B/W prints with water rings marking

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Hi, i'm a beginner in B/W printing.

I notice that in almost all (30-ish) of my print has some kind of water rings (more like a flow marks) on them. (mostly elliptcal shape) Sometimes more than one ellipses.

Normally only visible (or more obvious) on lighter part of the print and appear along the side of the prints.

At first i thought is my negative, but last week i make a re-print for a friend, i see the similar ellipses on my print out, and his original look perfectly fine.

Has anyone seen this kind of problem before, any suggestions? Thanks

I'm printing on ILFORD MGIV Pearl paper Kodak Dektor Developer, Kodak StopBath and Fixer Film: ILFORD Delta 100

-- Han-se Chang (hyc21@yahoo.com), February 03, 2002

Answers

Check the mineral content of your water supply.

-- Howard Anderson (HowardAnderson40@Yahoo.com), February 03, 2002.

Newtons Rings?

-- Nigel Smith (nlandgl@unite.com.au), February 04, 2002.

Squeegee most of the surface water off the prints before placing them to dry. If you've no squeegee, blot them thoroughly with paper towel. Sometimes when a big water drop stands on a print during drying, the place where the drop was will be visible for a few hours after the print seems completely dry. Also, check your negative under magnification, because these sorts of patterns often are mineral deposits on the film. Rewashing the film can eliminate these. And if your negatives are between glass in your enlarger, I suppose Newton rings could form. I haven't used glass negative carriers in years but don't recall any such occurrence.

-- Keith Nichols (knichols1@mindspring.com), February 04, 2002.

Try soaking the your prints is a tray of distilled water for a couple of minutes before drying. I had a similar problem recently, and someone suggested this to me. It solved to problem, which was apparently caused by minerals in tap water.

-- Jim Rock (jameswrock@aol.com), February 04, 2002.

I would also suspect Newton's Rings. What type of enlarger are you using? Are you using a glass, or glassless negative carrier?

-- Ed Farmer (photography2k@hotmail.com), February 04, 2002.


I don't know the brand of the Enlarger, i'll check it out this weekend ( i only has access to the lab on weekend), but i know it has a glass negative holder.

i can't see the flow mark right after i remove the print from the fixer, so i can't be the drying problem. right?

Thanks

-- Han-se (hyc21@yahoo.com), February 05, 2002.


Opps, one typo from my previous posting. I meant to say i CAN see the flow mark right after i remove the print from fixer....

Thanks

-- Han-se (hyc21@yahoo.com), February 05, 2002.


By the description you provide I would bet you have Newtons Rings. This is caused by the air between the negative and the glass being slightly moist. When I say slightly I mean VERY VERY SLIGHTLY, you will not see or feel moisture.

Solutions

1) Make sure that your darkroom is not too cold

2) Remove your negative carrier from the enlarger between sessions to avoid trapping any moist air

3. Before printing warm your enlarger up by leaving it switched on for 5 mins before inserting the negative.

4. Establish the supplier for your enlarger and ask for a replacement set of glasses specifiying "Anti Newton Rings" type.

5. If you are printing 35mm you my find that you do not need the glass in the carrier especially if the mask has a 35mm film sized aperture. In that case remove the glass. This will solve the problem. I would hesitate to recommend this for roll film (120) negatives.

Good luck

Adrian

-- Adrian Twiss (avtwiss@ukonline.co.uk), February 13, 2002.


Thanks guys, yes it is a Newton's ring, (i found a picture in a book that describe Newton's ring, look just like the rings i have :-)

Thanks, Adrian, i'll try your advice to remove the glass. I read from another forum that many people construct their own cardboard negative carrier, i have contructed my own, will try it this weekend.

Thanks again.

-- Han-se (hyc21@yahoo.com), February 14, 2002.


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