In a tray or?
In a tray.
"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.
Last edited by NER; 18-Aug-2020 at 17:51. Reason: Added Clarification & Post Script
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.
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?
Which developer? I've gotten dark flakes in Kodak D-76 in the past.
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
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