Tray Processing Tip: Don't Mix Emulsion Up and Emulsion Down

[Bill Burk]

Thought I had seen it all...

We know it doesn't matter much if you process emulsion up or emulsion down when tray processing.

But it does matter that you do it all the same in the same batch.

I just saw a ghost.

The sensitometry sheet went in emulsion down while all the rest went emulsion up. I had a hunch it happened but wasn't overly concerned.

Well it matters, significantly. When two sheets are tray processed emulsion to emulsion they compete for the same thin layer of developer.

Highest densities of the sensitometry strip exhausted the developer locally, and left a ghost of the step wedge as lighter density on the photograph next to it.

Silver lining, I don't like the shot that was ruined and none of the others was affected.

[Bill Burk]

I'm not using any heavy equipment tonight.

Went to hang the film to dry and saw a completely open box of TMY-2 sitting on the easel. Way to waste 11 sheets of film.

For a split second I thought it would be funny to fan them out, take a picture and post on FS.

[Kirk Gittings]

Interesting. Though I never mix sides, I never thought of that problem in terms of development strength. But....

We know it doesn't matter much if you process emulsion up or emulsion down when tray processing.

IME up or down does matter in terms of scratches-less scratches with the emulsion down when shuffling bottom to top.

[Bill Burk]

IME up or down does matter in terms of scratches-less scratches with the emulsion down when shuffling bottom to top.

I know I should listen but it is hard to resist seeing the image come up fast. Also I worry that it will touch and scrape bottom. I was going to declare a victory on scratches since I saw none but there are traces on one shot. They seem to be edge-wise though and very faint. As if they occurred while jogging the stack. That would have happened face up or down.

You use flat-bottom trays, right? I noticed while the film was clearing in the fix there was a distinct tic-tac-toe pattern from the bottom of the enamel tray.

Another silver lining note: the film I ruined was all fresh - no camera exposures were ruined. So all I did was wipe out my employee discount.

[Kirk Gittings]

I used a grooved bottom tray (Patterson?) and rotate the stack 1/4 turn after every run through the stack. Got pretty good at doing 12-18 4x5s. I got scratches in emulsion when emulsion was up as corners dup into top sheet when dropping it. Emulsion down was much fewer and less deep scratches when I did get them. IAH when I started scanning film I went over to BTZS tubes for even fewer scratches and the ultimate in even development a few years ago.

[tgtaylor]

While I am not certain I don't think that a scratch on the non-emulsion side of the film will show-up when printing. While printing the other night I noticed a tiny scratch on the emulsion side of a 120 negative which didn't show-up in the print.

Thomas

[ROL]

How lucky for you. All scratches, lint, hair, dust particles, emulsion defects, yada, yada, yada - seem to show up with nauseating regularity only in prominent areas on my negatives, no matter how careful (emulsion down), how well exposed, how well composed, how well prayed over...

[TimmyMac]

I'm not using any heavy equipment tonight.

Went to hang the film to dry and saw a completely open box of TMY-2 sitting on the easel. Way to waste 11 sheets of film.

For a split second I thought it would be funny to fan them out, take a picture and post on FS.

Did this with 18 sheets of exposed colour film recently

[Bill Burk]

Did this with 18 sheets of exposed colour film recently

I don't know if you have a similar value system as me... but a camera is usually replaceable at cost, unexposed film is replaceable at cost, but once it's exposed, a negative or slide is worth a thousand dollars... A print, well that is worth something, but I can make another.

So I'm sorry to hear, your loss of 18,000 dollars