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Thread: Efke question

  1. #1

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    Efke question

    Hi all, I'm new to using Efke 100(fairly new to darkroom period) and noticed there is a reddish tint to the film and strong red color change to my developer. Is this normal? Using Ilfosol 3. The red tint seems to remain around the perimeter of my negative after fixing and rinsing - not strong just a tint. Is that normal or am I doing something wrong?

    Thanks,
    Bill

  2. #2

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    Re: Efke question

    I get the same tint in my developer using rodinal but haven't had any staining of the neg afterwards.

  3. #3
    Daniel Stone's Avatar
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    Re: Efke question

    how long are you washing(rinsing you call it) for? I've found that using a clearing agent(hypo clear) before washing helps reduce any "tinting" of the negative(unless I'm using a pyro(staining) developer, which in that case, the tint is pretty permanent, and wanted !)

    I've found that 30min gives a perfectly "archival"(no fixer remaining) wash.

    -Dan

  4. #4

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    Re: Efke question

    Quote Originally Posted by DanielStone View Post
    how long are you washing(rinsing you call it) for? I've found that using a clearing agent(hypo clear) before washing helps reduce any "tinting" of the negative(unless I'm using a pyro(staining) developer, which in that case, the tint is pretty permanent, and wanted !)

    I've found that 30min gives a perfectly "archival"(no fixer remaining) wash.

    -Dan
    30minutes? I guess you're not paying your water bill:0

  5. #5
    Lachlan 717
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    Re: Efke question

    Are you presoaking?
    Lachlan.

    You miss 100% of the shots you never take. -- Wayne Gretzky

  6. #6

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    Re: Efke question

    Quote Originally Posted by bvaughn4 View Post
    Hi all, I'm new to using Efke 100(fairly new to darkroom period) and noticed there is a reddish tint to the film and strong red color change to my developer. Is this normal? Using Ilfosol 3. The red tint seems to remain around the perimeter of my negative after fixing and rinsing - not strong just a tint. Is that normal or am I doing something wrong?

    Thanks,
    Bill
    It could be the antihalation layer washing off in the developer, and the tint is due to inadequate fixing/washing.
    Presoaking would remove most of it.

  7. #7
    Daniel Stone's Avatar
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    Re: Efke question

    Quote Originally Posted by vinny View Post
    30minutes? I guess you're not paying your water bill:0
    water bill is built into the rent cost . I told the owner before I moved in that I'd be doing this. They're cool with it(also seeing they water their grass morning and night, 6 days/week ).

    And I process my film in batches, so its not every week,etc... Its also on a VERY LOW flow, like 1/4gal/minute, just enough to keep the water moving over the neg/print surface. Using a hypo eliminator helps too

    -Dan

  8. #8
    Roger Cole's Avatar
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    Re: Efke question

    You need one exchange of water every five minutes. My two reel tank holds something like 22 oz. That means 6x22 or 132 ounces, just over one gallon, for a 30 minute wash.

    Heck, water is cheap enough I can double that flow rate, wash all the film I can process, and never notice the difference in my water bill which is not built into anything, being a home owner.

    Now washing FB prints without a wash aid would be different, but who would do that? For that matter it's practically impossible to get a really good archival wash on FB without a wash aid anyway.

    All that said, I read long ago that grain tended to increase with extended wet times. I can't prove it and have taken some heat online for repeating it, so I'll just suggest trying it. I do try to keep my wet times as short as possible consistent with archival washing, which for me means Perma-Wash for film, not just FB paper, and a 5 minute wash after the Perma-Wash.

  9. #9
    8x10, 5x7, 4x5, et al Leigh's Avatar
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    Re: Efke question

    You're seeing the dissolved anti-halation layer from the back of the film. It dissolves when the film gets wet.

    It should not remain on the film. Sounds like inadequate washing.

    Halation occurs when light passes through the film and reflects off the pressure plate back into the emulsion. The anti-halation layer is an opaque dye on the back of the film used to absorb light that passes through it. Once the film is exposed it's no longer needed.

    - Leigh

  10. #10

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    Re: Efke question

    Thanks for the suggestions. Sounds like washing might be the issue. I'm fixing for about 4 min then 30 sec in photo flo and then soak in clean water tray for 4-5 min the running water rinse for 1-2 min.

    Not presoaking but I may give that a try as well.

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