Tiny white spots: easy diagnosis or extensive troubleshooting?

[horacekenneth]

Tiny white spots on the negative. I'm troubleshooting with my developer (D-76) as I type but wondering/hoping if perhaps someone would be able to look at it and immediately diagnose it. I'm pretty sure it isn't dust, it doesn't look like dust to me and it doesn't look like other dust on my film strips, I think it's a chemical problem, just not sure what (my developer is within the 2 months I typically keep it for and my fixer tested good). Film is Arista.edu 400, here's my process and a sample photo:

Pre-wash (unfiltered water) / D-76 1+1 (mixed on October 2nd) / Rinse with water (no acid bath) / fixer (tested good with hypocheck) / rinse and photoflo


(white on the negative, dark on the positive below)

 

[JW PHOTO]

Is this fresh film? I've had similar problems with old, out-dated film( molding like fungus in the emulsion). I also had some of the same problems with a batch of fresh Foma film I tried in 120 format. The Foma film had white specks in the negative itself. John W

 

[horacekenneth]

Is this fresh film? I've had similar problems with old, out-dated film( molding like fungus in the emulsion). I also had some of the same problems with a batch of fresh Foma film I tried in 120 format. The Foma film had white specks in the negative itself. John W

Fresh.

How long ago was it you experienced that with Foma?

 

[JW PHOTO]

Fresh.

How long ago was it you experienced that with Foma?

Well more than a year ago at least. I'd say more like two years. If I remember right it was with the ISO 200 speed film, but I could be wrong on that. I changed water line filter, filtered my fixers, filtered my developer and it really didn't clear the problem up, but did seem to make things a little better or at least I thought. I haven't used Foma since then and my white specks are gone. Others use Foma and seem to have no problem, but I'll stick with Ilford for now. John W

 

[horacekenneth]

Thanks to a kindly PMer my number one suspect right now is air bubbles.

 

[MattKing]

When you say "white spots" on the negative do you mean "clear" spots or spots with reduced density?

If so, that means either stuff on the film that prevents exposure, or stuff on the film/in the developer that inhibits development.

Or, rarely, something that is bleaching parts of the film.

I assume that you are diluting the D-76 to 1+1 immediately before developing.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Air bubbles or tiny drops of fix or stop on the film. The prewet is good, but use some heavy agitation.

PE

 

[R.Gould]

With all fomapan film Stop bath can cause problems. not always but the emulsion is soft, I use it as my main go to film, but the first few I used, many years ago, I gor white spots on some negatives, I started using a plain water stop bath and no more white spots
Richard

 

[Photo Engineer]

Richard, stop only causes defects if a carbonate developer is used, and then the defect is blistering. And, the emulsion must be very very soft.

Believe me that I have tested this effect thoroughly and spots do not form.

PE

 

[horacekenneth]

When you say "white spots" on the negative do you mean "clear" spots or spots with reduced density?

If so, that means either stuff on the film that prevents exposure, or stuff on the film/in the developer that inhibits development.

Or, rarely, something that is bleaching parts of the film.

I assume that you are diluting the D-76 to 1+1 immediately before developing.

Spots with reduced density, I believe. Stuff on the film/in the developer inhbiting development could be bubbles? I'm hoping it's that

And yes, D76 was mixed on 10/2 but mixed 1+1 immediately prior to dev.

 

[horacekenneth]

Air bubbles or tiny drops of fix or stop on the film. The prewet is good, but use some heavy agitation.

PE

What do I do to mitigate the possibility of tiny drops of fix or stop on the film? Thorough rinse at the end?

 

[Photo Engineer]

No, better agitation at the prewet stage and more prewet. Make sure your hands are clean and dry.

Nothing after development can fix this.

PE

 

[horacekenneth]

No, better agitation at the prewet stage and more prewet. Make sure your hands are clean and dry.

Nothing after development can fix this.

PE

ah drops getting on prior to development, okay thanks