Spot are SO frustrating @#$%

[23mjm]

Hello all

I am new to LF after getting a 4X5. I have processed about 20 negs so far. I have yet to get a perfect flawless neg My times are good--I am processing them 2 at a time in a tray and shuffling every 60 seconds. I am using Delta 100 in DDX. BUT on every neg a do I get these little clear spots some times only one or two other times a ton of them!!!! While tray developing I try to be very careful and not scratch the negs. The spots are not holes in the base, but are clear as can be. Now my question, do you think this is dust or am I causing the spots while developing in the trays. When loading the film I cleaned the holders and dusted off the holder and slide with a antistat brush!!.

This is very very very frustrating, makes me want to go back to MF but I love shooting the LF so---any ideas on what to do??? I have searched past posts to

Anyone got any ideas on how to fix the spots on the negs so they don't print and black spots on a pic, I tried spotpens don't think it worked too well.

Thank you

 

[Monophoto]

Only 20 imperfect negatives so far? I've been doing it for many years, and I've screwed up a lot more than that!

Seriously, it takes practice. Be patient - you will develop a process that works for you - eventually.

Are the edges of the spots hard or soft?

If they are hard edges, they may be air bubbles.

Two per tray, and agitation every 60 seconds? How long does the agitation last?

I process sheet film in a slosher, six sheets at a time, with 5s of agitation every 30 sec. 30 sec of continuous agitation up front. Also - and this is controversial - I use a presoak. No scratches, even development.

 

[23mjm]

They seam to have real hard edges!!! I just shuffle them every 60 sec take the bottom one put on top, emulsion side up!

I figured that if it were dust they would have softer edges, because the light would defuse in a little

 

[mark]

Dust takes many forms, and I have yet to see a soft edged dust spot. Clean your holders and your camera bellows real well.

I've heard you can use a pencil on the dust spots.

 

[rwyoung]

Yes, also clean the inside of the bellows.

And wipe down the outside of the holder before you install into the camera. Invest in a nice anti-static cloth. Ilford and a few others are pretty good.

Some people are advocating keeping the film holders in plastic bags. This is fine but depending on the type of plastic and atmospheric conditions and materials of the holder, you could just be making it worse. I've got access to plenty of large anti-static pink or mylar bags and I've been using those with some success. But I don't have empirical data to prove there is a difference.

 

[Don Dudenbostel]

I use an air compressor to blow out the traps and the holders. also give the bellows a good blowing out at lower pressure. I still get a dust spec from timne to time. Some films like Efke films are a little more dirty in themselves. I find a good bit of trash caused by teh cutting of the fim at the factory. I've done a great deal od 16 and 35mm motion picture production over the years and some emulsions are known for this problem. Emulsion trash doesn't seem to be much of a problem with Ilford though.

 

[23mjm]

Well I have the Ilford antistat cloth wipe down the holders and slides too, I think I will have to try a humidifer it is very dry here in the summer and I have been running the heater so that dries out the air in the house. I will dust the darkroom and clean the holders then humidify see if that helps. I don't see how dust could get in a holder after it is laoded, if light can't get it dust ain't

Well it's a process I have to learn, just wondering is it normal. blah

 

[bdial]

Actually, light is much easier to deal with than dust. Dust moves with the air, and holders are not air tight. All that's needed to block light is a simple labyrinth.
Though a closed holder is reasonably dust proof while it's closed, absent any attractive forces from static. But, any dust present when the slide is pulled can make its way onto the film, just in time for your exposure.
A humidifier will help.

 

[Wilbur Wong]

What are the conditions where you load the film holders? If you load them in a nice quiet even half clean darkroom, you shouldn't be getting a lot of dust on the negs. For changing bags, all bets are off if you are using a flat changing bag. For field usage, everyone I know uses a changing tent. which are much more dust free.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

I don't see how dust could get in a holder after it is laoded, if light can't get it dust ain't

Try this with an empty film holder; with the darkslide out, hold the holder vertically. With a finger, flick the holder just above where the darkslide appears in the negative area after it gets pushed through the top of the holder. Maybe it's just my holders because they're over 25 years old, but some gnarly crap can drop out of there! I flick'em good when I clean them. Oh, ya...vacuum out the slots too.

Murray

 

[MurrayMinchin]

As a side note, it made me happy to notice when I up close to an Ansel Adams print to see he had lint in his skies too.

Murray