Sediment/floaties in my C-41 developer?

Stuarrt · Jan 28, 2017

Hi guys!
I'm 17, so I'm pretty new to the darkroom scene.
I bought some developer back in late june (I think) And I've only had a chance to develop like 10 rolls. I went to go do 3 rolls tonight and I noticed some pretty big floaties in the developer. Blix and Fixer are both clear.
Has my developer died? Or could I just use a coffee filter or something to sift the gunk out.
Thanks in advance
-Stuart

Sirius Glass · Jan 28, 2017

Welcome to APUG

Assuming that you mixed the chemicals correctly according to the direction, I would filter the chemicals. Use a clean filter for each chemical.

Stuarrt · Jan 28, 2017

Sirius Glass said:
Welcome to APUG

Assuming that you mixed the chemicals correctly according to the direction, I would filter the chemicals. Use a clean filter for each chemical.

Thanks This seems like a nice community. Hopefully I'll be active here.
I believe I did? It seemed to of developed my previous film just fine.
I'm more or less just worried that it's dead, and my film will be ruined if I try to develop with it.

Kevin Caulfield · Jan 29, 2017

What's the nominal useable life? Six months? If so, you're probably fine. If it's three months, then you probably should be more cautious. I would just go for it.

Stuarrt · Jan 29, 2017

Kevin Caulfield said:
What's the nominal useable life? Six months? If so, you're probably fine. If it's three months, then you probably should be more cautious. I would just go for it.

Alright, I'll give it a go tomorrow night.
Now, another quick question. How thick should the mirror damper foam be? I have an old Pentax that I'd like to use again but the foam is very gooey. I cleaned it all off and cut up some weather stripping foam. Seems to work fine but I'm somewhat afraid it will show up on the film as its a bit thick. I can't see it through the view finder though. Could I also use this method to replace the light seals? As at the moment I seem to have none.

bvy · Jan 29, 2017

ALWAYS do a clip test before processing any film in questionable developer (or any developer at all). For C-41, simply drop a clip of undeveloped film, like the film leader, into your developer and wait about five minutes. The clip should darken and turn black. If it darkens only slightly or not at all, the developer is bad.

Stuarrt · Jan 29, 2017

bvy said:
ALWAYS do a clip test before processing any film in questionable developer (or any developer at all). For C-41, simply drop a clip of undeveloped film, like the film leader, into your developer and wait about five minutes. The clip should darken and turn black. If it darkens only slightly or not at all, the developer is bad.

I just have to place it in the developer? Don't have to worry about the other chemicals? Also, it's fine if the undeveloped film has been exposed to sun? It will still develop black?

railwayman3 · Jan 29, 2017

Stuarrt said:
I just have to place it in the developer? Don't have to worry about the other chemicals? Also, it's fine if the undeveloped film has been exposed to sun? It will still develop black?

That's correct...you're just checking the activity of the developer at this point, not the other chemicals. The bit of leader which you are using will have been exposed to light, therefore should develop black if the dev is working.

(Not to be confused with the "clip-tests" sometimes offered by professional labs. This is where a short length from a customer's batch of film is put through the whole process, to check that everything is good, exposure, chemicals, finished colours if slide film, etc., before the main batch is processed.)

Stuarrt · Jan 29, 2017

Well it darkened, but didn't turn black
https://www.dropbox.com/s/48zlqo2zcsokf8t/Photo 2017-01-29, 8 08 43 AM.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zthyjrr1exh5j8u/Photo 2017-01-29, 8 08 30 AM.jpg?dl=0
I suppose it's bad then? That's too bad. Is there a place where I could just order the developer? Or would the stabilizer and blix be dead as well?
Any developing kits you guys recommend?

bvy · Jan 29, 2017

Stuarrt said:
Well it darkened, but didn't turn black
https://www.dropbox.com/s/48zlqo2zcsokf8t/Photo 2017-01-29, 8 08 43 AM.jpg?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/zthyjrr1exh5j8u/Photo 2017-01-29, 8 08 30 AM.jpg?dl=0
I suppose it's bad then? That's too bad. Is there a place where I could just order the developer? Or would the stabilizer and blix be dead as well?
Any developing kits you guys recommend?

That actually might be okay. A better test is to place a clear piece of tape over part of the emulsion side of the leader. The area under the tape shouldn't receive any developer, so you want to see strong contrast between the area under and around the tape. Or you could put half the leader in the developer, half out, and gauge contrast that way. In any case, blix and rinse the clip and compare it to a fully exposed area in one of the first films you developed. But your clip looks about like mine do. It's not going to be black like ink, but it shouldn't look brown or washed out in any way.

Bad developer doesn't indicate bad blix or stabilizer. Adding a stop bath and rinse between developer and blix is a good way to preserve your blix. One part white vinegar to four parts water is a good general purpose stop bath.

Stuarrt · Jan 29, 2017

bvy said:
That actually might be okay. A better test is to place a clear piece of tape over part of the emulsion side of the leader. The area under the tape shouldn't receive any developer, so you want to see strong contrast between the area under and around the tape. Or you could put half the leader in the developer, half out, and gauge contrast that way. In any case, blix and rinse the clip and compare it to a fully exposed area in one of the first films you developed. But your clip looks about like mine do. It's not going to be black like ink, but it shouldn't look brown or washed out in any way.

Bad developer doesn't indicate bad blix or stabilizer. Adding a stop bath and rinse between developer and blix is a good way to preserve your blix. One part white vinegar to four parts water is a good general purpose stop bath.

Alright, well I have an old roll I can use. It got tangled up so I can't see any usable images coming off of it. The emulsion side is the dull side right? I'll do that after breakfast.
I thought you weren't supposed to do a rinse after developer? Only after blix.

bvy · Jan 29, 2017

Stuarrt said:
Alright, well I have an old roll I can use. It got tangled up so I can't see any usable images coming off of it. The emulsion side is the dull side right? I'll do that after breakfast.
I thought you weren't supposed to do a rinse after developer? Only after blix.

Yes, the emulsion side is the duller, usually lighter side.

The stop/rinse is optional. The kit instructions won't necessarily prescribe it, but it won't hurt anything if done properly. There are many threads here about it.

RPC · Jan 29, 2017

Stuarrt said:
I thought you weren't supposed to do a rinse after developer? Only after blix.

Note that he said a stop and a rinse, not just a rinse. Just a rinse is not recommended; a stop followed by a rinse is fine.

Stuarrt · Jan 29, 2017

RPC said:
Note that he said a stop and a rinse, not just a rinse. Just a rinse is not recommended; a stop followed by a rinse is fine.

Ah I see. What exactly is a "stop" though? Sorry if it seems like a really newbie (which I am) question. I've been using film since I was little, but only recently decided to start developing it my self. I've asked similar questions on different forums and I got completely shunned by it.

Mick Fagan · Jan 29, 2017

A stop bath is (in my case) a 2% Acetic Acid bath.

This link may explain further, otherwise do a search on this forum, there are squillions of stop bath discussions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stop_bath

Mick.

Ps: welcome to the forum.

bvy · Jan 29, 2017

Stop is a "stop bath" -- it halts the action of the developer and helps preserve the baths that follow it -- bleach and fixer, or blix in your case. Without it, you're effectively washing away the developer in the blix, which changes its pH and shortens its life. A solution of white vinegar and water will work fine. Follow it with a water rinse.

Mick Fagan · Jan 29, 2017

Just a note about stop baths and C41 developing.

C41 is about the shortest developing time around, this means that there is very little room for error. The idea behind a stop bath is that it does exactly that. It stops development very quickly, probably instantly the stop bath reaches the film.

If you do a water rinse, it is possible that there could be a little developing still happening for a little bit longer than you want. A stop bath will also allow your bleach, or bleach/fix combined bath, last longer as there will be far less contamination, if not no contamination going into their respective baths.

My understanding of the Kodak C41 process, is that 1 litre of C41 developer is good for 8 rolls of 36 frame 35mm film. I know it will do more, but for optimum developing that is what Kodak suggest.

Mick.

mklw1954 · Jan 29, 2017

For your mirror bumper foam, and light seals, Jon Goodman is highly recommended as someone providing instructions and materials for specific cameras. I haven't contacted him for several years but his email was JGood21967@aol.com and others have used jon_goodman@yahoo.com. Good materials and very inexpensive.

With some experience developing color will become easy and rewarding.

Stuarrt · Jan 29, 2017

Alright, so just to be sure. Once the developing time is up you'd poor the vinegar and water mixture, agitate it a bit, dump it, rinse it, and then poor in the blix? If the blix out lives the developer, what exactly is the benefit? Unless you can purchase just the developer (which I've been looking without success).

Stuarrt · Jan 29, 2017

mklw1954 said:
For your mirror bumper foam, and light seals, Jon Goodman is highly recommended as someone providing instructions and materials for specific cameras. I haven't contacted him for several years but his email was JGood21967@aol.com and others have used jon_goodman@yahoo.com. Good materials and very inexpensive.

With some experience developing color will become easy and rewarding.

Thanks! I'll send him an email later tonight. In the mean time the weather sealing foam (should) work. I cut it to 2.5mm. I'll probably do the same for the light seals but it would be nice to have some properly cut up. It should work good enough for a little while though.

bvy · Jan 29, 2017

Stuarrt said:
Alright, so just to be sure. Once the developing time is up you'd poor the vinegar and water mixture, agitate it a bit, dump it, rinse it, and then poor in the blix? If the blix out lives the developer, what exactly is the benefit? Unless you can purchase just the developer (which I've been looking without success).

Basically. It should be about the same temperature as the developer, as should the rinse water that follows. 30 seconds each should do it.

You can order Kodak C-41 developer from Unique Photo, but it comes in five liter minimum quantities and requires some mixing and adding a starter. It's more suited to those of us doing one-shot development. If you reorder a new kit like the one you've been using, just dispose of the blix (responsibly) and use the new.

Stuarrt · Jan 29, 2017

Well, I placed some tape on the film like you asked.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/cq5dye05be8xmj9/Photo Jan 29, 7 07 32 PM.jpg?dl=0
It's no where near as dark as the first batch
https://www.dropbox.com/s/lxouxxjq2x3uhpx/Photo Jan 29, 7 07 41 PM.jpg?dl=0
I take it that it's dead?

bvy · Jan 29, 2017

I don't think it's dead. You could always increase development time to be cautious. In fact, after two or three reuses, it's recommended to increase development time slightly with each roll. If it's critical film (irreplaceable pictures) you should use fresh developer.

Stuarrt · Jan 30, 2017

bvy said:
I don't think it's dead. You could always increase development time to be cautious. In fact, after two or three reuses, it's recommended to increase development time slightly with each roll. If it's critical film (irreplaceable pictures) you should use fresh developer.

Alright. I'll shoot a roll while I'm at school tomorrow. I don't have a changing bag so I have to wait until it's pitch black outside and load it on the spool in the basement lol. I'll post the results tomorrow night. How long would you recommend me increasing the development time?

bvy · Jan 30, 2017

Stuarrt said:
Alright. I'll shoot a roll while I'm at school tomorrow. I don't have a changing bag so I have to wait until it's pitch black outside and load it on the spool in the basement lol. I'll post the results tomorrow night. How long would you recommend me increasing the development time?

Hard to say. If you put ten rolls through it, it's close to exhausted. Maybe add 30 seconds.

Sediment/floaties in my C-41 developer?

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