Strange Dust Problem

[MattKing]

The same scanner scanned both films. One is hideously dusty, the other is spotless. I do not understand why.

Can you see the dust with the naked eye and/or a loupe?

Could the dust be due to the scanner or its film holders?

 

[StephenT]

I still think it is the film.

 

[Photo Engineer]

These films were developed in freshly prepared HC-110, Dilution E.

Ok, fixer then!

PE

 

[Ai Print]

Judging that the dust marks on the correct image ( not negative ) are light, not dark, this tells me that there is simply dust on the film it self now, not during the exposure which is by far the worst kind. So what I would do is simply re-wash one of the strips ( if already cut and sleeved ) and then use fresh photo flow with distilled water to see if it clears it up.

I bet this clears it up and all is not lost.

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

Was it partially used fixer? If so, as suggested above, if the 35mm film was on the bottom of the tank, then it could well have been contaminated by "dirty" fixer.

 

[Loren Sattler]

RattyMouse, can you answer the previously posted question about the dust? Are the dust spots developed in the emulsion (now permanent), or can the film be cleaned of dust now post processed?
Once I got dust on the emulsion side of 120 film that came from a dirty bellows in an old folder. These yielded black spots on the print. There was no salvation for those negatives.
I like PE's suggestion to expose a fresh roll of another black and white film and process that in similar fashion and see what you get. Maybe try that with another roll of the Fuji film from the same batch (if you have it) at the same time. That might tell a story?

 

[RattyMouse]

Ok, fixer then!

PE

The fixer was mixed back in January and has sat undisturbed for several months. I will pour out some fixer into a beaker and inspect for particulates. Still, both films were in the tank and fixed at the same time so why would would be left untouched is a mystery. I had 800 mls of fixer in the tank to fix one 120 roll and one 135 roll.

 

[RattyMouse]

RattyMouse, can you answer the previously posted question about the dust? Are the dust spots developed in the emulsion (now permanent), or can the film be cleaned of dust now post processed?
Once I got dust on the emulsion side of 120 film that came from a dirty bellows in an old folder. These yielded black spots on the print. There was no salvation for those negatives.
I like PE's suggestion to expose a fresh roll of another black and white film and process that in similar fashion and see what you get. Maybe try that with another roll of the Fuji film from the same batch (if you have it) at the same time. That might tell a story?

Sorry but I dont know how to answer your questions. I dont have a loupe and so cannot inspect the film close up. I'll wiped a frame and see if anything comes off but I doubt that it will.

That was my last roll of Acros in 35mm size. I can process a different roll and will do so in the near future.

 

[RattyMouse]

Was it partially used fixer? If so, as suggested above, if the 35mm film was on the bottom of the tank, then it could well have been contaminated by "dirty" fixer.

I made up 1 liter of fixer this past January. I processed 2 rolls of film in it and it has sat dark for a few months. Both films were processed together, only one was severely spec'ed. The other was untouched.

 

[MattKing]

I dont have a loupe and so cannot inspect the film close up.

A lens from a 35mm SLR does a good job when it is used as a loupe.

When you try this, inspect the 120 film as well. You may find that there are similar amounts of material on each.

One of the few things I know about scanners is that they emphasize whatever dust there may be. And of course, the smaller the format, the more the apparent magnification of that dust.

 

[Mark Fisher]

Are you sure that the 120 is absolutely clean also? If you are printing both the 8x10, the med format is enlarged a lot less. Also, if you have a highly textured image, a lot of dust can get lost in the image. I doubt that it is the film or chemicals (but it could be). I've had film drying that managed to touch other surfaces due to my darkroom fan and ended up with dust....that could be another culprit. My guess is that both do have dust and it is masked by either the image or the size of the neg. It is hard to tell without seeing the images.

 

[RattyMouse]

Are you sure that the 120 is absolutely clean also?

Yes. High resolution scans of the 120 film show absolutely NO dust of any kind. Hundreds, if not thousands of specs of dust on the 135 film.

 

[pentaxuser]

If it is dust that has settled on the film's surface post processing shouldn't it be possible to wash it off with water and/or photo-flo?

Worth a try?

pentaxuser

 

[BetterSense]

Was the 35mm on the bottom in the tank or was the 120 on the bottom?

 

[RattyMouse]

Was the 35mm on the bottom in the tank or was the 120 on the bottom?

I think the 135 was on the bottom but can't recall for sure.

 

[RattyMouse]

Just for the record, I developed another roll of 135 film yesterday. Used the same camera, same chemicals, same room to dry the film. No dust specs of any kind were found.

The only difference was that the film was not Acros but instead was FP4+.

 

[canuhead]

I'd definitely lean towards film defect as I don't see how the 35 can be covered in specks and the 120 not. Since the film is shot, if you haven't tried it yet, give it another ways or short soak and see if that helps. otherwise you'll be spending lots of time withe the clone tool