What can cause TINY TINY white spots on a neg?

[ericantonio]

As others have suggested, I suspect this is from junk suspended in the (used) fix. Time to make fresh.

Q: how long do you keep fixer before discarding it, and do you use it to exhaustion? (using exhaustion tester)

That's too much work. I just fix and take out film like in rolls, and if it still looks pink after a few minutes, I just mix a new batch. Liquid fix is easy not like old days with a bucket, a metal spool and a bag of Kodak fixer. But I don't recall doing much film from this last batch. And I've used spent fixer before and never saw anything like this.

I'm about to go in and take a break from "work" and see what happens in a few hours after it has dried.

[Doremus Scudder]

You likely have particulates from the bad fixer adhered to the film. If you have a scrap negative with the defect, you can try scraping at the spots and see if you can dislodge the particles (just for confirmation that this is the problem; they stick really hard to the emulsion and cleaning such a negative successfully is practically impossible).

The solution for the future, of course, is to use fresh fixer. Keep in mind that working solutions of fixer can go bad and throw particulates (sulfur) with age even if the capacity of the fixer has not yet been reached. Filtering will help, but it's better to toss fixer and mix fresh if you see anything floating around in it.

Best,

Doremus

[ericantonio]

Keep in mind that working solutions of fixer can go bad and throw particulates (sulfur) with age even if the capacity of the fixer has not yet been reached.

I did not know this!!! Thanks!

Processing done with a test shot. Hopefully will be dry after lunch.

[Doremus Scudder]

Eric,

Take a look at the tech sheet for Ilford Rapid Fixer here: https://www.ilfordphoto.com/amfile/f...3/product/711/

The general information applies to all fixers of this type (Clayton too). Read especially about capacities and working solution life.

Best,

Doremus

[Willie]

Are you using a water filter for the water you use in mixing developer?

[Gary Samson]

Are you using Fomapan 100 film? I have identified a problem with a box of this film (4x5 inch) 50 sheets, expiration date April, 2022, batch no. 021354-03, purchased from B&H. See the attached scans of the negative.

[ericantonio]

Are you using Fomapan 100 film? I have identified a problem with a box of this film (4x5 inch) 50 sheets, expiration date April, 2022, batch no. 021354-03, purchased from B&H. See the attached scans of the negative.

Hmmmm, this is VERY INTERESTING.

[ericantonio]

Welp, it looks the same today. I made a new batch of fixer. I used a BRAND NEW CONTAINER of an Amber Glass type. I used hc110 Dilution B, so I can have a quick 6 min processing time. Gary, I am using Arista EDU 400 which internet lore says it is the same as Fomapan. Yes that purple on the lightbox looks like mine as well, and the tiny white dots. And doesn't look too bad on the image, but when zoomed in yes.

I'll have to see what other film I have in my stash and make another test.

Here are the full size image and a zoomed in to see the white dots.

Zoomed in:


Normal view:

[ericantonio]

Well, this isn't good. I seem to have only this one box of Arista EDU 400 film, expires 2021/09.

Seems like it's pretty new, I may have used HP5 earlier this year when I didn't get problems. Man, this sucks.

[Gary Samson]

Well, this isn't good. I seem to have only this one box of Arista EDU 400 film, expires 2021/09.

Seems like it's pretty new, I may have used HP5 earlier this year when I didn't get problems. Man, this sucks.

I bought the Fomapan 100 because I read many good things about this film and wanted to test it. I processed several exposed sheets in Pyrocat M and saw the spots on the film with a loupe. I ran another test developing the Fomapan film with Ilford FP4+ film, the Fomapan had spots the Ilford film was absolutely clean. I also processed the Fomapan in Kodak Xtol and in Rodinal, same results. It's a defect in manufacturing.