Spots Across Edge of Negatives

[americanmotor]

Processing film in my darkroom I'm getting dark blurry spots along the edge of my negatives, which can be seen in the attached scans.

It is only along the edge of the negatives, never in the middle. It is very visible in the part of the frame against a light background such as a clear sky, as in the the attached examples.

They are blurry, cloudy spots. Always dark and always random. Not every frame from every roll has them.

Appears on Tri-X and HP5 both so isn't film-related.

Processing / Chemistry Details:

• Plastic Paterson Tanks / Reels
• Sprint Standard Developer / Sprint Speed Fixer / Sprint Block Stop Bath / Sprint Archive Fixer Remover.
• Pre-Soak with Distilled Water.
• All Chemicals mixed with distilled water, including developer.
• Only the final rinse is done with unfiltered water.
• Normal to vigorous agitation.

Any help is appreciated!

Thanks,
Mitchell

 

[albireo]

I assume you're using a plastic tank+reels (eg Paterson, AP, Keiser).

If so, add 20% more chemistry when developing.

Eg do you use 500ml of mixed solution for 1 roll? Try 600ml.

 

[americanmotor]

I assume you're using a plastic tank+reels (eg Paterson, AP, Keiser).

If so, add 20% more chemistry when developing.

Eg do you use 500ml of mixed solution for 1 roll? Try 600ml.

Yep, plastic Paterson tanks & reels. It also happens on rolls submerged in the bottom or middle when processing with multi-roll tanks.

 

[relistan]

Agree with @albireo this is from not enough liquid and the top of the film is not getting even development.

 

[americanmotor]

Agree with @albireo this is from not enough liquid and the top of the film is not getting even development.

That was my first thought but unfortunately it also happens on rolls submerged in the bottom or middle when processing with multi-roll tanks.

 

[relistan]

That was my first thought but unfortunately it also happens on rolls submerged in the bottom or middle when processing with multi-roll tanks.

In that case, a very similar effect is from bubbles sticking to the reels. Do you give it a hard rap on the table after inversion? If using the swizzle stick instead, you should also give it a hard rap on the table after putting in the fluids.

 

[americanmotor]

In that case, a very similar effect is from bubbles sticking to the reels. Do you give it a hard rap on the table after inversion? If using the swizzle stick instead, you should also give it a hard rap on the table after putting in the fluids.

Yep, I bang the hell out of it and knock it a few times with a stick just for good measure.

 

[relistan]

Yep, I bang the hell out of it and knock it a few times with a stick just for good measure.

No idea for you then. In my experience those are the two things that cause that.

 

[americanmotor]

No idea for you then. In my experience those are the two things that cause that.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Patrick Robert James]

Those are bubbles. The bain of plastic reels. Doesn't matter how much you bang on the tank, they just won't dislodge since there is no where for them to go. I moved to steel reels for 120. Plastic works fine for rotary processing.

You might try a drop of LFN in your developer if you want to stick with plastic. You could also try filling the tank on an angle. Another thing to do is to use really aggressive agitation, but then you could also create surge problems.

 

[Pieter12]

Bubbles could be from dried, residual photoflo on the plastic reels. Rinse them very well after use, or don't immerse the reels in photoflo, take the film off the reel and dip it into a small tray of water with a drop or two of photoflo.

 

[snusmumriken]

Banging hard really shouldn’t be necessary, and you risk cracking the tank. I suggest scrubbing your reels in hand-hot water using a toothbrush, and subsequently use the twiddle stick to twiddle reels back and forth for the first 10 sec every time you add chemical.

There are enough problems attributed to PhotoFlo in threads here to make me suspicious of it. So if you use it, you might try using Tetenal Mirasol instead, which has extra anti-static, anti-fungal properties too.

 

[Citsmith]

This marking is typically from lack of agitation. If this is 35 mm film then the developer is coming through the sprocket holes. If this is 120 I would look to the large plastic spiral in a Paterson tank. In any case I would look to under agitation.

 

[americanmotor]

Those are bubbles. The bain of plastic reels. Doesn't matter how much you bang on the tank, they just won't dislodge since there is no where for them to go. I moved to steel reels for 120. Plastic works fine for rotary processing.

You might try a drop of LFN in your developer if you want to stick with plastic. You could also try filling the tank on an angle. Another thing to do is to use really aggressive agitation, but then you could also create surge problems.

Thanks for your thoughts. I have been considering moving to steel, this gives me the extra bump.

 

[americanmotor]

Bubbles could be from dried, residual photoflo on the plastic reels. Rinse them very well after use, or don't immerse the reels in photoflo, take the film off the reel and dip it into a small tray of water with a drop or two of photoflo.

This occurred to me as well. I'm soaking all my reels overnight in Dawn and going to give them all a good scrub tomorrow.

 

[americanmotor]

Banging hard really shouldn’t be necessary, and you risk cracking the tank. I suggest scrubbing your reels in hand-hot water using a toothbrush, and subsequently use the twiddle stick to twiddle reels back and forth for the first 10 sec every time you add chemical.

There are enough problems attributed to PhotoFlo in threads here to make me suspicious of it. So if you use it, you might try using Tetenal Mirasol instead, which has extra anti-static, anti-fungal properties too.

Thanks for your thoughts here.

I'm going to give all my reels a good scrub.

I'm not familiar with the Twiddle Stick. I will look into it.

I am growing more and more suspicious the need for photoflo at all.

 

[MattKing]

This occurred to me as well. I'm soaking all my reels overnight in Dawn and going to give them all a good scrub tomorrow.

Welcome to Photrio.
Don't just use something alkaline like a detergent.
Use a detergent for a bit, then follow up with something acidic like stop bath or vinegar.
Then give them a good scrub.
Then, if your tap water is hard, give them a good rinse in distilled water.
By the way, I expect that it is a typo, but in case it isn't, the order in this line is incorrect:

• Sprint Standard Developer / Sprint Speed Fixer / Sprint Block Stop Bath / Sprint Archive Fixer Remover.

You probably mean:

• Sprint Standard Developer / Sprint Block Stop Bath / Sprint Speed Fixer / Sprint Archive Fixer Remover.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Not enough chemistry in the tank.
Thump the tank on a piece of rubber or linoleum every time a new chemical as poured in the tank.

Welcome to APUG Photrio!!​

 

[MattKing]

FWIW, it makes it much easier for us to help with issues like this if you show us backlit negatives with the film edges and space between the frames visible.
Showing positive scans introduces a whole lot of unwanted variables.
Something like this excellent example, supplied by member foc: