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tgtaylor
8-Dec-2009, 21:59
I just developed 3 holders (6 negatives) of Fuji 160S color negative film shot yesterday using a Jobo3010 Expert Drum and Kodak C-41 chemistry. 5 came out as expected but the 6th was crystal clear with no edge markings. I'm certain that I pulled the dark slide and exposed all. Any ideas?

Thanks,

Thomas

Vaughn
8-Dec-2009, 23:08
Usually when that happens to me, I have a double exposure on one side of the holder and a blank neg in the other!

And then there was the time I did an hour exposure at night and spent a long time looking for the darkslide -- I never pulled it. Other possibilities -- lens not cocked (but usually we hear the shutter fire), darkcloth accidently drooped in front of the lens, gremlins, mental farts, etc.

tgtaylor
9-Dec-2009, 10:29
Thanks for the reply Vaughn.

When I awoke this morning and placed them in their storage sleeves, I noticed that the notches on the clear negative didn't match with the others. It turns out that it was a TMax 100 negative! The only way that could have happened is if I loaded one side of that holder with color and forgot to notate that in my notebook that I carry with me when photographing, or Fuji mixed it in the box. Can't imagine the latter so it must be the former. I always load one film at a time in the holders so it's impossible that I reached for the wrong box in the Harrison tent because it wouldn't be there.

After I posted last night I did a quick search online. The only posting I ran across was that a clear negative with no edge marking meant that you ran the negative thru the fixer first. That was not the case here as the other 5 came out well.

So the lesson is: If you run an exposed B&W negative thru the C-41 process, you get zilch! Nutin!

Thomas

J Ney
9-Dec-2009, 11:10
Thanks for the reply Vaughn.

When I awoke this morning and placed them in their storage sleeves, I noticed that the notches on the clear negative didn't match with the others. It turns out that it was a TMax 100 negative! The only way that could have happened is if I loaded one side of that holder with color and forgot to notate that in my notebook that I carry with me when photographing, or Fuji mixed it in the box. Can't imagine the latter so it must be the former. I always load one film at a time in the holders so it's impossible that I reached for the wrong box in the Harrison tent because it wouldn't be there.

After I posted last night I did a quick search online. The only posting I ran across was that a clear negative with no edge marking meant that you ran the negative thru the fixer first. That was not the case here as the other 5 came out well.

So the lesson is: If you run an exposed B&W negative thru the C-41 process, you get zilch! Nutin!

Thomas

That just recently happened to me, as well!!!

I'm taking my right closed-fist and putting it against my right temple... forearm at a 45d angle and upper arm parrallel to the deck. I'm giving you the knuckle-head salute!!

Louie Powell
9-Dec-2009, 11:13
The larger the format, the more ways there are to screw up (and the more painful each error is).

That's all part of the fun.

Vaughn
9-Dec-2009, 11:17
Ahhh...well, the mystery is not totally solved, but somewhat explained. I thought what you meant by "edge markings" was the rebate, not the burned-in identifiers.

Interesting, C-41 films developed in B&W chemistry does produce an image.

You should print the clear neg -- you could title the print "The Non-latent Image Revealed".

Vaughn

dave_whatever
9-Dec-2009, 14:15
You should print the clear neg -- you could title the print "The Non-latent Image Revealed".

If John Cage was a photographer........

Diane Maher
9-Dec-2009, 14:34
A lab accidentally developed a roll of HIE in E-6. At first, they told me that the film wasn't exposed and wanted to charge me, but I realized there was a discernible image present. I got a free replacement roll of HIE film. I was glad that I had asked to see the negatives.

keith english
9-Dec-2009, 15:02
Fortunately with large format it's only one image not 36! I hate to admit that when working in a local lab I ran a roll of BW through the c41 machine. The temperature just melts the emulsion I believe.

James E Galvin
9-Dec-2009, 15:12
Its not a mystery. Color film starts out with silver halide, developed similar to B/W. Its the spent developer that couples to the color dye. Then the silver is bleached out, and the remaining silver halide fixed out. But b/w film doesn't have the chemistry to couple to the color dye. So you have developed the b/w image, removed the image with the bleach, and removed the remaining silver halide. That's the hard way to make clear plastic sheets!

tgtaylor
9-Dec-2009, 19:59
Its not a mystery. Color film starts out with silver halide, developed similar to B/W. Its the spent developer that couples to the color dye. Then the silver is bleached out, and the remaining silver halide fixed out. But b/w film doesn't have the chemistry to couple to the color dye. So you have developed the b/w image, removed the image with the bleach, and removed the remaining silver halide. That's the hard way to make clear plastic sheets!

I think this is correct. The process sequence steps in the Jobo manual describes the sequence as:

"In the bleach, the metallic silver is converted to silver to be removed by the fixing bath (which also removes) all remaining silver salts...from the film." In the B&W sequence the "Exposed silver salt in converted to metallic silver...(and the) fixer removes the unconverted silver salt."

Film is more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

BTW, it sure did make a beautifully clear sheet. I stabilized it, hung it to dry with the others, and put it in its own sleeve. Maybe I'll take Vaughn's suggestion - sounds avant-garde to me!