How do you tell if film is over or under developed?
Leave the film in the developer long enough and you’ll get black negatives when you pull them from the fixer. In both cases, one clear sign of over- or under-development is a lack of detail in the negative, because the details tend not to be solidly exposed or not exposed.
Why did my film turn out black?
Film is black, fogged or partially fogged A film that is either fully black, or has partial black marks indicates that the film has been fogged. (Exposed to light). Fogging could arise in the following stages: Loading a film into a camera.
Can you fix film for too long?
As a general rule, you shouldn’t fix for longer than three times the clearing time (or rather, you don’t need to); twice is sufficient. And just to clarify, you don’t need processed film to test for clearing time- any bit of exposed film will do.
How do I know if my film developer is bad?
To test, just snip off a piece of film with the light to expose it, and place it in the developer. It should turn dark very quickly. An unexposed film would not tell you much about develope action since all you will get back is B+F.
What happens if you develop film too long?
If you leave the film in the developer too long, the film is overdeveloped. The result of over development is increased contrast, along with increased density in the mid tone and highlight areas of the picture.
What happens when film developer goes bad?
I haven’t used Ilford chemicals yet, but I do know that for most film and paper developers, you can tell right away when it has started to go bad because it will start to turn yellow. Weak developer will give you thin negatives with very low contrast.
Can I reuse film developer?
Developer is cheap; use it once, maybe twice, then drop it in a slop bucket. Maybe you can boost the pH and use it for paper developer if you are really hot about reusing. Overall, it’s a good way to lose a day’s worth of shots in a few minutes. Use fresh when you can.
Can you reuse stop bath and fixer?
Stop baths can be reused repeatedly until they lose their acidity. Some incorporate indicators that change color when this happens: typically, they go from yellow to purple. Otherwise you can use litmus paper or simply replace the stop bath frequently enough that it is unlikely to exhaust.
How many times can you reuse film fixer?
1-Reusing fixer during the same session of film development to fix multiple rolls or sheets of film (no problem, as long as you limit the reuse to avoid exhaustion – using exhaution checkers etc is useful here.)
How many times can you reuse stop bath?
If you use stop bath – regard it as a once only bath. If you keep reusing it, there is a fair chance of stuff accumulating in it and sticking to the film. For paper I do use indicator stop bath and change it frequently (10-12 11×14 fiber based prints – then dump it).
How much can you reuse fixer?
As an example, Kodak’s data indicates that Kodak rapid fixer (in 1:3 dilution) has a capacity of 32 (either rolls of 35mm 36 exposures, or rolls of 120 or 8″x10″ sheets) for every liter of working solution, when used in tanks.
How long does film stop last?
It uses 2 other ingredients instead. Stop baths will keep just about forever even if the color vanishes from the indicator in some cases. You don’t need a wash after a stop even if you are using TF-4 for fixer, and espeicially if you are using an acid fix.
How many times can you reuse Ilford fixer?
Ilford say that 1 litre of their Rapid Fixer should be sufficient for 24 rolls of 35mm film.
Can I reuse Ilford rapid fixer?
Prints must be well washed before using the test, it is not effective on prints direct from the fixer bath. Any method of silver recovery can be used with ILFORD RAPID FIXER but for maximum efficiency the electrolytic method is recommended as the treated fixer can be recycled or reused.
How many rolls is fixer good for?
25 rolls
Can you reuse Ilford developer?
REUSING DEVELOPER 1 Litre of ILFOTEC DD-X 1+4 can process up to 10 x 135/36 or 120 roll films provided that the developer is reused.
How many times can I use film developer?
A few developers (Diafine) can be reused. Ilford DD-X is another that can be reused, for up to 10 rolls. You have to add 10% to the dev time for each roll that you have already developed in it though.
Do you agitate fixer?
You cannot over-agitate fixer. Yes, vigorous agitation means shake it. Development agitation is gentle, simple inversions.
How long does Ilford multigrade developer last?
approximately 24 months
Does paper developer expire?
Paper dev tends to go off pretty quickly once opened. It certainly wont last a year. Most devs will go yellow or brown as they age, so if you see any colour change dump it and get some more. It’s very cheap.
What is Ilford multigrade?
Product Description. Multigrade is a trademark of Ilford, which means it is a black and white paper developed by them that allows the user to obtain five different grades (and half grades) from a single sheet of paper. The advantages of buying such a type of paper are distinct from a cost-saving viewpoint.
Is RC paper archival?
RC or Resin Coated Paper is darkroom paper with a base that is sealed between two polyethylene layers, meaning it has a plastic base. This is the most affordable darkroom option, however, the least archival. There is developer in the paper to increase speed of development.
How do you store darkroom paper?
I’ve always stored my paper in the darkroom with no trouble. The trick is to use it up promptly. Film is best stored in the ‘fridge, and since my darkrooms have always been in the basement, I’d hesitate to store camera equipment there. That stays on upper floors to avoid mold and the like.
What is multigrade photo paper?
Ilford Multigrade FB Classic Overview This paper features a double weight of 255 gsm and a white base tint providing neutral colors. Multigrade FB Classic is designed for use with all enlargers and is equally suitable for printing from conventional negatives and from XP2 Super negatives.
How long does darkroom paper last?
3 to 10 years