1986blutengel
Hello,
I’ve been developing my own film for quite some time now. Unfortunately, I’m not entirely satisfied. The prints turn out well, but I still feel that something isn’t quite right with the negative development. All my negatives have a purple tinge. I use Tetenal Ultrafine. I’ve used it to develop some FP4, HP5 and APX. I once had an HP5 processed at a lab. The negatives were greyish and didn’t have that purple tinge. And overall, they seemed more vibrant to me. What could be the reason for this?
Kind regards
michael-kielgmxnet
Hello,
If you haven’t had any problems with the prints, then the ‘sheen’ you’re referring to is probably just the tint of the base material. Which films are showing this sheen?
Another possibility is that the films weren’t fixed properly. However, this tends to show up as milky streaks, as there is still some unfixed emulsion present.
How long did you fix for, and at what dilution?
The fact that the negatives from the commercial lab appear more vivid is probably down to the different development parameters. In a commercial lab, everything is run through a ‘standard bath’, so there’s no guarantee that every film will be developed optimally. If you develop your own film, you can tailor the developer and the time to suit each film type perfectly. Incidentally, slightly softer negatives are usually an advantage when printing.
1986blutengel
Hello,
So far, I’ve developed Ilford HP5, FP4, APX 100 and APX 400. Could it be because I’ve only been using distilled water?
wosis123
I develop all my silver halide films (Silvermax, APX100 (old formula) and Kentmere 400 = APX400) using Silvermax developer; all chemicals are prepared with demineralised water, and there is no purple or grey fog.
1986blutengel
It might be down to the developer. I use Tetenal Ultrafine. For the fixer, I use Adofix
Morte
A slight purple or pink tint is not a problem – nor is it unusual – provided the film has been properly fixed. In my experience, you can reduce such a ‘colour cast’ by rinsing the film for longer, if you wish. Whether a tint appears, and how pronounced it is, varies depending on the film (or film base).
How long do you rinse for, and what method do you use?
1986blutengel
For rinsing: I simply insert a large funnel into the filling hole of a Jobo canister and let fresh water run through continuously. It has the same effect as if I were using that Jobo rinsing hose.
TR
Speaking of rinsing: once the fixing process is complete, you can open the canister and start by thoroughly rinsing it, the reel, the ‘reel rod’ and the lid with water. This removes a large proportion of the fixer, which would otherwise take a long time to wash out gradually. After that, of course, you should continue rinsing as usual to ensure archival quality.
Morte
For rinsing: I simply insert a large funnel into the filling opening of a Jobo canister and let fresh water run through continuously. It has the same effect as if I were using that Jobo rinsing tube.
That’s all well and good, but the duration is crucial.
ralle
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For rinsing: I simply insert a large funnel into the filling opening of a Jobo can and let fresh water run through continuously. It has the same effect as if I were using this Jobo rinsing hose.
That’s fine, but the duration is crucial.
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At least 20 minutes, after first rinsing the reel, canister, etc.
wosis123
That should be more than enough; I use the Jobo cascade, 10 minutes, no pre-rinse, no colouring.
Wolf_XL
...I’d simply go for the tried-and-tested
Ilford method for rinsing. It’s archive-safe and also saves water. The pink fog is probably caused by the antihalation – you can easily get rid of it by leaving your negatives in the sun for a while. Alternatively, you could extend your fixing time, use a stronger fixing solution, or use a particularly alkaline fixer.
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That's all...
