Problem with film...

trishw78

for those that are slightly more expert at developing film than me.

I developed 2 rolls of 120mm last night , they were both the same ISO, and taken on the trip to Charleville. The first roll of film came out perfect. The second roll come out looking a little on the milky side. I thought back on the processes and could I have done something slightly differently in the developing and I couldn't come up with anything.

The only think I could think of that maybe the second roll may have been slightly "frozzen" when I took it outta of the fridge (it had been stuck to the back of the fridge, pre-shooting with it)

Could this be the explaination for it's Milky-ness?

pete4130

maybe there was a slight chemical contamination considering it was your second roll? As a precaution I tend to make fresh developer for every process. I know this is wasteful and expensive but for me it helps to enure consitent results. The only time rolls haven't turned out for me is when I have been lazy regarding chemicals (not making fresh if they've been been sitting there for a little while). I wouldn't be able to say if the film being slightly frozen would have affected it that much.
It could have been down to a suspect roll of film? Hopefully you'll still be able to get some images from the roll. There is no worse feeling than the excitement of seeing whats on a roll of film and for it to not turn out well
I did some rolls last night for other people and I was so afraid they wouldn't turn out. Luckily they did.

trishw78

well I always use fresh developer but the fixer has been recycled a good bit and is still for another while.

pete4130

Just did a small amount of googling here which I'd guess is something to do with the fixer?
Hopefully they aren't too bad an you can still get some images from them using a higher grade filter.

trishw78

oh and before some asks yes I did wash the tank between films...

may as well make up some fresh fix just to be on the safe side

thefizz

How many times did you re-use the fixer?

trishw78

10 possible 12 timess but there would be agop of maybe a month or two in the middle of that some place

thefizz

I think thats your problem. I only use fixer two or three times, then dump it and mix more. And thats when I use it just a day or two apart.

Re-fix your film and see if that clears it.

trishw78

maybe you're right but I know people that use twice as many times as I used it and it's fine.

But I will try your suggestion about re-fixing it with new fixer.

Simplicius

thefizz wrote: »

I think thats your problem. I only use fixer two or three times, then dump it and mix more. And thats when I use it just a day or two apart.

Re-fix your film and see if that clears it.

This advice is spot on, if you haven't cut up your film re-spool it and try fresh fixer on it.... I am more miserly than the fizz with my fixer and test it before each run, I also log how many times I use it. A simple peace of mind test is cut a 5 mm tail of some 35mm black and white and pour some of the fixer into an egg-cup and drop it in, swirl it around... if it doesn't go clear in 60 seconds .. either replenish or mix a fresh batch...

trishw78

so I mixed fresh fix got some in a cut on my thumb it stung like hell... but I did re-fix the 'milky' set and it was fine.

Thanks everyone

Anouilh

trishw78 wrote: »

Could this be the explaination for it's Milky-ness?

You have set me thinking about why some of my photos were not what I expected when I sent them for processing in the past. It is possible that my use of Velvia film was adequate, but all the puzzling I did at the time could also have something to do with the way my film was developed?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055534399&page=3

From a scientific point of view, what causes a milky effect to form? Are microscopic specks of material built up in the processing liquid?