Ilford Multigrade for film?greenspun.com : LUSENET : B&W Photo - Film & Processing : One Thread |
This may be a dumb question but...I recently ran out of Ilford Universal fixer. In my haste I picked up a bottle of Ilford Multigrade paper fixer instead of Universal fixer. Can Multigrade be used to fix film(FP4)? What would happen if I did use it? What is the difference between Multigrade and Universal fixers?
Thanks
Rob
-- Rob Kunz (rlkunz@quadrant.net), January 13, 2002
My experience has been with Kodak fixers. Generally, the one I use now recommends mixing at half the strength, when used for films, as when used for paper. You might try diluting some of yours 1:1 and trying it on a film leader to see whether the time required to clear is about normal for film, say, 2 to 4 minutes or so. But since it's sold for paper, with apparently no instructions for film, I think I'd limit this to emergency use until you know more.
-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 13, 2002.
Oh, wait, wait, don't do it. I said it backwards. Senior moment. Kodakfix is mixed TWICE as strong for film, not half as strong. SO: If you do try using the multigrade fix on a leader tongue use it full strength,and it will require longer than normal to clear, if it clears at all. Sounds like a risky business. Sorry for the backwards info.
-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 13, 2002.
Of course, if it comes as a concentrate, you *could* mix it to double strength.
-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 13, 2002.
Ilford Multigrade fixer is a very good fixer for hand processing film and paper. The main difference is that it is not compatible with hardening additive agents. But this allows Ilford to make it a bit more concentrated compared to hardening or hardner-compatible fixer packages. You simply mix it 1+4 and use it for film or paper.
-- Ryuji Suzuki (rsuzuki@rs.cncdsl.com), January 13, 2002.
Rapid fixer is rapid fixer; I don't recall if MG fixer is mixed 1:3 or 1:4 but either way as long as you fix for two to three times the clearing time it'll work fine.I don't believe hardener can be added to MG or Universal, but you don't need it anyway.
-- John Hicks (jhicks31@bellsouth.net), January 14, 2002.
Is this Ilford 'Hypam' rapid fixer? That's what it's called here anyway. I use it 1:4 for film, 1:9 for paper. Only fixer I've used in 20 years!
-- Nigel Smith (nlandgl@unite.com.au), January 14, 2002.
You can get this sort of information for any Ilford product from their web site at http://www.ilford.com/html/us_english/homeng.html.
-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), January 14, 2002.
ILFORD Multigrade fixer is suitable for using with film or paper. For film, it is recommended to dilute 1+4, and fix for 2-4 minutes (3-5 minutes for Delta or T-Max films). In other words, use it just like Universal Rapid Fixer.Multigrade fixer is not compatible with a hardener, but as others have stated, you don't need one anyway.
David Carper ILFORD Technical Service
-- David Carper (david.carper@ilford.com), January 24, 2002.