Spots on negs

[aj-images]

I have developed aproximately a thousand rolls of film in the last 3 years. Today, I developed three rolls, two Plus-X and one Tmax 400. The three were developed in one tank in Xtol straight, 7.5 min at 20 degrees. The two Plus-X rolls have semi-clear spots on the negs (not the T-max roll), which leave dark spots on prints. I tap the tank 4 times before and after agitation (every 30 seconds), so air-bubbles are not likely the culprit. Is this from condensation, happening pre-development. Like I said, I develop lots of film and never have seen this before. Please see attachment. Thanks - Jim

 

[Konical]

Good Evening, Jim,

Barring some foreign substance on the film, I'd bet on air bells first and possible film manufacturing defects a distant second. Did you use a water pre-wash?

Konical

 

[aj-images]

Hi Konical- No, there wasn't a pre-wash. - Jim

 

[Neal]

Dear Jim,

Could you "zoom in" a bit on those spots?

Neal Wydra

 

[Donald Qualls]

Yep. Condensation. Took the film out of the wrapper, loaded, and shot too soon after pulling it from the fridge/freezer. Look closely at the spots in the example -- see the light halo around the ones at center right of the frame? That's sensitizing dye washed out of the thin spot and redeposited in the area around it, making that outer area denser while the center spot is thinner. The dye is smeared around instead of deposited in a neat ring, indicating this happened in the camera (the smearing is from the water droplets being squashed when the film rolled up on the takeup spool).

 

[aj-images]

Thanks guys - Here is a close-up.

 

[Neal]

Dear Jim,

I must say that those spots don't look like the air bells I have had. Mine have always been nice and crisp and round.

Neal Wydra

 

[abeku]

Hi Jim,
I've experienced identical spots when I've developed fpan 100/400 and Plus-X. Initially, I didn't use a stop bath - just water. Later, I found that the stop bath eliminated these spots (1-2% AcOH for 15'', before adding the fix). I pressume, the spots may be the result of remaining salts that reacts with the fix, therefore they need to be washed away by a (low pH) stop bath.
- A