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Thread: Too much agitation when fixing film

  1. #1

    Join Date
    Dec 1997
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    Seattle, Washington
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    67

    Too much agitation when fixing film

    I suppose this is not a LF question, but more of general film developing questio n.

    From reading Adams' book on the negative, it is quite evident on what are the consequences of over agititation with developer in the tank. But what a re the consequences of over agititation with fixer in the tank? How does it aff ect the negative?

    Many Thanks...

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Aug 1998
    Posts
    32

    Too much agitation when fixing film

    Should not really affect anything, unless it is insane over agitation.

  3. #3
    mike rosenlof's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 1998
    Location
    Louisville, Colorado, USA
    Posts
    356

    Too much agitation when fixing film

    I agree. Unless you're agitating so hard you physically damage the film, there should be no problem.

    I hear you can over fix film, and vigorous agitation might shorten the time that would be considered over fixing. But over fixing is usually several times standard fix times, not an extra 30 seconds in the fix.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
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    Oregon now (formerly Austria)
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    3,392

    Too much agitation when fixing film

    Robert, In the same Ansel Adams book you mention you will also find a small reference to the fact that fixer works a bit more efficiently with less agitation. It seems the silver halides dissolve out more quickly when there is an undisturbed interface between solution and print/film surface and only slows down after the solution in direct contact with the surface has a significant saturation level of dissolved silver compounds. Then it needs an agitation to bring fresh solution into contact with the emulsion (once each 30 seconds should be more than adequate). Subsequently, too much agitation can slow down fixing to a certain degree. However, this effect is very small and in practice can be ignored. Overfixing, especially with rapid fixers that contain ammonium thiosulfate, can lead to a reduction of density in the negative as the fixer will begin to dissolve the metalic silver which forms the image with excessive fixing times. This, however is mostly a matter of time and not agitation. More important is fixer exhaustion, which leads to underfixing and is a separate issue. Watch the capacities, time and temperature carefully, and don't worry too much about your agitation. If you do everything the same way every time and your negs and prints pass a residual silver halide test then you will be assured of repeatable results. Hope this helps, ;^D)

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