Troubleshooting devopment

[Steven Ruttenberg]

I have gotten this streak on several images with tmax developer and got it faintly with 2 bath pyrocat. The difference is photoflo in developer A of pyrocat Both times prewashed for 3 minutes, well soaked at development temp. Would photoflo work in tmax? Or better yet if presoak not required would this fix problem? It is always on this side of frame too. I use SP445 to develop. I am thing it might be the 445 that is issue and nit the presoak.

[chuck461]

If the problem has shown up in the same corner I'd suspect a hair or other debris inside the camera.
Chuck

[Steven Ruttenberg]

But it isn't a hair, this goes on to the other side of the frame, I didn't photograph and then ends in what looks like a water spill. I have a lot of images that have this, with different lenses, different scenes,etc.

[Ken Lee]

To rule out the influence of the camera, you can try a negative that hasn't been exposed in a camera or loaded into a film holder, but merely flashed briefly with dim light.

You can also remove the influence of the developing tank: develop a negative alone in a tray.

[Jim Noel]

Do as Ken has advised. Be sure to agitate moderately and regularly

[Steven Ruttenberg]

Okay, I can do a tray test. I checked out camera and it is clean. I'll have to overtake my closet, but can be done.

[Ken Lee]

If the streak appears on the tray-developed negative, you may have a spoiled or scratched batch of film - or you're scratching them during handling, loading, etc. If not, you've ruled out those factors.

To that point, it's helpful to clean your fingers with rubbing alcohol (and allow them to dry) just before handling sheet film. That way you can't accidentally mark them with natural oils that would inhibit the contact of all chemicals with your film. If you've mixed any chemicals prior to handling the film, alcohol will help remove them. I arrived at this method after getting finger-prints in my negatives which appeared white in the final print: hard to remove even with Photoshop.

The next step would be to expose 4 sheets (or however many your tank can accommodate) to dim light and develop them all in your tank simultaneously. If the streak appears on one or more negatives, there's something in one or more of the slots in the tank (or the way you're loading them) which is limiting developer contact with the film.

To identify each sheet, you can cut from 1 to 4 notches into each sheet: be sure to record which sheet went into which slot of the tank.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

If the streak appears on the tray-developed negative, you may have a spoiled or scratched batch of film - or you're scratching them during handling, loading, etc. If not, you've ruled out those factors.

To that point, it's helpful to clean your fingers with rubbing alcohol (and allow them to dry) just before handling sheet film. That way you can't accidentally mark them with natural oils that would inhibit the contact of all chemicals with your film. If you've mixed any chemicals prior to handling the film, alcohol will help remove them. I arrived at this method after getting finger-prints in my negatives which appeared white in the final print: hard to remove even with Photoshop.

The next step would be to expose 4 sheets (or however many your tank can accommodate) to dim light and develop them all in your tank simultaneously. If the streak appears on one or more negatives, there's something in one or more of the slots in the tank (or the way you're loading them) which is limiting developer contact with the film.

To identify each sheet, you can cut from 1 to 4 notches into each sheet: be sure to record which sheet went into which slot of the tank.

Okay, I can do that, shouldn't be too hard, I can just shoot the wall in my office/studio and develop as usual. I might do like 12 sheets, 2 tray with pre-soak, 2 without, 4 with pre-soak and 4 without (4 for the sp-445 tank) I am using Tmax developer.

[Ken Lee]

I recommend no shooting, no camera, no lens. Just expose the film to light for a brief moment. Best to keep the camera, lens, exposure and film holders out of the equation altogether.

You will find it helpful to reduce the number of variables.

This isn't generally uneven development, this is a specific shape. My guess is that it's either your film, how you handle the film, or something about the tank or how you use it which is limiting contact between the film and the chemicals along a curved line.

[Steven Ruttenberg]

No shooting. No camera, no lens. Just expose the film to light for a flash.

oh, okay. Basically, just put in a film holder, insert in camera, no lens, open a shutter or lift a cover real quick then develop?.

I also have a thought I am going to try as well. I am going to develop the first 4 like I typically do in the sp-445. The dry it and do the next 4. I am starting to suspect that some how, I am not getting the sp-445 completely dry and then water drips down on the second batch, so I will compare first batch to second batch.

Could it be air bubbles in the mixture from not rotating the sp-445 properly? I rotate slowly in 1 direction for half the initial agitation period, then rotate 90 degrees for second half. I then, rotate as scheduled rotating sp-445 90 degrees for next rotation.

Should I rinse between developer and stop bath and fixer and hypoclear Massive Dev app does not indicate to do so when I use it? Would photoflo help to be added to developer? Just throwing out things. Going to start with what you have suggested to eliminate the obvious things (that may also be the culpret)