In processing Black & White film, such as Kodak Plus-X and Tri-X, what creates the film to take on a purple tint. The negatives are fine but the film looks purple. I've heard iron in the water to under fixing? Any ide

-- Christine (cmburak@umd5.umd.edu), February 07, 2000

Answers

If you bring up the 'uncategorized' questions, a long list, you will see quite a few on this topic.

In a nutshell: if the film has a very slight but totally even tint, don't worry about it. If the tint it uneven, it may be insufficuiently fixed. Re-fix it. Some people recommend a hypo clearing agent.

-- Alan Gibson (Alan@snibgo.com), February 08, 2000.

This is strange, because purple negatives usually come from the newer technology films like T-Max and Delta. How long are you fixing? Kodak Fixer requires as much as 10 minutes, and Kodak Rapid Fix needs up to 5 minutes. I also think Hypo Clearing Agent helps (1= minutes) and a lot of the color will wash out in at least a 5 minute wash at 68 degrees where the water changes twice a minute.

-- Brian Hinther (BrianH@sd314.k12.id.us), February 08, 2000.

The older technologies can take on an overall purple tinge, with different batches showing diferent colours. Perhaps it depends on the quality of the grass eaten by the cows?

-- Alan Gibson (Alan@snibgo.com), February 09, 2000.

Do two bath fixing with a rapid fixer and use HCA or Permawash and you'll never have this problem. See www.aseonline.net/~brownt/photomain for details.

-- Tim Brown (brownt@ase.com), February 09, 2000.

Brian is correct. Fix for 10 minutes in Kodak fixer and treat with hypo clearing agent for two minutes. Make sure the fixer and clearing agent are fresh. I agitate for five seconds at the minute and half minute. TMax films require more extended fixing than other films, and also exhaust the fixer more rapidly.

I just recently developed several rolls of TMax 100 with XYTOL developer and the procedure described above, and have no purple tint in my negatives.

-- Eilert Anders (eilert@dav.com), February 10, 2000.

I concur with the above. I recently developed my first B&W in many years (FP4+, XTOL), and they came out purply-pink. On my second try I fixed for about 10 minutes and HCA'ed for at least 5, and they came out clear.

Wayne

-- Wayne (wsteffen@mr.net), February 19, 2000.

During the last few months I noticed Tri-X has changed and now has the dreaded iodine look which some may call purple. I tried fixing for a longer period of time but a longer time in a water bath is the answer. After a clear bath, let the film stand for about 7 min in a water rinse with 2 or 3 changes of water. Then rinse for 5 min under running water. Experiment on the film leader to check fix and stain clear times. The film will still have a slight iodine cast which I find pychologically unpleasent compared to the gray cast of AGFA film. This stain does bleed into your fix.

-- Richard Jepsen (rjepsen@mmcable.com), March 08, 2000.

Clarification: If fixing in a acid fixer such as Kodak Rapid Fixer it would be best to wash for 10 min. Film fixed in an alkaline fixer can be washed for 5 min.

-- Richard Jepsen (rjepsen@mmcable.com), March 08, 2000.