Yellow/amber residue on film

I have two rolls that have a yellowish/amber colored residue on parts of them. Both are 120, one is T-Max 100 and the other is Tri-X. They were both developed in Rodinal for an hour at 1:100, Kodak indicator stop at 1:63 for 1 minute, and Kodafix at 1:3 (fairly fresh) for 8 minutes, then flushed with water for 10 minutes and then a few drops of photoflo in water for 30sec. None of my other rolls exhibit this, and I tried re-fixing and water flush with no change. Any idea what might have caused this?

Could be dichroic fog. Transmitted light looks yellow, but reflected light from the stain would be bluish...

See this thread: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/dichroic-fog.109276/

I’d return it to fresh fix and see if the yellow goes away.

Bill Burk said:

I’d return it to fresh fix and see if the yellow goes away.

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I may try that, but at the moment, my fixer is clearing my films in 2-3 minutes, so it seems wasteful to dump it when it is working fine on everything else.

You don't have to dump it. Just make up enough fresh fixer to refix the film in question.
And make sure you agitate when you fix.

At the risk of appearing to insult your intelligence which is not my intention, can I take it that since the problems with the TMax and Tri-X in question you have processed other films in exactly the same way as with the two films in question without any signs of yellow or amber deposit, using the same fixer. Obviously the Rodinal was different but came from the same bottle? The other films processed perfectly?

Thanks

pentaxuser

Maybe the film wasn't on the spool correctly so the emulsion was touching in places. That would prevent chemistry from getting to it causing sections to not get developed or fixed. I have done this resulting in a colored residue because the anti-halation layer didn't come off.

So both rolls were different batches of fixer—the TMax100 was a month earlier—and yes, both batches processed several rolls after with no ill effects.

The TMax marks show up in several horizontal strips and look slightly speckled, and I s especially noticeable in a couple of shots that have large unexposed parts of the frame. The yellow color is less noticeable. The TriX and a single wide color band in the center of the frame that runs horizontally the entire length. It’s color is very noticeable but because the frames are more exposed, at least with scanning, a simple desaturate makes it basically invisible. I haven’t tried refixing the TriX though I did the TMax. The ancillary problem is because the roll is cut and sleeved, the refixing process turned the TMax into a tightly curly mess because I didn’t have a good way to hang the pieces.

I’m still thinking it is insufficient fix or wash. Maybe not enough agitation during fix. I honestly don’t remember how much I agitated during fix (I’m still kind of new to this.). It is hardening fixer. I didn’t even know that was a thing until after I bought the bottle. I know some people think that’s a bad thing, and my next bottle of fixer won’t have hardener in it.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Lesson I learned, aside from replacing my fix more often... is to look at the dry film (for signs of yellow) before cutting.

Yeah, I have the tmax in a printfile sleeve crushed in the pages a book and a 30lb sewing machine on top to see if I can crush the curl back out.

abruzzi said:

So both rolls were different batches of fixer—the TMax100 was a month earlier—and yes, both batches processed several rolls after with no ill effects.



I’m still thinking it is insufficient fix or wash. Maybe not enough agitation during fix.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

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We may never get to the bottom of your issue but the end of the first sentence above strongly suggests to me that insufficient fixing and wash is unlikely to be the cause. Whatever fixing time and agitation regime you used on the subsequent films clearly worked.

pentaxuser

I have been trying out a lot of different types of film, from lost of different manufacturers. I did notice in my clearing tests that for instance Kodak films clear gradually over 2-3 minutes, but Fomapan 100 cleared very quickly, closer to 30 seconds. And in the same solution, a very expired bulk roll of Delta 100 (probably about 1998) showed no change at all after 8 minutes.

I can't help but thinking that something is wrong with your fixer; even long expired film should clear in good fixer. I'd really spring for a fresh (different brand?) of fix and refix your negs to see if that may help.

Best,

Doremus

Is your fixer the powdered Kodafix? If so, it is a non-rapid, hardening fixer. When fresh that fixer can fix T-Max films, but it definitely has to work hard!
A rapid fixer is a more convenient choice.

Yeah, I’ve discovered that my choice of fixer was not the best. Discussions online of fixers are few and far between compared to discussions of developers. It was not powdered, but it is non-rapid, hardening kodafix. Specifically this:

https://www.freestylephoto.biz/1464080-Kodak-Kodafix-1-Quart-(Makes-1-Gallon)

My first batch of fixer I dumped after about 6 rolls of 35mm over three weeks because when I tested with the Delta 100 it wouldn’t clear at all after 8 minutes. So I dumped the fixer and mixed up a new batch, tried another piece of the leader, and still nothing. The fixer was brand new before it was opened for that first batch, and has worked great for other rolls.

Now I don’t know the history of that Delta 100. Basically, I bought someone’s darkroom equipments, mostly for the Omega D2, but in all the stuff he had was also a bulk loader that was mostly full. There was a piece of tape on the outside that had a date from 1998. The first rolls I shot from that sort of worked (that’s how I figured it was Delta 100) but since then the next roll didn’t clear at all, and I haven’t used it since. I saw where all the gear, including the Delta was stored, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it spent 40-60 days every year in 120 degree temps or higher.

Again, thanks for the insights. I agree with pentaxuser that the actual cause will probably remain a mystery, but it good to know that I didn’t do anything obviously wrong. I suspect this process (film...) it to a large extent about developing consistency then adjusting consistent processes to get the results I want. I’m still new at this and I may have made mistakes I didn’t remember or even notice.

I have always used Ilford Rapid Fixer exclusively for fixing and have yet to experience any issues in 15 years. If this is obtainable in New Mexico then I recommend it. It works even better if you can play The London Philharmonic Orchestra's rendition of Land of Hope and Glory in the background. OK it doesn't fix more films but if they are Ilford films they come out of the tank "ramrod straight", and " right as ninepence" as my old sergeant major used to say.

pentaxuser

abruzzi said:

Yeah, I’ve discovered that my choice of fixer was not the best. Discussions online of fixers are few and far between compared to discussions of developers. It was not powdered, but it is non-rapid, hardening kodafix. Specifically this:

https://www.freestylephoto.biz/1464080-Kodak-Kodafix-1-Quart-(Makes-1-Gallon)

Click to expand...

That fixer appears to be essentially the same as Kodak Rapid Fixer with the hardener already mixed in. So that fixer should be fine.
Does the bottle say Eastman Kodak, or Kodak Germany or Kodak Alaris (in the small print). If Eastman Kodak, it is quite old!

MattKing said:

That fixer appears to be essentially the same as Kodak Rapid Fixer with the hardener already mixed in. So that fixer should be fine.
Does the bottle say Eastman Kodak, or Kodak Germany or Kodak Alaris (in the small print). If Eastman Kodak, it is quite old!

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I'll look, but it was purchased from Freestyle in April, so if its very old, it was stock they were sitting on.

EDIT: checked—it says Kodak Alaris

pentaxuser said:

It works even better if you can play The London Philharmonic Orchestra's rendition of Land of Hope and Glory in the background.

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I'm more of a Beethoven or Philip Glass listener. The Koyaanisqatsi sound track would be perfect for the darkroom, or the second movement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony.