Tool of the Devil, or Useful Darkroom Implement?

[eli griggs]

OK, name one developer or fixer that is no a combination of "chemistry' or compounded as a chemistry.

 

[SodaAnt]

OK, name one developer or fixer that is no a combination of "chemistry' or compounded as a chemistry.

As someone with degrees in chemistry, the photo industry is the only one I’ve encountered that uses the word in that manner.

 

[eli griggs]

As someone with degrees in chemistry, the photo industry is the only one I’ve encountered that uses the word in that manner.

But is it incorrect?

 

[SodaAnt]

But is it incorrect?

I didn’t say it was. I just said hearing it used that way was like fingernails on a blackboard to me.

 

[Sirius Glass]

My water is well water and is very hard. I mix every photographic solution with steam distilled water and use distilled water for the entire film wash cycle.

(I know it’s common usage among photographers, but referring to developers, fixers, etc., as “chemistry” is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me.)

Still a great improvement of calling film development "souping the film".

 

[SodaAnt]

Still a great improvement of calling film development "souping the film".

Yes, that too.

I also don’t like referring to taking photos as “shooting”, but I don’t want to open that can of worms…

 

[eli griggs]

I didn’t say it was. I just said hearing it used that way was like fingernails on a blackboard to me.

No worries, I hate "yada, yada, yada, myself.

 

[MattKing]

As someone with degrees in chemistry, the photo industry is the only one I’ve encountered that uses the word in that manner.

I'm assuming you would prefer "chemicals". I do as well, but using "chemistry" instead doesn't bother me.

 

[Don_ih]

As someone with degrees in chemistry, the photo industry is the only one I’ve encountered that uses the word in that manner.

That would be because most photographers, even ones who mix up their stuff from bulk chemicals, don't know any chemistry. May as well just call it magic. X does this and Y does that but you don't need to understand why or how to make it happen. So developer, stop, fixer, toner, reducer, intensifier - all those things go in a big box generically labelled "Chemistry".

 

[Philippe-Georges]

OK, name one developer or fixer that is no a combination of "chemistry' or compounded as a chemistry.

During WWII the resistance in France used red wine as a developer, horse urine and seawater as fixer…

 

[VinceInMT]

Hmmm, I was never bother by the various terms used in photography whether “chemistry,” “souping,” or “shooting” but for inexplicable reasons that I’d probably need therapy to unearth the reasons for, I do cringe when high school teachers refer to their students as “kiddos” or pet owner refer to their animals as their “fur babies.” Heck, I cringed just typing that.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

When I took over the photography program at the school I teach at, that was the first thing I got rid of.

 

[SodaAnt]

Lots of confusion around terms like “hypo”. Many refer to hypo clearing agents as “hypo” when hypo really means fixer, i.e. thiosulfate solutions.

 

[MattKing]

Lots of confusion around terms like “hypo”. Many refer to hypo clearing agents as “hypo” when hypo really means fixer, i.e. thiosulfate solutions.

I find that it helps when you tell them that the really old name for the active ingredient in fixer was sodium hyposulfate, so if you aren't really old, calling anything "hypo" makes you look out of date .

 

[eurekaiv]

I've gone through many trials and tribulations trying to get my negatives dry and clean without spots, scratches or dust. I settled on a very specific routine that works for me and it involves a Yankee sponge squeegee. I do have ONE VERY SPECIFIC rubber one, an older Vivitar branded thing, that works well and I tried a few, but the Yankee does the best job in the process I settled on. I'd love to not need one but I get ridiculous drying marks if I don't squeegee. And yes, I use a wetting agent and distilled water only.

 

[cliveh]

Oh ye of little faith.

It's not a tool or work of satan. There is no black magic to using one, just simple knowledge.

I have said it many times before on here.

If you wish to squeegee your film, you should do a few things first.

• Use a good quality squeegee
• Use the correct amount of wetting agent
• Warm the squeegee blades in a beaker of warm water with a drop of wetting agent
• Gently run your finger along each blade to check for nicks or grit.
• To squeegee, hold the film up high and in one GENTLE movement squeegee the film.
• The squeegee should JUST KISS the film, NOT GOUGE IT.

View attachment 346804

But then, each to his own.

(PS. I know this will bring the wrath of man upon myself)

It would be interesting to hear from Ilford as to why they made such a catastrophic mistake in this promotion and it just goes to show that manufacturers of photographic products, be it chemistry or cameras know very little or care very little about photography.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Lots of confusion around terms like “hypo”. Many refer to hypo clearing agents as “hypo” when hypo really means fixer, i.e. thiosulfate solutions.

Hypo is fixer, but for some an insertion device for drugs of choice.

 

[foc]

It would be interesting to hear from Ilford as to why they made such a catastrophic mistake in this promotion and it just goes to show that manufacturers of photographic products, be it chemistry or cameras know very little or care very little about photography.

I respectfully disagree with your opinions quoted above.

 

[SodaAnt]

It would be interesting to hear from Ilford as to why they made such a catastrophic mistake in this promotion and it just goes to show that manufacturers of photographic products, be it chemistry or cameras know very little or care very little about photography.

Used carefully, a squeegee is a perfectly benign implement. Used improperly, or if it’s not cared for properly, then it can damage film.

 

[eli griggs]

During WWII the resistance in France used red wine as a developer, horse urine and seawater as fixer…

Yes, but, in every case, the compounds and the molecules and atoms, are specific mixtures of chemistry, including the final product, no?

 

[cliveh]

Used carefully, a squeegee is a perfectly benign implement. Used improperly, or if it’s not cared for properly, then it can damage film.

A squeegee is an implement of impatience, as if you let film dry naturally over 24 hours there is no problem.

 

[MattKing]

Yes, but, in every case, the compounds and the molecules and atoms, are specific mixtures of chemistry, including the final product, no?

No - they are specific mixtures of chemicals.
"Chemistry" is the study of chemicals.

 

[pentaxuser]

I had a squeegee given to me when I bought my secondhand darkroom equipment. I was new to the game and not then a member of Photrio so ignorance was bliss in the genuine sense of the word bliss as I never had a problem with it nor did I check each time that the blades had not picked up some grit or other particle that might scratch the film so I was lucky I then realised post membership of Photrio then called APUG that unless I did checks there was some risk. I did the checks and I had no problems However I then tried my squeezing the film between my middle fingers and that avoided the need for a check of the blades each time to ensure there were grit free and wet and flexible

So a good squeegee, properly handled can be fine but it is quicker now to do it with middle fingers

pentaxuser

 

[benderscameracorner]

I have one and it's scratched negs each time regardless of how light, hard or wet I've used it.

Now it exists solely to give my laundry roughly 4% more "film/darkroom stuff happens here" vibes.

 

[VinceInMT]

Doesn’t the title of this thread make this a religious discussion?