what went wrong. Water spots / streaks on Neopan 400

[slitherjef]

Last night I processed my first roll of neopan using DDX ilfostop kodafix a 20min wash/ soak then a 30 sec shot of photoflo which I mixed up 1/2 teaspoon to 2cups of (tap) water.

I suspect my problem may be with the photoflo? Maybe it was mixed wrong? I did cut the negs already but maybe a simple wash and another shot of photoflo would fix the spots?

If it is my photoflo what is the best way to mix up the stuff I mean I don't have a huge containter to store the stuff when I am not processing film.

 

[Fotohuis]

We are not using the Photoflo from Kodak but the wetting agent from Amaloco photochemicals H10.
This liquid dilution is 2-5 ml / liter working solution for the wetting agent.

Real high dilutions are not working well but to much concentrated wetting agent is also causing stripes and spots.
So check the right concentration for making your wetting agent!

You can do the last procedure with your film or film strips again without any problem only that if the film is already cut it's more complicated in handling.

best regards,

Robert

 

[Amund]

Half a teaspoon of Photoflo for two cups of water sound way too much for me....

 

[Dave Parker]

I only use a couple of drops of photoflo in that much water, a 1/2 teaspoon sounds like to much which could be causing problems.

R.

 

[reellis67]

I've had problems using too much. Try just a few drops, 3-4 at most, for a two reel tank. Maybe 6-8 for a 4 reel tank. That way you don't use too much and you don't need yet another bottle sitting around. Just use a dropper dedicated for that purpose and pull right from the stock bottle.

- Randy

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Did you use a pre-soak, prior to development?

 

[JHannon]

If your reels or tank had some moisture in/on it before developing, and it got on the emulsion, it can cause streaks or drops. Especially if you let it sit for a while before putting in the developer.

Just a thought..

--John

 

[RalphLambrecht]

This is exactly my point. The same happens with too short of a pre-soak. The streaks may not come from post- but from pre-development!

 

[slitherjef]

I did not presoak my film.

Thanks I figured something may have been wrong with my photoflow mixing

 

[gnashings]

I definitely second the "too much of a good thing" theory - I personally use very little. For the 2 cups of water I hardly do more than rinse out the cap from the photoflo bottle (almost literally), and it works great. I have had problems with water spots that I don't think were related to anything other than the hardness of my water, though - so there is another thing you may want to look into (they are actually mineral depostis from what I understand), and then you may want to have some distilled water on hand for a final rinse.

Peter.

PS. I can't stress enough how careful you must be when trying to clean your negs - it is so very easy to makes matter worse in an attempt to fix something (guess how I know that...).