Stop Bath.. How important?

[Sirius Glass]

If water is such a great stop bath, why is Kodak, Rollei, Agfa, Luminere, Ilford, ... spend so much money on R&D and production of stop bath? I guess that all of you dilettantes know more than the film experts at those companies. That is good to know when I read your recommendations and suggestions in the future.

 

[Lachlan Young]

Sirius has obviously fallen for big-photo's conspiracy to get us all to buy their stop baths.

Safer than letting people loose with Bromocresol Purple and Glacial Acetic Acid...

 

[Ian Grant]

If water is such a great stop bath, why is Kodak, Rollei, Agfa, Luminere, Ilford, ... spend so much money on R&D and production of stop bath? I guess that all of you dilettantes know more than the film experts at those companies. That is good to know when I read your recommendations and suggestions in the future.

First all the manufacturers "Experts" suggest Stop bath or a Water rinse for film, and straight from developer to fixer in some roller transport processors. So they have done R&D on use of nothing, a water rinse or stop-bath and found no effects on archival permanence or image quality.

Read the film manufacturers data-sheets they are the experts and aren't wrong, and it's either or as far as we are concerned.

Two reasons they make stop baths, some people prefer to use stop bath with films so they'd prefer you used theirs, and secondly it's essential with B&W papers, especially fibre based.

One issue Ron Mowrey (PE) raised was when using an Alkaline stop bath it's essential to use an Acid stop bath, he observed Dichroic fog, and he was involved in formulating Alkali fixers.

Ian

 

[Vaughn]

...Not a challenge, having pedaled the southern island...hmmm, technology advanced, with some modern electric assistance it would be a joy to haul Jim's ULF mosters around !!

Some 30 years or so since the NZ ride makes a little difference! The pedal assist (no throttle) is nice to have, but moving 350 pounds (cargo bike 75lb, me 250lb, 5x7 camera stuff 25lb) still requires leg effort...which is the whole idea behind pedal assist instead of a electric motor scooter. Still working on a way to transport the 11x14 safely.

 

[warden]

I often use this effect because I like it when the water stops, it looks like I'm shooting exactly what modern cinema needs

Deep.

 

[Sirius Glass]

First all the manufacturers "Experts" suggest Stop bath or a Water rinse for film, and straight from developer to fixer in some roller transport processors. So they have done R&D on use of nothing, a water rinse or stop-bath and found no effects on archival permanence or image quality.

Read the film manufacturers data-sheets they are the experts and aren't wrong, and it's either or as far as we are concerned.

Exactly RTFM. That is why I do not need no stinkin' Film Development Cookbook.

 

[BrianShaw]

Additional insights, experience, and opinions never hurt. Can be both intellectually interesting and possibly even useful. But it seems that confidence in one’s chosen successful method is what’s really important.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Additional insights, experience, and opinions never hurt. Can be both intellectually interesting and possibly even useful. But it seems that confidence in one’s chosen successful method is what’s really important.

Now you are just being logical. Stop it and act like an adult.

 

[MattKing]

The only thing I would add is to say that for some long and old threads, the situation for issues like availability or current product quality is different now then when the thread was started.
But not this thread - neither stop bath nor water have changed much since 2005!

 

[cliveh]

Although I time a black & white print in an alkali developer, I may pull it out a few seconds early or a few seconds later depending on the density I am trying to achieve. By putting it in an acidic stop bath I can arrest this image (and my preference) faster than in water. Amen.

 

[NB23]

In all this we forgot the photoflo.

Regular dishsoap or photoflo (tm), or none?

 

[Sirius Glass]

Although I time a black & white print in an alkali developer, I may pull it out a few seconds early or a few seconds later depending on the density I am trying to achieve. By putting it in an acidic stop bath I can arrest this image (and my preference) faster than in water. Amen.

Case again proven.

 

[Luis-F-S]

So after 824 responses, do we have a clear answer? Didn't think so!

 

[Sirius Glass]

Sirius has obviously fallen for big-photo's conspiracy to get us all to buy their stop baths.

No, unlike you I actually read the manufacturer's direction and when I use pyro I use water stop because that is what is directed. Please enjoy your trip over the ledge with all the other lemmings.

 

[BrianShaw]

Kerplunk.

 

[DeletedAcct1]

Please no, not again!!

 

[138S]

No, unlike you I actually read the manufacturer's direction and when I use pyro I use water stop because that is what is directed. Please enjoy your trip over the ledge with all the other lemmings.

Nothing wrong in reading the datasheet and following manufacturer's direction, you are not the only one reading datasheets...

But also nothing wrong in reading a good book (like The Film Development Cookbook or others) aimed to provide conceptual knowledge and perpare your mind to get some wisdom.

Instructions from manufacturers are of high value with very important specific information, and it can be enough for some, but datasheets don't substitute the ample conceptual knowledge a good book teaches, which can be essential to make an advanced usage of the medium.

 

[Vaughn]

Got the bike out with the 5x7 today. About 45 miles round trip from noon to 7:30pm. I stopped a lot.

 

[FerdiAhn]

I always use a water stop. Haven't had any problem til now.

 

[SchwinnParamount]

I always use a water stop. Haven't had any problem til now.

Oh no! You're going to wish you hadn't said "... till now"
you've jinxed yourself.

 

[FerdiAhn]

Oh no! You're going to wish you hadn't said "... till now"
you've jinxed yourself.

OMG LOL!!!!

 

[pentaxuser]

How important is stop bath? Very important is the answer and this may be understating it given this thread has lasted nearly fifteen and a half years

pentaxuser

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Maybe we need to figure out how to add a little quiz to be sure anyone thinking of posting in this thread has read the previous 34 pages.

 

[pentaxuser]

Maybe we need to figure out how to add a little quiz to be sure anyone thinking of posting in this thread has read the previous 34 pages.

On my death bed at 100 my son says to me: "Well Dad you had 40 years on Photrio, so what's your abiding memory of it and I say: "Son it's a forum best described by a form of the Corinthian Spirit. On Photrio it was never reaching a conclusion that was important but always the taking part. That's its lifeblood"

pentaxuser

 

[SchwinnParamount]

On my death bed at 100 my son says to me: "Well Dad you had 40 years on Photrio, so what's your abiding memory of it and I say: "Son it's a forum best described by a form of the Corinthian Spirit. On Photrio it was never reaching a conclusion that was important but always the taking part. That's its lifeblood"

pentaxuser

That would make you about 75 years old, right?