What causes these black spots? Look at the bottom of the image in particular. I'm noticing these when developing Tri-x in Rodinal.
They're visible throughout the image, but tend to appear toward the end furthest from the notches. (?)
Super-annoying having to correct it in photoshop. I think this example is beyond salvaging.
Here's a crop so that you can see in higher res:
Could be dust in the film holders blocking light from getting to the film.
If you look at the negative with a microscope or something, is the emulsion damaged (blistered, chipped, etc..)?
I don't have a microscope, but I tried looking with the same 4X loupe I use when composing. It looks like there might be small chips in the emulsion, but I can't really tell.
I've seen small black dots on my images before, but nothing that looks quite like this.
To my eyes it looks like areas of silver dissolved out of the emulsion. Maybe something in the developer, like precipitated sulfite, that's become stuck to the emulsion?
I’m sorry for Kodak, but I had exactly these spots too with my TriX in brand new holders from Chamonix. Not developed in Rodinal but HC110 B. Could not find the cause in my workflow. Didn’t have that with any other film brand. So TriX is nostalgia for me now, period. I stopped with Kodak altogether. Pancro400 for 400ASA and ADOX CHS 100 ii for 100. Especially the Adox film is extremely clean and bright, marvellous.Originally Posted by ChristopherMarv
What causes these black spots? Look at the bottom of the image in particular. I'm noticing these when developing Tri-x in Rodinal.
They're visible throughout the image, but tend to appear toward the end furthest from the notches. (?)
Super-annoying having to correct it in photoshop. I think this example is beyond salvaging.
I love that picture . . . just beautiful. Marvelous. Fix the technical problem but don't change anything else! Anyway, the spots don't ruin the picture. Only a deadened sensibility does that. Ja?
I mix chemicals well away from any film loading - minimize any chance of stray crystals settling on film. And I vacuum the table and the holders before I load them. Foma 400 sheet film (or Arista EDU Ultra 400) and Clayton F76 work well for me, never have a problem.
My office is about 1/4 mile from where Tri-X used to be made, but I don't trust Kodak anymore, for anything . . .
Lovely picture . . .
Now you've got me wondering...
I've had problems with Kodak lately: sheets of film without notches, brown D-76 and so on. There does seem to be some sort of a quality control issue over there. I have some HP5 on deck. I'll try something with that and see if the problem continues.
Have you checked that the emulsion looks OK on a unprocessed sheet of film direct from the box?
Was going to say excess iron in your water supply...but those "spots" appear to have an angular...almost crystalline structure. Like silver from dense areas migrating and re-crystallizing. Are all of your solutions well mixed (no gunk or sediment floating around?) and fresh?
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