I have been using Tmax-100 for years but for the first time yesterday ended up with purple negatives. I have noticed threads on this subject in the past but what is the cause? Can it be corrected by re-fixing and re-washing? The only change in my small tank development process (as far as I know)was a change from kodak to Ilford Universal fixer. Thanks in advance for your help.

-- J Thompson (thompson,jeffrey@mayo.edu), December 30, 1997

Answers

Response to Purple negatives

I believe the answer is in changing fixers. I used Ilford Universal fixer with t-max and had much more purple stain than with the Kodak fixer. I believe I read recently in another forum that the negatives could be re-fixed and washed to remove most of the stain. A longer fix time and clearing agent were recommended to alleviate the problem. At one time Kodak's opinion was that the stain was not a problem and did nothing to degredate the print quality. I quit using t-max after my initial tests and have not kept up with the debate on the stain or its effects .

-- MTHOMPSON (MTHOMPSON@CLINTON.NET), December 31, 1997.

Re: T-Max

Mr. Thompson, Could you eloborate further as to why you quit using T-Max films. And what fim(s) have you switched to? I have had little success myself with the T-Max films, and find conventional films, e.g. TRI-X and HPP+ more suited to my type of photography.

-- Hasan Ali (Hasan2@msn.com), January 01, 1998.

RE: Purple negs

As far as I know, the cause to purple stains in T-MAX negatives is the insufficient removal of the anti-halo dye. This evenience normally implies a non-perfect fixing action. This is mainly due to the T-Grain structure of T-MAX films: in Tabular Grain films the silver halyde grains are literally smashed and flattened before the emulsion layer is coated onto the plastic film. As a result, the emulsion layer is far more compact than normal, and the fixer has difficulties in penetrating the gelatine: its action is far slower than normal.

Just to report a "rule of thumb", with T-MAX films you should use a fixing time double than that suggested by the fixer's manufacturer for "normal" films. A further safety rule is to consider the exhaustion rate of the fixer to be doubled (1 TMAX film = 2 normal films).

Films showing heavy purple staining can be successfully re-fixed and re-washed. If the staining is light, probably a long re-wash in running water (30 min. or so) will suffice.

I normally use Ilford Hypam fixer at film strength for 6 minutes (about three times the suggested time); at this point my negs show a very light purple staining that disappears in the first 5 minutes of my standard 30 min. wash in running water.

Happy new year

Carlo

-- Carlo Rogialli (carlo.rogialli@recsando.mi.it), January 01, 1998.

Response to Purple negatives

Recently I used TMAX3200 for the first time (picked up an out of date roll). I developed in Ilfosol for 17.5 minutes (ISO 3200 rating) and fixed for 10 minutes in Ilford Hypam. No pink to be seen anywhere and great negatives. So it must be the fixing time. When I use my normal films (ISO 100 Ilford/Orwo) I use 4 minutes fixing, that is twice the normal clearing time.

-- Klaus Werner (kwerner@zetnet.co.uk), January 02, 1998.

Purple negatives

I believe Mr. Rogiali said it best when he said, "insufficient fixing times". When T-MAX first came out I read, in two magazines, that insufficient fix times would give a pink cast but that by doubling the fix times it would disappear. Worked for me.

-- H. David Huffman (craptalk@ix.netcom.com), May 11, 1999.

Response to Purple negatives

I've heard that the purple stain can be eliminated by allowing the negatives to be exposed to sunlight for a length of time. Personally I've not tried it. I use Kodak Kodafix solution mixed 1:3 for 7 minutes without a problem. Has anyone else heard about or tried the "sunlight" theory?

-- Bob Tipton (BTIP487@aol.com), January 08, 1998.

Response to Purple negatives

The purple stain can be removed by rinsing throughtly. You can use water for some films like Delta's, but I use Perma Wash, even with Ilfords films. Keep rinsing and the stain will disappear. With T-max films I believe it takes a little longer, but it can and should be removed. If it is not removed, it may interfere with muti-contrast papers.

-- Kenneth Williams (loftacall@email.msn.com), April 25, 1998.