What's causing my spotty negatives? (photo inside)

[mike_ricca]

After doing a bit of research, it sounds like there are a number of reasons why

spots might appear on negatives. I'm not sure, however, which one I'm guilty of.

 

It's been a few years since I've done any developing, and this was a test roll.

The film was a roll of Tri-X 400TX 120. Here's the process I used:

 

1. DEVELOP - HC-110 (B) @ 70? - 6m with 10s agitation every 30s

2. RINSE - Tap water for 5s

3. STOP BATH - 45s

4. FIXER - Lauder 763 Rapid Fixer - 3m with 10s agitation every 30s

5. WASH - 10m under running tap

6. PHOTO-FLO - 30s

 

I feel like I didn't fix it long enough, but everything I've read online said

that 3-4m was ideal for the Lauder 763 Rapid Fixer.

 

I'm sure I screwed up somewhere, but I don't know where. Like I said, it's been

years since I've done any developing and the list of steps above was culled from

various sites and board posts.<div></div>

[mike_ricca]

Don't know why the steps didn't carriage return, so here they are again:

<br><br>

1. DEVELOP - HC-110 (B) @ 70° - 6m with 10s agitation every 30s <br>

2. RINSE - Tap water for 5s <br>

3. STOP BATH - 45s <br>

4. FIXER - Lauder 763 Rapid Fixer - 3m with 10s agitation every 30s <br>

5. WASH - 10m under running tap <br>

6. PHOTO-FLO - 30s<br>

[george_hickey]

Air Bells may be the problem.

 

Bubbles of air form on the film during development blacking the developer from reaching the film.

 

After you fill the developer and put the top on bang the edge of the bottom of the tank on the counter a couple times before doing your initial agitation.

[mike_ricca]

I did that, both during the developer and fixer steps. I suppose I might not've banged it against the counter hard enough or long enough, though. I'll try to knock it harder with my next test roll. Thanks!

[george_hickey]

I've developed over a thousand rolls of film in D76 and Xtol and have never had this happen. I simply tap the tank bottom a couple times sort of hard on the counter at the beginning of the developing process and that's it.

 

Good luck!

[eric rose]

Nice try. They're small lights in the background.

[mike_ricca]

Actually, I was thinking maybe I was just haunted by dozens of really tiny ghosts.

[leon_f]

Mike, I have the definite answer! I searched for this problem in a little book called "Ilford Negativtechnik", published in 1981! It describes all sorts of problems that can occur when developing negatives. You are sufering from what the Germans call "Nadeltische" or needle stings. It is caused by dust or dirt on the emulsion side of the film. The only solution is to thoroughly clean the inside of the camera.

[leon_f]

I forgot: the black dots are caused by the dust denying development to that part of the film. No development so they appear black.

[mike_ricca]

Interesting. I gave my camera more than a few blasts with compressed air a few days ago (when I pulled it off my shelf for the first time in months) and thought I'd cleaned it sufficiently, but I guess I hadn't.

 

Unfortunately, I have a roll of film in there now so I can't clean it. But on the bright side, I can use this as an exercise in elimination. When I develop this test roll, I'll be sure to knock the cannister against the counter a lot. If I still see spots (especially in this abundance -- over half my photos in the last roll were spot-ridden), then that will at least rule out the bubble theory.

 

Thanks so much for looking this up, Leon. I'll give my C220 a good thorough cleaning and see how things fare.

[ronald_moravec1]

Try dropping the loaded reel into the tank prefilled with developer.

 

There is no reason to hit the tank hard or more than two times to dislodge bubbles.

 

Pour developer in more slowly. You are generating turbulance when the developer is flowing over the tipped reel/tank. This is really bad practice.

 

Air bubbles will be undeveloped/clear areas. This is something else.

 

I think they are camera light leaks. For sure if the same pattern appears on every shot or repeats in any way.

[larrydressler]

My vote is out of focus reflections or lights because of the pattern they are only behind the subject and not across it. in the way they are set up they should go across the mans face but if you look they are all behind him and his body is blocking some of them.

 

Larry

[evan_goulet]

I also vote for small lights in the background, maybe a string of Christmas lights that you forgot were in the background. The pattern seems to stop when it gets to his head. If this were a pattern of some development anomaly, then you would expect it to continue across his head. Also, if it were air bells, it would be circles of underdevelopment, not extreme highlights.

[craig_supplee]

Eric and Larry hit it right. They are either small lights like christmas lights, or some sort of specular highlights. Notice they are on the same angle as the shelves(?) on a wall unit.

[tripanfal]

We used to string lights on our shelves at college too :)<div></div>

[ric_johnson1]

and don't use Stop Bath, just rinse (fill and dump) with water 3 or 4 times.

[luke_ballard]

I would agree with the above post. If you are worried about dust and such on your film, do a pre-rinse.

 

I always use a cotton glove when I am rolling my film, so I know that some of the little bits of cotton come of and lay on the film. So I always fill the tank with 68deg water first, agitate it a couple of times and pour out. This will rinse out all particulate and also any sensitysing dyes and antihaliaton layers. If a film reccommends NO PRE RINSE, then don't, but you can pre-rinse most all films. Just a qucik 30sec and it will be ready, also this will get your negatives to the temp of the developer which will help for good dev.

 

Take care!

 

Luke

[mike_ricca]

*facepalm*

 

I'm an utter moron. You're right. They're exactly that -- lights in the background. I'd forgotten that they had strung Christmas lights, but reviewing the negatives now, that's exactly what they are. I had thought Eric was being facetious in his reply (hence my own quip), but he was right on the money.

 

Boy do I feel sheepish now.

[larrydressler]

Don't feel bad that is why we are here to find out these things. And yes sometimes the tongues do get sharp but remember the brains are not always dull. : )