Small streaks on negatives

[paullesterphoto]

I've been following the same process for quite some time:

Film: Ilford HP-5+
Rodinal 1:50 @20 C - 11 minutes
Stop bath: 1 minute
Ilford Ilfosol Fix: 5 minutes
Rinse 10 minutes.
Squeegee
Hang to dry

Also, I always use the same camera all the time.

I've always gotten well developed, reasonably clean negatives. I hang them to dry in an empty closet that has no A/C or heating vent.

Today, when I scanned my negatives, I noticed that I had streaks in all of the negatives. None were spared. In all of the years that I've developed film, I've not seen this. It's a first. I tried cleaning them with Anti-Stat Film Cleaner, but that didn't change anything.

My first guess was that it had something to do with the squeegee. Perhaps there is something causing scratches? Next, I thought perhaps my fixer was nearly exhausted or perhaps had sediment in it. I've not used it for about 3 weeks.

I plan to shoot another roll this afternoon and developing using new fixer and no squeegee; however, it would be nice to know if anyone has ever seen this and knows what might be going wrong.

Thanks!

Paul

 

[DWThomas]

Hmm -- questions come to mind .... The light streaks would be dark smears on the negative. Crud in one of the solutions? What film and what size? Can you see the marks on the negative with a loupe? Is it emulsion side or back? Etc.

 

[paullesterphoto]

Thanks for the quick reply. It is 35 mm film. They are most certainly on the emulsion side. In looking at my chemistry, I'm going to have to guess that the developer might be the culprit. I'm down to the last bit of Rodinal in one of my bottles. There is some crystalized developer on the sides of the bottle. I would imagine that this has fallen in. It seems bizarre that this didn't happen on the last roll that I developed, or any rolls prior, or perhaps it did, but wasn't to this degree and I just cast it off as 'dust'; however, I guess that if that is what it is, it had to happen sometime.

As I said, my next roll will be using new solution, developer and fixer. Perhaps I should start pouring my solutions through coffee filters, as I have seen some people indicate that that is part of their process.

In looking at the negatives again, wouldn't crud be less uniform? These all look like streaks ... which makes me suspect the squeegee, but they don't look quite like scratches. *puzzled*

 

[Роберт]

I would not take any risk with a wet film and a squeegee. Just put the film after the wash in destilled water with a small amount of wetting agent for a minute, shake it gentle and hang the film for drying.

And if you want to squeegee: Pre-wet the sqeegee with a working solution wetting agent and do the film in one strike.

An Ilford FP4+ maybe can survive a squeegee but softer emulsions like Efke will be certainly damaged. So I am not a fan at all about the squeegee.

 

[Doremus Scudder]

I think you have found the culprit; i.e., the crystal particulates in your developer. Although I've never heard of this happening with Rodinal before, a similar phenomenon is fairly common when impatient photographers try to develop in just-mixed developers from powder stock when the powder has not had time to dissolve sufficiently. There are those who insist that D-76 needs to sit overnight to avoid this problem.

I'd add "use fresh developer" to your troubleshooting list.

Best

Doremus Scudder

www.DoremusScudder.com

 

[georgegrosu]

paullesterphoto, for me a little more damage on the frame.
All defects have about the same orientation.
You can think of and a mechanical pressure on the emulsion to give these defects.
New developer and filtering a good thing.
George

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I sincerely doubt it's the developer, especially since they are all in the same direction. If it was developer related, I would think that the results would be completely random, as far as the streaks are concerned, all going in all sorts of directions.

It is also very strange that you have brighter streaks. That means areas of MORE density in those areas, so either those particular little streaks have gotten more development than the rest of the film, or some type of material has been added to those areas by accident.

While it is true that you should use fresh developer, you should definitely try fresh developer to see if that helps. I've been known to be wrong before. But if that doesn't solve your problem, I would very closely examine your squeegee.
Also, how do you agitate? I would recommend full inversions and not using the 'spinner'. By fully inverting the tank the solutions are mixed better. Initial agitation is important in this aspect too, to insure that the solution is properly mixed. And finally, stir the Rodinal fairly heavily before you either pour it into the tank, or if you practice lowering the film into the developer.

And just as a general observation, may I suggest using wetting agent before you squeegee?

 

[paullesterphoto]

Thanks, George. I'm going to make sure that my developer, fixer, and squeegee are all clean. As it has never happened before, I'm hoping that this is a one time thing.