Help with TF4 / TF5 vs ilford rapid fixer - pros & cons

[Michael R]

All of these fixers are re-usable subject to capacity/throughput and they are all similar in that respect too.

One potential downside to alkaline fixers which I forgot to mention above is that with those it becomes more important to either use a stop bath or do a thorough water rinse after development particularly in the case of FB papers. You don't want development to restart in the alkaline fixing bath. On balance this is why neutral fixers such as TF-5, Sprint, or something like Kodak C-41 Flexicolor are the best.

[paulbarden]

There’s no reason to think TF fixers are less reusable than any other rapid fixer. If you want to be super fussy about making archival fiber base prints, then go ahead and use it for one print session, but for film, it can be saved and reused for many rolls/sheets.

I use nothing but TF-4/TF-5 these days, it washes out faster and more readily, it will not bleach my salted paper prints, and it doesn’t have that nasty acrid smell other rapid fixers do.

[Michael R]

I think it's worth making the point this shouldn't be overcomplicated (which unfortunately it often is due to cookbooks and other nonsense). From a photographic processing perspective the important thing about fixers is to use them properly, which means not exceeding fixing times (although this is less important with neutral or alkaline fixers) and not exceeding capacity. That's really all there is to it. It's all the same thiosulfate fixation in the end.

[paulbarden]

I think it's worth making the point this shouldn't be overcomplicated (which unfortunately it often is due to cookbooks and other nonsense). From a photographic processing perspective the important thing about fixers is to use them properly, which means not exceeding fixing times (although this is less important with neutral or alkaline fixers) and not exceeding capacity. That's really all there is to it. It's all the same thiosulfate fixation in the end.

Yup!

[Tin Can]

I prefer no stink

[Joe O'Hara]

FWIW I use two-bath fixing with TF5 (formerly with TF4). The first bath, which does most of the work and takes the beating from the citric acid stop bath, gets dumped at the end of the session. The second bath becomes the first bath the next time. I try to not keep that used fixer around more than a few weeks since I've been burned by dying fixer in the past. I am not averse to using the second bath for fixing (again) prints that I've done ferricyanide bleaching on that day or earlier. I used to mix up TF4 but my volumes are very low these days so I'm happy to have PF mix the TF5 for me. They get to concern themselves with the quality of the starting materials they get from their suppliers rather than leaving it to me.

Out of an abundance of caution, old habit, and a virtually unlimited supply of pure water from the Kirkwood-Conhasey aquifer, I still wash my prints for an hour afterwards. After a brief dalliance in my backyard system the water goes back into the ground where it came from, so no harm done there.

[monochromeFan]

FWIW I use two-bath fixing with TF5 (formerly with TF4). The first bath, which does most of the work and takes the beating from the citric acid stop bath, gets dumped at the end of the session. The second bath becomes the first bath the next time. I try to not keep that used fixer around more than a few weeks since I've been burned by dying fixer in the past. I am not averse to using the second bath for fixing (again) prints that I've done ferricyanide bleaching on that day or earlier. I used to mix up TF4 but my volumes are very low these days so I'm happy to have PF mix the TF5 for me. They get to concern themselves with the quality of the starting materials they get from their suppliers rather than leaving it to me.

Out of an abundance of caution, old habit, and a virtually unlimited supply of pure water from the Kirkwood-Conhasey aquifer, I still wash my prints for an hour afterwards. After a brief dalliance in my backyard system the water goes back into the ground where it came from, so no harm done there.

Have never seen any source saying photographic chemical run off is safe for septic tanks.

[Willie]

Have never seen any source saying photographic chemical run off is safe for septic tanks.

Some years ago Kodak had a publication that said it was not harmful "in small amounts" - such as generally used in a home darkroom.

You will have to check their publications for more information.

[Drew Wiley]

Septic tanks can be sensitive. You can opt to learn that the hard way, or else do your best to avoid trouble in the first place.

[Kevin Crisp]

Silver (as present in used fixer) is a powerful antibacterial element. I don't think used fixer going into the septic is a good idea, even in small quantities.