Negs have violet tint

[wspe...@ntia.doc.gov]

Help! After a number of years out of the darkroom, I have just started
working in my darkroom again. New film (plus-x, my old standby), D-76, Kodak
Fixer, etc. (all fresh chemicals). 5.5 minutes at 68 deg. on the button,
stop, fix for 10 minutes, hypo, wash....same as ever. All my negs have a
violet tint to them. I was told by friends that my fixer was bad...so I
bought new developer and fixer and still the violet tint. The developing
seems to be ok, but still the violet tint. What gives? The only difference
(variable) might be the water I use to mix the chemicals. It is treated
water, i.e. water conditioner, neutralizer. Could this cause the problem?
Thanks in advance. Don

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[William Laut]

I would suggest you try progressively mixing your chemicals with distilled
water, starting with the developer, until you find which one is imparting
the tint or that you rule out the tap water.

Also, during this experiment, I suggest you inspect the negatives after
fixing and before washing, in case the tint is being introduced by the
wash water.

I use Plus-X all the time and have never seen violet tinting. While the
above steps may not resolve the problem, at least they will eliminate
possible causes.

Bill

wspe...@ntia.doc.gov wrote:
: Help! After a number of years out of the darkroom, I have just started

[Frank]

I am not so sure about the tint, but use distilled water for mixing the
chemicals. The stuff through the water conditioner is treated with
chemicals....salt I think.......
Frank Filippone

New film (plus-x, my old standby), D-76, Kodak
>Fixer, etc. (all fresh chemicals).

[Phenidone]

>Help! After a number of years out of the darkroom, I have just started

>working in my darkroom again. New film (plus-x, my old standby), D-76, Kodak

>Fixer, etc. (all fresh chemicals). 5.5 minutes at 68 deg. on the button,

>stop, fix for 10 minutes, hypo, wash....same as ever. All my negs have a

>violet tint to them. I was told by friends that my fixer was bad...so I
>bought new developer and fixer and still the violet tint. The developing
>seems to be ok, but still the violet tint. What gives? The only difference
>(variable) might be the water I use to mix the chemicals. It is treated
>water, i.e. water conditioner, neutralizer. Could this cause the problem?
>Thanks in advance. Don

My reply:

Are you using the T-max family of films? These will have a violet tint which
if light is normal and harmless and may disappear upon drying. It can also
disappear with more fixing, but don't overfix. Remember that T-Max exhausts
fixer faster, so run tests every once in a while. If the tint is heavy and
mottled, it means you are under-fixing. In this case, refix the films and
rewash.

When I was doing research on this film, this bothered me, but exposure to UV
light made it disappear (my lab has flourescent tubes), but really, unless it
is mottled and heavy, it is harmless. By the way, try using ammonium
thiosulfate instead of Sodium Thiosulfate (ammonium is rapid fix).

Good luck and write back if you need more info.

[L. J. Powell]

I had a similar experience this summer at a workshop. I bulk load my film, so I
can control the heritage of the stock - film from the same 100' roll processed at
home before and after the workshop was fine, while film processed in the teaching
darkroom had a distinct blue cast. I tried refixing the film and rewashing it at
home - same color. Screws up the contrast!

The teaching darkroom uses very common chemistry - D-76, Kodak Indicator stop,
Ilford Rapid Fix, Kodak HCA, photoflo.

I have processed film in this same teaching darkroom many times before without
this problem. It takes its water from a well, so if its the water, then it must
represent some kind of contamination that has gotten into the well since last
year.

Baffling!

wspe...@ntia.doc.gov wrote:

> Help! After a number of years out of the darkroom, I have just started
> working in my darkroom again. New film (plus-x, my old standby), D-76, Kodak
> Fixer, etc. (all fresh chemicals). 5.5 minutes at 68 deg. on the button,
> stop, fix for 10 minutes, hypo, wash....same as ever. All my negs have a
> violet tint to them. I was told by friends that my fixer was bad...so I
> bought new developer and fixer and still the violet tint. The developing
> seems to be ok, but still the violet tint. What gives? The only difference
> (variable) might be the water I use to mix the chemicals. It is treated
> water, i.e. water conditioner, neutralizer. Could this cause the problem?
> Thanks in advance. Don
>

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> http://www.dejanews.com/rg_mkgrp.xp Create Your Own Free Member Forum

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Louie J. Powell, APSA
Glenville, NY USA

"Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem"
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