auckland
Hello,
I keep coming up against a phenomenon that I can no longer explain. Specifically, with almost every roll of film I develop using TMAX Developer, I get white blobs appearing in random places on the film – see the scans of the negatives:
The images have been enlarged approximately 10 times (cap) and 4 times (platform). On the dry negative, they appear (visible only with a magnifying glass) on the emulsion side as a silvery-black coating that cannot be removed. It is worth noting that this defect only occurs with TMAX Developer, but not with Rodinal or D76, which I have also used occasionally. However, it occurs in TMAX Developer with all films (TMX and TMY, HP5+, Kentmere 400, etc.). Sometimes only on one or two frames, sometimes on every fifth frame or so.
My process:
1. Development in TMAX Developer 1+4 in a Paterson tank at 24°C (TMAX films) or 20°C (classic emulsions) (tilt four times every 30 seconds)
2. Intermediate rinsing with tap water (three rinses, tilting five times each)
3. Fixing in Adox Fixer 1+9 for 5–10 mins (double/triple the standard fixing time, depending on the film)
4. Rinsing according to Ilford
5. Short bath in distilled water with Mirasol at approx. 1:600
6. Air-drying in a clean, quiet room
I prepare the developer and fixer using tap water.
In the digital process, I can usually retouch the blots out, but I want to get back to the enlarger with the negatives, and that’s when it gets tricky.
Does anyone else have any idea what might be causing this? Bubble formation due to wetting agent residues from the previous batch? Residual halos?
I’d be grateful for any relevant advice.
