Developing Issues - HELP!

[TCROOK]

Hey guys,

I've been developing 35mm film for a little while in a Paterson tank or Labbox and not had any issues but I recently developed two rolls of 120 film (Ilford Delta 3200) from my Mamiya, and had some issues. Now the camera has never had issues in the past and handling/loading to the Paterson tank was seamless and I had no issues (that I am aware of).
Now both rolls of film have the same issue throughout the rolls (see attached pictures). One roll was developed by itself with 1L of Cinestill DF96 monobath at correct timings for exposure, the number of rolls already used for the monobath, temperature and agitation method. Both were prewashed with correct temperature water. The other was developed in the same way, but the tank also included a Tmax 3200 35mm film roll, which developed perfectly and these issues are not seen. Both times I ensured the tank was full with other empty reels to stop them from moving around during agitation. Finally, between exposure and development I stored them like I always do, in 120 film cannisters in the fridge. When I went to develop, I gave them 30-40 minutes to come up to temperature before opening the cannister and starting the loading process.

So I'm completely stumped, and any advice/ideas would be much appreciated as to why this happened and what I can do to avoid it in the future. From what I can see, I have a smoke-like effect over the image and also liquid marks engrained into the images.

 

[BrianS]

Have you ruled out a light leak from the camera?

These look more like light leak in the camera than what I would expect from the developing tank. If the tank had a light leak, I would expect the 35mm roll to show some effect.

 

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'dayTC

Firstly - Welcome to the Photo Forum - you'll find us a nice 'n friendly mob willing to share and help others

Okay - after many years of D&P stuff (but not any more) ...

a) your descriptions of tank operations certainly seems more then okay - so I doubt that is the issue
b) your warming-up time post the fridge is more than reasonable
c) you refer to a 'prewash' - in all the 40-odd years that I was processing B&W + Colour film I never bothered with any pre-wash stuff
d) with these images-
(i) the grey 'fogging' appearance?? - is it ALL coming from the same side of the negs? if it is, and it is all at the bottom of the image as you look at it, remember that in the camera it is downside-up - so look up there for a mechanical fault should one exist
(ii) could the 120 roll have come loose during use to allow some light to enter the spool and fog some parts of the roll / images?
(iii) you mention "liquid marks engrained into the images" - Q- could this be reticulation?? from too rapid a temperature change between liquid baths somewhere along the way?

Hope this helps
Phil

 

[BriPriUK]

I agree with Phil and BrianS, it looks like fogging in the camera. The fact that it is on both rolls which were developed differently rules out chemistry problems, and if the 35mm was fine it rules out darkroom technique. Like Phil, I've never used a pre-wash and I'm not a fan of stop baths either.
Check the camera seals carefully.
HTH
BrianP

 

[TCROOK]

Hey guys, thanks for the rapid responses. I think the camera does have a light leak that wasn't present last time I used it. I've never had an issue before, but I've just gone back over both rolls and seen that they both have light lights of varying intensities on the same side and it can be seen in-between frames on the mask. I've attached another image that shows the 'liquid-like or smoke like' effect I am talking about much better at the top above the guys head (ignore the black in the corner, that's actually a lightbox). Would this be linked to the light leak?

 

[BrianS]

I suspect it is linked to the light leak. This is one of those "Fix the most obvious problem first", then proceed on. The smoky effect is strange- but so are the effects of light leaks. Can you post some pictures of the camera, outside and with the film chamber open?

With 35mm- the light leak usually effects the film once it is out of the cassette, and often does not get to it once it is deep in the take up spool. I've had a bad seal on the side of the film door on a Nikkormat, and a leak around the viewfinder of a Contax IIIa RF. They were annoying- but not this pronounced. I just found a crack in an old Bakelite roll-film camera: it would have been very bad.

 

[TCROOK]

At the minute I can't as I had already loaded an HP5 into it before I developed these films :'( I'm going to finish the roll today and work my way around the camera to look for leaks though