Development failure

[edadam]

There are some strange marks on my new negative (fomapan 100 4x5). It can be seen on the entire sky area. What is it caused by? Maybe expired developer/fix? I use fomadon lqn, and fomafix. Is it possible to save the negative? 206923

[Chauncey Walden]

In a tray or?

[edadam]

In a tray.

[NER]

"Developing" by Jacobson & Jacobson (1972 Focal Press Limited) contains a handy section depicting common defects in negatives and explaining their causes. The image you posted corresponds to the book's image of "marbling" which is said to be caused by "exhausted, insufficiently mixed, or unstirred developer." To my eye, a negative corresponding to the positive you posted also resembles the book's image of "dark flecks" which are said to be caused by "particles of undissolved chemicals in the developer." This second possibility seems less likely given that you are using a liquid concentrate for developing, but it is not an impossible explanation if your concentrate or working solution has been compromised due to age, conditions of storage or other factors. There is nothing unusual about encountering problems in photography. As always, the solution is revealed by considering all possible variables and eliminating them one at a time until the cause is identified.

N. Riley
http://normanrileyphotography.com

ps. No, it is not possible to save such a negative.

[edadam]

Thank you for the answer. I thought about the same. I kept the developer stock solution in a less-than-half filled container, and now it's very yellow.

[koraks]

I find the actual defect hard to see in the picture. I mean, I see some vague dark flecks, but I have the impression that they're quite distorted by a mediocre scan and high jpeg compression, making it very hard to tell what they look like in reality. Any chance of providing a more detailed image of this defect, and perhaps also bigger picture showing a larger surface area? Perhaps even a good photograph of the negative itself?

[John Kasaian]

Which developer? I've gotten dark flakes in Kodak D-76 in the past.