A hypo clearing agent may not be required for most films, but with TMY and Tmax-100 I highly recommend it, even with an alkaline fixer. I find that fixing in an alkaline fixer and 20 minute wash, without the use of a hypo clearing agent, does not eliminate the pink dye with these films.
Sandy King
Thanks Sandy, I'll remember this the next time I process T-Max films.
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Yeah, fixing should be around twice the time it takes the film to clear. After three minutes you should be able to take the film out of the fixer by the spool and see if you see, basically, a finished looking negative. If so, your fix time would be around six minutes. If not, check it every minute and when it is clear, double you time for total fixing time. As to any bluish color remaining on the negs, you can fix the negs in an open container like a tray filled with fixer and fix until the stain is gone. The give AMPLE rinsing and dry as normal.
"I should not "overagitate" as my agitation is once a minute at most with just 2 inversions."
My sincerest apologies. I used a "figure of speech" and I was not clear. I should have said that you should agitate vigorously when fixing. Two inversions every minute may not be sufficient.
Thank you all for your help.
I know I should have bought TF-4 from PhotoFormulary when I was ordering my Pyrocat HD (especialy given the fact that shipping was more than the developer), but could you elaborate a little bit more on my fixation and clearing times given the chemicals I am using (clear water stop, Ilford Ilfofix 1:4 (acid), Kodak Hypo Clear 1:4) ? Are my mixing ratios OK ?
Matus, the Ilford fixers are only very mildly acidic, pH 5-5.5 and I've never had a problem with staining developers. It's not worth the shipping costs to have TF-4 sent to Europe.
Kodak state: "Your fixer will be exhausted more rapidly with these films than with other films. If your negatives show a magenta
(pink) stain after fixing, your fixer may be near exhaustion, or you may not have used a long enough time. If the stain is slight, it will not affect image stability, negative contrast, or printing times. You can remove a slight pink stain with KODAK Hypo Clearing Agent. However, if the stain is pronounced and irregular over the film surface, refix the film in fresh fixer."
Elsewhere it is suggested you use double the fix time recommended for non Tmax films. It's interesting that Kodak state the mild pink stain can be removed in Hypo Clear, as Sandy King stated earlier a plain 1% Sodium Sulphite (anhyd) solution will do just as well.
So your fixer etc should be fine, just give it a little longer, particularly is you do as I do and re-use it, the times get progressively longer with re-use.
I recently picked up two rolls of Tmax 100 to test drive and shot one of them today at box speed through my Nikon F2 and processed in HC110 Dil B. for 6 min as per the Kodak Tech publication. I found I got a distinct pink/rose/aubergine tone to the negatives after the final rinse/wash and Photoflo bath. I am taking this is the ani hallation layer. I have no idea how this will print.
The negs looked presentable with some mild manipulation in Photostudio and can be found in my flickr account.
I wanted to see if I could live with T-grain films, I am not so sure, I have one roll left that will be processed with ID 11. I think I will be sticking with Plus X/FP4, Efke 100 and Foma 100 at least I find I can get a decent negative out of them.
Am I missing something?
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This is one of the most common questions about T-max films. To remove the magenta dye, fix about twice as long as other films, use a wash aid like Permawash or Hypo Clearing Agent, and wash thoroughly. The dye will come out.
Linear Mode
