Film coming out blank

<p>I've been processing 4x5 film in trays. I do one at a time. (My technique isn't good enough to get even development otherwise.) The first slides come out as expected. The proceeding slides come out blank. This has happened two times.<br>

The d-76 is blue when I dump it. The stop bath is also a dark color. The first time, I thought I had somehow contaminated the developer with stop bath in the dark. So the second time I used a different hand to remove the slide from the developer than to transfer from the stop bath. I also put the trays on the opposite side of the sink. I'm using used trays. Could that be the problem? Any ideas.<br>

Thanks,<br>

Michael</p>

<p>Newer Kodak films have the film type printed on the notch code end. This should be present if the film was developed.<br>

Very few causes:<br>

1. Film not exposed.<br>

2. Film not developed, A). developer dead, B). film fixed first.</p>

<p>weak developer will give a thin or ghost image. I do not think a few drops of stop bath or fingers damp with stop would kill good developer but they would weaken it causing a thinner than normal negative.</p>

<p> Dark blue color is from the antihalation/sensitizing dyes, not a problem.</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"The first slides come out as expected. The proceeding slides come out blank."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Slides? Is this b&w or color film?</p>

<blockquote>

<p>"The d-76 is blue when I dump it. The stop bath is also a dark color."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Depends on the film stock. Assuming it's b&w silver halide film, some films readily release certain types of dyes in solution, especially those other than Kodak and Ilford films. The only developer I've used that readily turns a very deep color after use on Kodak or Ilford films is Rodinal. The dye is so heavy the used Rodinal solution resembles Kool-Aid. But with Efke and other films even plain water would produce the same effect. Kodak and Ilford films tended to produce only a very slight tint with plain water pre-soaks or developers like ID-11, D-76, etc.</p>

<p>Assuming this is silver halide b&w film and the usual dyes released in solution, I suppose it's possible the developer may be exhausted from repeated use. But it would help to be more specific about your materials: how many sheets; what developer; what solution; how much solution of what solution of what type of developer.</p>

<p>I do get a deep blueish/purple color when I dump out the developer with TMax though. </p>

<p>Another test would be to try some of the developer with a clip of film, or a full sheet, in the tray, with the lights on, and it should turn gray to black within a few minutes. That would tell you if the developer is working.</p>

<p>That's a good idea to test it with the lights on. I could fire a test shot and cut it into strips. Prewashing the film would probably get rid of the coloring. The film is BW FomaPan 100. I used half a cup of developer. Could it really be going dead that fast. It was mixed from powder. Maybe it wasn't properly mixed.</p>

<p>Fomapan has a thin emulsion. Shadows that would have some just distinguishable detail are blank film on Foma. Exposures that are 1 to 2 stops under exposed will most likely produce blank film with normal processing.</p>

<p>Only a half cup of developer in a tray for 4x5? I am inclined to think that the developer is being rapidly depleated due to oxidation.</p>

<p>How big a tray, and how much water are you adding to the tray? <br>

Publication J78 states that D76 mixed 1:1 will do 8 sheets of 8x10 per gallon. That is 1 8x10 sheet per 16oz, (8 oz of developer 8 oz of water) 4 oz of developer should be able to develop at least 2 sheets of 4x5 as that is 1/2 a sheet of 8x10. I usually use a 4 oz measure D76 when doing a roll of 35mm in an 8 oz tank. A roll of 35mm film has the same area, more or less, as an 8x10 sheet of film. The publication states that if you are using an 8 oz tank for 1 roll of film then you should increase developing times by 10%. So that should also mean that you should be able to develop 4 4x5 sheets in 8 oz of D76 at 1:1.</p>

<p>Thanks for all this information. It gives me a lot to work with. </p>

<blockquote>

<p>"to transfer from the stop bath"</p>

 

</blockquote>

<p>Michael, please forgive me if I'm stating something obvious or don't consider your knowledge, but the above expressione might make me think you're stopping BEFORE developing. It's just I wouldn't let the thing unsaid, since what you're experiencing is quite weird...</p>

<p>That would be bad. No I meant to keep my hands clean so any stop on my hands or overflow from agitation wouldn't run the risk of contaminating the developer. I'm going to try to use more developer and see if that helps. I suppose another possibility is that the shutter is jamming. Its an old lens that I just purchased from Ebay. But I'm going to try using more developer.</p>

<p>Michael, if you have not done so do this first:<br>

Set the speed dial to 1 second.<br>

Position the shutter so that you can see the shutter blades and the second hand of a clock or watch.<br>

Cock then trip the shutter just as the second hand passes a second mark.<br>

Observe the shutter blades-they should fully open then close by the time the second hand just reaches the next second mark. The hand width either side of the second mark is OK.<br>

Repeat this several times. The time interval the blades operate should be the same each time. If not or if slow the shutter needs servicing.<br>

Turn the speed dial up to the next speed and verify that the shutter blades operate faster. Repeat until all speeds have been checked then work your way down verifying that they get slower. Consistency at each speed is very important. Inconsistent at any speed the shutter needs servicing.</p>

<p>I use my Pentax K1000 to test shutters. I try and fire both shutters at the same time, if both don't fire at the same time, I can usually hear if they don't run the same length. <br>

Also if you are a tinkerer you can try this: Google using sound card as a shutter tester. I really should build one myself. I think this calls for a trip to Radio Shack.</p>

<p>Last time I was processing film I used about 4 times as much developer I was using before and this resolved the problem. I also used a prewash which ended up bright green. If nothing else it keeps the indicator on the stop intact. On a random tangent, I processed some film that was in some holders I bought on Ebay. They turned out to be police mug shots from the 70's.</p>