Stop Bath.. How important?

[photomc]

If you can't tell if water or stop bath was used in the final print, what difference does it make? We all have our own ways of working, if using 'eye of newt' gave me negatives that printed the way I wanted them to, I would use it.

[fschifano]

Thanks for the tip. I'll start using stop bath for film processing. I currently use it for print processing, but is it OK to use the same stop bath for print and film processing?

I would not, and for the same reasons put forth by BetterSense. Chemistry used for paper picks up an awful lot of detritus while sitting out in the tray. Lint, dust, sometimes even small insects find their way into the tray. None of this matters a whit to a print, but you don't want that crud anywhere near your film. Chances are good that once you wash the film thoroughly, none of the detritus will remain; but why risk it?

[Q.G.]

Yes, you can measure it till about 8-10 minutes developing time. So if you're going on consistensy you could make the decision for developing times till 10 minutes with a stop and above without a stop.

When having 4x water change you also need water on the same temperature. Just when using a stop all chemicals should be already on the same temperature. So your process is less complicated too unless you want to run in unwanted reticulation on a certain moment.

You know, i have never tried to be that precise with wash, stop nor fix temperatures, and have yet to see reticulation.
In other words: yes, it is quite possible to be too anal (yes, as if being anal about something isn't bad enough already ) about things.

[David Brown]

this thread is hilarious ...

[ToddB]

Ok guys,

how important is using stop bath in paper developing? Before answering.. Here is what I do. Dektol, two fixer baths, per-wash, wash, sel tone and final bath. I figured two fixer baths would be ok. Is there a added benefit to stop bath?

ToddB

[MattKing]

Are you printing on RC or fibre based paper?

Besides that question, I would ask how much capacity you are looking for from your fixer? Stop bath extends the capacity of neutral or acidic fixers.

Stop bath also stops development quite quickly, which will aid you are trying to achieve repeatability in your results.

[Bill Burk]

There are long threads on the benefits. If you use an acid fix, then plenty opinions say water or skipping is OK. If you use an alkaline fix, then you will get more consistent "stop" action with an acid stop bath. And with an alkaline fix, you risk turning the first fix into a monobath if you contaminate it with developer.

[ToddB]

Double weight FB.

toddB

[jnanian]

some love it, some don't
some love extra chemistry to deal with
some don't
some love the "stop" action
some don't
some love pinholes
some don't

some don't listen to BS
some don't

i don't use stop but water
but i might be listening to the wrong BS

[Jeff Kubach]

I use stop bath out of habit.

Jeff