TF5 for film?

[Arg6442]

Hi everyone,

Last night, I developed film for the first time in a while. I recently switched to using TF5 fixer for my printing work, and I fixed my FP4 in it for two minutes. When it was done, all the negatives looked fine, fully cleared, etc.

However, I read after the fact that TF5 isn’t good for film or shouldn’t be used. Should I be concerned for my negatives?

Thanks!


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[interneg]

No idea where that came from. Just make sure you use the correct dilution & keep the working strength fix you use for film separate from the working strength fix you use for paper - if you use the same bath for both, it'll exhaust faster (owing to the difference between film & paper emulsions I recall).

[mpiga picha]

I fixed my FP4 in it for two minutes. When it was done, all the negatives looked fine, fully cleared, etc.


The moment, when the negatives are fully cleared, marks only the first half of fixing! That means, when the clearing time is 2 minutes, then the total fixing time should be 4 minutes.

[Bruce Barlow]

I never met a film that didn't like 5 minutes in the fixer. Maybe I'm hanging around with the wrong crowd when I meet them.

[jp]

http://stores.photoformulary.com/tf-5-archival-fix/ says it is for both film and paper.
I'd suggest separate mixes for film and paper, so the film fixer does not receive any paper fibers or airborne contaminants from sitting in a tray for a long time.

[koraks]

There's no reason TF5 wouldn't work just fine and dandy for film.

[Pere Casals]

TF4 and TF5 have similar capacity, some say that with some films 5 has a lower capacity. TF4 is alkaline and TF5 is neutral. TF5 has less odor, but many would prefer TF4 because it is an alkaline fixer.

[Doremus Scudder]

Arg, Fix film for the manufacturer's recommended time for whatever kind of fixer you are using (rapid or conventional - TF-5 is a rapid fixer). While your at it read up about doing the test for clearing time. It's a good way to know if your film fix is exhausted. You can determine minimum fixing time with the clearing test as well. Rule of thumb: fix film for at least twice the clearing time. When clearing time approached double that in fresh fixer, your fixer is exhausted and needs to be replaced.


I never met a film that didn't like 5 minutes in the fixer. Maybe I'm hanging around with the wrong crowd when I meet them.

Note I said minimum fixing time above. For film, it's often a good idea to fix longer, to be sure of adequate fixation, to get rid of the pink sensitizing dyes, etc., etc. I'm with Bruce: I like six minutes and two-bath fixation in rapid fixer for just about everything. I use the clearing-time test to know when to discard bath one.

One caveat with alkaline and neutral fixers for film: Carried-over developer can be reactivated in the fix. If you turn on the room lights to early when fixing, you can end up with fogged film. Don't ask me how I know this :)

Best,

Doremus

[Tin Can]

I mix 2 batches of TF5 per instructions with distilled water.

One is for film the other for paper.

I fix film for at least 5 minutes. T-Max is more.

RC paper 60 seconds and FB paper 120 seconds per Ilford.

I test clearing time every time with strips of X-Ray and TF5 seems to last forever so I dump after 1/2 rated capacity.

Water stop for film, citric acid for paper.

[Bruce Barlow]

Randy's right - I fix T-max in TF5 for ten minutes, like Kodak tells me.

[Pere Casals]

We may fix tmx a shorter time, and washing a longer time to remove the pink. Plain water also removes the pink.

[interneg]

C-41 fix is the best I've found for super efficient fixing with current Ilford & Kodak BW films - and it takes out the dye very, very effectively from TMax (likely because of the thiocyanate & some other ingredients). The dyes largely come out with the fix - which can be some spectacular colours. Fix times are very quick, definitely thoroughly fixed & cleared in 4-6 minutes. I'd avoid using it with Foma or similar, it can blister the emulsion.

[Arg6442]

Arg, Fix film for the manufacturer's recommended time for whatever kind of fixer you are using (rapid or conventional - TF-5 is a rapid fixer). While your at it read up about doing the test for clearing time. It's a good way to know if your film fix is exhausted. You can determine minimum fixing time with the clearing test as well. Rule of thumb: fix film for at least twice the clearing time. When clearing time approached double that in fresh fixer, your fixer is exhausted and needs to be replaced.



Note I said minimum fixing time above. For film, it's often a good idea to fix longer, to be sure of adequate fixation, to get rid of the pink sensitizing dyes, etc., etc. I'm with Bruce: I like six minutes and two-bath fixation in rapid fixer for just about everything. I use the clearing-time test to know when to discard bath one.

One caveat with alkaline and neutral fixers for film: Carried-over developer can be reactivated in the fix. If you turn on the room lights to early when fixing, you can end up with fogged film. Don't ask me how I know this :)

Best,

Doremus

Doremus,

I did a clearing test this morning. The strip of film cleared in under a minute, so I assume my 2 minutes were a-ok?


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[Drew Wiley]

Can't say, cause I routinely use TF4 for both paper and film. But Formulary recommends five min for film (double clearing time) @ standard 1:3 dilution. A little bit of pink remains with TMax; but it's totally gone after just a few minutes of wash.

[esearing]

FIVE minutes for me TF5 for FP4+ after Pyrocat with water-stop. I only process a few sheets a month, so a full liter lasts for 3-4 months but I replace at 6 months regardless. I test with a sliver of film before each run. 30-40 seconds to clear undeveloped film is my norm.

[Doremus Scudder]

Doremus,
I did a clearing test this morning. The strip of film cleared in under a minute, so I assume my 2 minutes were a-ok?

Yes, for that batch. Keep in mind that fixer takes longer after successive batches till it reaches the "2x-clearing-time" point, when it should be discarded. Unless you feel like doing a clip test before fixing every batch of film, you may want to standardize on a longer time, like many of us in the thread have. When your fix is ready to toss, the clearing time will be about two minutes. Double that is four minutes. That plus a bit of a safety margin is five minutes. You can safely fix film for longer than the minimum because, unlike fiber-base paper, it is on a waterproof base that doesn't absorb chemicals. Then you can just test for clearing time when the fixer is getting old and you need to know if you should replace it or not.

Best,

Doremus