A Paterson tank will work for this, as will a Kodak hard rubber tank with stainless 4x5 hanger.

BMbikerider · Oct 9, 2017

I don't know what your consumer rules are over where you are but in UK I would be complaining bitterly to the company and demanding that they rectify the problem. The crux of the matter is they don't appear to have take due care with the processing.

If it is limescale that are the spots, I doubt even with extended washing will completely eliminate them, especially if they are bonded to the emulsion. You could try an extended static rinse in a dish of warm water (100F) for about 30 mins then a gentle rinse in warm running water but what the result would be is my guess. Follow this with a static rinse in distilled water to which is added a tiny amount of wetting agent (made by Kodak) and hang up to dry.

Anon Ymous · Oct 9, 2017

If it's limescale, then an acetic acid stop bath will be more effective. In any case, a wash would be needed and after that a final rinse bath. This is a wetting agent plus a biocide. These films don't have any silver left on them, so they can be attacked by germs. If this can't be sourced, then a formaldehyde based stabiliser would be needed.

Amfooty · Oct 9, 2017

Another example. I'm not sure if the streaking is from the stabilizer or something else. I tried rewashing and it didn't clear up the streaks.
Would a squeegee help?

foc · Oct 10, 2017

How did your lab process these 4x5 negs? Was it dip and dunk?
Normal modern C41 doesn't use stabilizer, it uses deionized filtered water in the counterflow wash (The Fuji processor I have uses Fuji Conditioning tablets in the deionized water).
If the lab wasn't using filtered water that could be the problem.
If you want to re-wash your negs , then try warm water (25-30C approx) with a drop of Photoflow or something similar. Just be gentle as wet emulsion is easely scratched.

Rewash C-41 Negatives to get rid of streaks?

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