Weak Edge Markings On Last Roll

Here's an odd problem. 5 days ago I mixed up a fresh batch of TD-16 and developed some Tri-X in it. Came out great. Today I developed another roll of Tri-X in it using exactly the same temps, agitation, etc and I have weak edge markings and the film looks more purple than the last time, even though I actually washed it longer than the roll of 5 days ago. I did use a different camera for today's roll, and a lot of the shots are over exposed. I either used the wrong filter factor for my red filter (3 stops, which I've used before w/ this filter), my metering was off, or the film is underdeveloped AND underexposed.

Trouble w/ the last idea is that some of the frames look fine, they just have weak edge markings. I called Photographers Formulary and they suggested that since the only development variable was - since I used a different fixer for this last roll, maybe it's under fixed. Today's roll was fixed in Kodak Rapid Fixer, just like the last roll that came out fine, but now I'm using a freshly made batch.

Now here's the strange part. I did a clip test on the fixer just now and the film, which came off the problem roll today, took 45 seconds or more to clear. I then retested another clip off an earlier roll and it cleared in about 20-25 seconds. So could my roll of film be partly fogged? I'm out of ideas at this point. I can refix the negs, although the clip test says why bother. They don't look particularly under fixed, just weak.

Edge markings are, in my experience, inconsistent. If they are there, I don't worry about them varying.

And the purple colour can be affected by any part of your process, including pre-soak, developer, stop bath, fixer, wash aid and wash (assuming you use each of these).

How did the temperatures compare between the two different days?

In one sentence you say underexposed and in another you say overexposed. Actually, underexposure and / or underdevelopment can give a haze to film as there is more silver halide left. BUT, this is generally due to the fix nearing its capacity to cope with all of the silver halide.

Try a refix and wash. It might help. Use fresh fix.

PE

Photo Engineer said:

Use fresh fix.

PE

Click to expand...

Always.
Use.
Fresh.
Fix.

And, edge markings mean nothing.

Right, I meant underdeveloped and overexposed. That will get light images and light edge markings every time.

Well, see, that's the thing. This IS fresh fix. The negs of 5 days ago were w/ 2 month old Kodak Rapid Fixer, which I dumped today just for general principle. I'm sure it was fine, but since I had the fresh stuff, why not go w/ that?

Since this roll has problematic exposures, there's nothing to do but run another roll in the same camera that gave the perfect negs of 5 days ago, develop it exactly as I always do, and see what happens. We have rain today, but the first clear day we get I'll have a re do. Thanks everyone. It's probably the meter and/or the shutter on this old Nikkormat. I always give this red filter 3 stops compensation and it's always worked OK w/ that, so the overexposure has to come from the meter or the shutter. The weak edge markings I haven't a clue. The re shoot should settle that.

The exposure for Kodak edge markings is as precise as can be done. They should be very uniform.

PE

Thomas Bertilsson said:

Always.
Use.
Fresh.
Fix.

And, edge markings mean nothing.

Click to expand...

I can't seem to kill my TF4, Thanks PE

You are welcome, but TF-4 is from Bill Troop. Bill and I did TF-5. So, thanks Bill!

Enjoy either one.

PE

Photo Engineer said:

The exposure for Kodak edge markings is as precise as can be done. They should be very uniform.

PE

Click to expand...

I don't doubt that they are. But it must be considered that what's in the image area is what matters.

Yep, the image is important.

My boss used to say that "we sell pictures not sensitometric curves!" and that was and is what I go by.

PE

Sometimes the same happens to me ,using a steel reel and nikor tank 120 film, it seems the edge of the film sticks to the reel along the margin of the film not letting either the fixer or developer do there job as well. I know give more vigorous agitation .

Mike

Weak edge markings and the pink cast to the negatives are two separate issues. The fact that two different rolls of Tri-X (the same film, but different rolls I assume) clear in different times points to yet another issue.

So, in order:

Weak edge markings usually indicate underdevelopment. What I mean is "weak compared to edge markings on the same film from the same developer for the same time." Check your developer activity with a scrap piece of film in daylight. It is good to establish a benchmark for this by seeing how long it takes for a piece of film to develop to max black (i.e., where you can't notice any more increase in density) in freshly-mixed developer that subsequently proves to perform well. Then, you can check your used developer or a different batch to compare.

Weak edge markings could also indicate bleaching. Extreme overfixing can cause this, but happens so rarely that I doubt it is your problem.

The pink cast results from sensitizing dyes in the emulsion that are do not wash out easily. A bit of pink will not hurt. Fixing longer, ensuing that your fixer is fresh, using a rapid fixer instead of a sodium-thiosulfate-based fixer, using a wash aid (unless you use a staining developer) and washing longer will all help minimize the pink cast. Find a combination that works for you. I simply fix longer (up to six minutes in rapid fix for Tri-X, longer for T-Max films) and wash for at least 30 minutes.

Now to the different clearing times. If this really happened with the same film, I would suspect that the film has been reformulated. Are you sure you didn't compare old and new versions of Tri-X? Or even different films (e.g., Tri-X and T-Max)? Maybe one film was wet and one dry? One was contaminated or coming from another solution (e.g., directly from the developer) and one wasn't? Something is going on here that isn't the fixer...

Do regular clip tests on dry film and keep track of the times and see if this crops up again. I'm curious as to how this could happen.

BTW, metering and then adding three stops for a #25 red filter is right and should get you fairly well exposed negs unless there was a lot of green/blue in the shot. Check your shutter/meter ISO setting, etc., etc.

Hope this helps you diagnose your problem,

Doremus

Clearing time differences and pink casts can also be indicative of bad or exhausted fixer.

PE