SamuliSchielke
Hello forum,
I’m currently in Cairo and will need to develop a pile of black-and-white films over the next few days. The professional lab’s quality is too inconsistent, so I’m doing it myself. The only thing I forgot to bring is a wetting agent, and since nobody in Egypt develops black-and-white film themselves apart from a few artists (old-fashioned techniques are a first-world luxury), you can’t buy photographic chemicals in shops here.
So my question is: is there anything that can be used as a makeshift substitute for wetting agent when developing film? Or should I just trust in God, in true Egyptian fashion, and wash the film with plain water? The calcium content of the tap water isn’t particularly high, but the air is very dusty.
Samuli
Stagirit
You could try using dishwasher rinse aid; essentially, it’s just surfactants and preservatives.
But I’d start by trying it on a film and reading the ingredients list, as some rinse aids contain citric acid and similar substances.
Or Pril – that gives the film a lovely scent.
Wolfgg
Why use a wetting agent? The film needs to be antistatic, protected against bacterial attack and free from limescale stains. Household substitutes are unlikely to meet all three requirements. Wouldn’t it be better to use distilled water (to prevent limescale stains) and add about 1% formalin from the chemist’s (to prevent bacterial damage)? Both should be available in Cairo. Although drying takes a little longer because the fabric softener is missing, no stains remain even without wiping.
Regards, Wolfgang
cfb_de
Hi Samuli,
Rinse with distilled water, then soak in ethanol, hang up to dry, and you’re done.
Why the alcohol bath? You mentioned it’s quite dusty, so I thought that shortening the drying time wouldn’t be a bad idea...
If necessary, you could also replace the wetting agent with a drop of the cheapest washing-up liquid (the cheapest! *Not* some skin-friendly, moisturising stuff!). That prevents limescale stains just as well, has sufficient antistatic properties, and there’s nothing in commercial wetting agents to protect against bacterial corrosion either.
Best regards,
Franz
PhilippReichmuth
Hi Samuli,
How about using a stabiliser bath for the colour process instead? You should be able to get hold of some. You might be able to get half a litre bottled for you at a larger specialist lab like Antar. Put on some gloves, dip the films on the reel in it, and you’re done. It has the advantage of also being antibacterial (no idea if it’s antistatic as well).
Best wishes to Cairo –
Philipp
Wolfgg
Or even simpler: just soak them in distilled water and dry them, but don’t cut them; then you can finish them off at home using the tried-and-tested final trays.
Best regards, Wolfgang
Wolf_XL
...as for preservation, I’d leave it to the local experts – they’ve got thousands of years of experience in this... ;-)) Although – I wonder if it’s really comfortable for the film to be wrapped up in bandages like that....
So many questions... ;-)))
SamuliSchielke
Thanks for the advice,
I think I’ll give distilled water a go and see how it goes. Formalin doesn’t seem like a great idea to me; ethanol might be an option. Before I do that, I’ll make sure the H₂O is made in Denmark. I’ve already picked up some Danish blue cheese for breakfast today. Delicious!
Samuli
Gast
>picked up some Danish blue cheese<
Ooooh, that could be a bit risky in Egypt at the moment – being found out as a fan of the Danes. Haven’t you been watching the news?
Anyway, have a good time down there.
Best wishes
Martin
Gast
>picked up some Danish blue cheese<
Ooooh, that could be a bit risky in Egypt at the moment – being found out as a fan of the Danes. Haven’t you been keeping up with the news?
Have a great time down there anyway.
Best wishes,
Martin
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Although, that would have sorted out the issue of whether you need wetting agents or not!
Schwedenstahl
Hi, I can definitely confirm what you said about Danish products – they’re completely mad about them here in Saudi Arabia too; there’s a proper witch-hunt against anything Danish going on here. Although I’d really fancy some of that lovely cheese right now.
Best wishes,
Marwan
Stagirit
I’m starting to get a bit worried about all this war rhetoric, all this talk of defending our values and so on.
I’d hoped I’d belong to a generation that wouldn’t have to experience any more major wars.
Gleiwitz is in Denmark.
SamuliSchielke
I took some photos here today at the Cameroon v Ivory Coast match (African Cup of Nations. Samuel Eto’o missed the decisive penalty – quite dramatic) so I’d have something to develop, and people really enjoyed my bread rolls with Danablu. Fortunately, the Egyptians have the pleasant trait of being completely mad when it comes to politics but still perfectly normal on a personal level :(
I asked for distilled water; it’s available at any chemist’s and car repair shop (for batteries), so that should work out fine.
Best regards,
Samuli
SamuliSchielke
Hello again!
Thanks for the suggestions – using distilled water to prevent streaks and ethanol afterwards for quick drying (Sandstorm!) has worked a treat. It wasn’t easy to find distilled water, as there is also dilution of sulphuric acid sold under the same name, but you can get it at the chemist’s, albeit only in 50 ml bottles.
However, the owner of a photography shop advised me to try something completely different: a few drops of acetic acid in the final wash, and the film will be streak-free. I’m a bit sceptical as to whether the acid might affect the film’s archival stability. Has anyone had any experience with this method?
Samuli
Wolfgg
The ‘limescale’ found in water is calcium hydrogen carbonate (Ca(HCO₃)₂). If a small amount of acetic acid is added, the stronger acetic acid displaces the weaker carbonic acid from the salt and takes its place, forming calcium acetate (Ca(CH₃COO)₂). Calcium acetate is used in food as a preservative (E263) to prevent the growth of bacteria.
So: adding a few drops of acetic acid can prevent limescale stains and protect the gelatin from bacteria, but the problem is the dosage. It is essential to check the pH value, otherwise there is a risk of adding too much and making the mixture too acidic.
Another alternative would be boiling. The highly water-soluble calcium hydrogen carbonate then breaks down into the barely soluble calcium carbonate, which precipitates as limescale. Simply pour off the boiled water once it has cooled, and you’ll have water with very low limescale content.
Regards, Wolfgang
