What is causing these smudges?

[freecom2]

I'm pretty sure this is a processing problem - it's happened on negatives from two different medium format cameras. My developing is:

Kodak T-Max Developer, 6:45 at 20 degrees celsius - time adjusted according to Ilford compensation chart
Ilford Rapid Fixer - for 3-5 minutes, depending on how fresh the fixer is
FotoSpeed RA50 wetting agent

Paterson Universal tank, Samigon Multi-Format reel, agitation by inverting 5 times every 30 seconds.

These marks appear on both T-Max 400 and Acros 100. Any ideas?

(excuse the terrible, raw negative)

 

[RaglanSurf]

I can't see an image

 

[freecom2]

rehosted. Courtesy of the people at APUG, their analysis is that it is probably the reel moving up the centre column on my Paterson tank.

 

[joxby]

I was going to say insufficient chemicals in tank, but the reel floating up the post could do the same thing, depends on the design I suppose, it can't happen in my one reel tank..:shrug:

 

[RaglanSurf]

I can see it now, I suppose it could be if that's the way the frame sat in the tank. What cameras were you using?

 

[menthel]

Did you affix the plastic c shaped clip above the reel to hold it on?

 

[Liam]

Are you not using any stop? Could be developer stuck in the edges of the reel and slowing developing the bottom edge. Just an idea, I would try using stop, or washing with water a few times between developer and fix.

 

[EdMoss]

Lines across the neg look like over agitation, be very gentle, 2 figure of 8 inversions every 30 secs usually does the trick, the over development on the left, no idea. The pattern looks like it could possibly not enough dev covering the whole of the film, but not sure about the over development compared to the rest of the neg.

PS Use stop between dev/fix, costs nothing and makes you expensive fixer last longer.

 

[freecom2]

I was going to say insufficient chemicals in tank, but the reel floating up the post could do the same thing, depends on the design I suppose, it can't happen in my one reel tank..:shrug:

It's a one reel for 120, two reels for 35mm tank, but there is enough space for it to move sufficiently to cause this problem (I tried).

I can see it now, I suppose it could be if that's the way the frame sat in the tank. What cameras were you using?

Rolleicord Vb, also happens with a Rolleiflex 3.5F. Both are light tight.

Did you affix the plastic c shaped clip above the reel to hold it on?

That's an accessory which only comes with the System 4 tanks - apparently it was never included in Super System 4 tanks, but sounds exactly like what I need unfortunately :shake: seems that they didn't plan on that many people developing medium format with inversion agitation.

Are you not using any stop? Could be developer stuck in the edges of the reel and slowing developing the bottom edge. Just an idea, I would try using stop, or washing with water a few times between developer and fix.

Never used any stop, I always water rinse for about a minute to get everything out of the tank.

Lines across the neg look like over agitation, be very gentle, 2 figure of 8 inversions every 30 secs usually does the trick, the over development on the left, no idea. The pattern looks like it could possibly not enough dev covering the whole of the film, but not sure about the over development compared to the rest of the neg.

PS Use stop between dev/fix, costs nothing and makes you expensive fixer last longer.

Stop: as above. I get 12 uses out of every 100mL of fixer, which works out at 8.7p, so I'm not massively worried about the longevity of the fix. The lines are unusual, and I didn't actually notice them, interesting. 5 inversions every 30 seconds was a regimen that seemed to be pretty standard, and this is from the Kodak technical publication on T-Max 400:

"Provide initial agitation of 5 to 7 inversion cycles in 5 seconds, i.e., extend your arm and vigorously twist your wrist 180 degrees. Then repeat this agitation procedure at 30-second intervals for the rest of the development time."

The banding is probably more likely down to the ancient flatbed scanner I'm using.