bad neg msytery

In the past few months I have printed two or three images from 4x5 negs
that have many very small white spots on the 16x20 print. The negatives
show that the black neg spots are not "on" the neg like dust pieces, but
exposed onto it. Yesterday I made two bald sky exposures, one with my
210mm and the other with my 150mm as I'm sure the trouble negs were
exposed by one of these lenses. The 210mm showed a hundred or more tiny
black spots. But only two hours before I shot some still lifes with
this lens, developed all negs at the same time in the same chemicals and
those negs were perfect. The film is Kodak Tri-X 320 TXP flilm
purchased within the last year. I always shoot an f-stop in the mid
range, neither wide open nor with a very small aperature. The problem
seems to be bad film, but randomly appearing from the same pack. Or
am I missing something? Any ideas?
Art

What did you use for developer?

John Emmons

"Art Reitsch" wrote in message
...
In the past few months I have printed two or three images from 4x5 negs
that have many very small white spots on the 16x20 print. The negatives
show that the black neg spots are not "on" the neg like dust pieces, but
exposed onto it. Yesterday I made two bald sky exposures, one with my
210mm and the other with my 150mm as I'm sure the trouble negs were
exposed by one of these lenses. The 210mm showed a hundred or more tiny
black spots. But only two hours before I shot some still lifes with
this lens, developed all negs at the same time in the same chemicals and
those negs were perfect. The film is Kodak Tri-X 320 TXP flilm
purchased within the last year. I always shoot an f-stop in the mid
range, neither wide open nor with a very small aperature. The problem
seems to be bad film, but randomly appearing from the same pack. Or
am I missing something? Any ideas?
Art

Never mind, just reread your post.

Sounds like you did get a bad batch of film.

John Emmons

"Art Reitsch" wrote in message
...
In the past few months I have printed two or three images from 4x5 negs
that have many very small white spots on the 16x20 print. The negatives
show that the black neg spots are not "on" the neg like dust pieces, but
exposed onto it. Yesterday I made two bald sky exposures, one with my
210mm and the other with my 150mm as I'm sure the trouble negs were
exposed by one of these lenses. The 210mm showed a hundred or more tiny
black spots. But only two hours before I shot some still lifes with
this lens, developed all negs at the same time in the same chemicals and
those negs were perfect. The film is Kodak Tri-X 320 TXP flilm
purchased within the last year. I always shoot an f-stop in the mid
range, neither wide open nor with a very small aperature. The problem
seems to be bad film, but randomly appearing from the same pack. Or
am I missing something? Any ideas?
Art

Art Reitsch wrote:
In the past few months I have printed two or three images from 4x5 negs
that have many very small white spots on the 16x20 print. The negatives
show that the black neg spots are not "on" the neg like dust pieces, but
exposed onto it. Yesterday I made two bald sky exposures, one with my
210mm and the other with my 150mm as I'm sure the trouble negs were
exposed by one of these lenses. The 210mm showed a hundred or more tiny
black spots. But only two hours before I shot some still lifes with
this lens, developed all negs at the same time in the same chemicals and
those negs were perfect. The film is Kodak Tri-X 320 TXP flilm
purchased within the last year. I always shoot an f-stop in the mid
range, neither wide open nor with a very small aperature. The problem
seems to be bad film, but randomly appearing from the same pack. Or
am I missing something? Any ideas?
Art

The short list:

1. Old fixer with some sulfiding. The sulfur particles will adhere to the
emulsion and "tone" the silver halides before they are fixed out.

2. Undissolved developer. Occasionally undissolved crystals of Metol or
hydroquinone will come into contact with the emulsion and develop a spot
regardless of exposure. Not likely with HC110.

3. Incomplete fixing due to "air bells". Usually seen with carbonate containing
developers that aren't completely "stopped", so carryover into acid fixer
generates small gas bubbles of CO2 on the surface inhibiting diffusion.

4. Contamination of the dry film with developer "dust" when loading the film
or unloading to develop. Fixer "dust" will give "holes" rather than black spots.

5 Incomplete fixing. Spent fixer, inadequate time, inadequate agitation.

6. Bad film. However, an emulsion problem that severe should affect all sheets.

Clean your film holders well, wash the area used to load film, repeat your
test using fresh fixer (fix for 10 min - 5+ min rapid fix - it won't hurt)
with constant agitation. After washing, rinse the negs for a couple of minutes
in a solution made from 1 gal deionized/distilled water containing 100 ml 70%
isopropanol (rubbing alcohol without additives) and 10 ml Photoflo. Hang to dry.
If you still have spots, call EKC and send the film to them.

Excellent suggestions. To determine whether film holders are involved,
develop an unexposed sheet taken directly from the package.


Michael Gudzinowicz wrote:
Art Reitsch wrote:
In the past few months I have printed two or three images from 4x5 negs
that have many very small white spots on the 16x20 print. The negatives
show that the black neg spots are not "on" the neg like dust pieces, but
exposed onto it. Yesterday I made two bald sky exposures, one with my
210mm and the other with my 150mm as I'm sure the trouble negs were
exposed by one of these lenses. The 210mm showed a hundred or more tiny
black spots. But only two hours before I shot some still lifes with
this lens, developed all negs at the same time in the same chemicals and
those negs were perfect. The film is Kodak Tri-X 320 TXP flilm
purchased within the last year. I always shoot an f-stop in the mid
range, neither wide open nor with a very small aperature. The problem
seems to be bad film, but randomly appearing from the same pack. Or
am I missing something? Any ideas?
Art

The short list:

1. Old fixer with some sulfiding. The sulfur particles will adhere to the
emulsion and "tone" the silver halides before they are fixed out.

2. Undissolved developer. Occasionally undissolved crystals of Metol or
hydroquinone will come into contact with the emulsion and develop a spot
regardless of exposure. Not likely with HC110.

3. Incomplete fixing due to "air bells". Usually seen with carbonate containing
developers that aren't completely "stopped", so carryover into acid fixer
generates small gas bubbles of CO2 on the surface inhibiting diffusion.

4. Contamination of the dry film with developer "dust" when loading the film
or unloading to develop. Fixer "dust" will give "holes" rather than black spots.

5 Incomplete fixing. Spent fixer, inadequate time, inadequate agitation.

6. Bad film. However, an emulsion problem that severe should affect all sheets.

Clean your film holders well, wash the area used to load film, repeat your
test using fresh fixer (fix for 10 min - 5+ min rapid fix - it won't hurt)
with constant agitation. After washing, rinse the negs for a couple of minutes
in a solution made from 1 gal deionized/distilled water containing 100 ml 70%
isopropanol (rubbing alcohol without additives) and 10 ml Photoflo. Hang to dry.
If you still have spots, call EKC and send the film to them.