Re: Pinholes in HIE

[John Sparks <sparks@xxxxxxxxxx>]

>Unfortunately, I've seen this all too often.  However, in my experience
>the problem is not due to actual pinholes.  The most common problem
>arises from dust on the negative during the time it was exposed.  The
>other is due to loading without wearing gloves (though this wouldn't
>appear as pinholes, but more as smudges).  I now go through the same
>bathroom-steaming procedure I go through before drying negatives, and my
>problems have been considerably reduced.  

My first guess would have been dust as well.  I've probably processed
about 1000 sheets of traditional B&W film (but only 2 sheets of HIE so
far) and seen lots of dust spots, but most dust spots I've seen are
little squiggles from lint or hair.  Almost all are at least a little
bit longer in one dimension than the other.  However, these spots were
round and the grain around the spots looked distorted when examined with
a strong loupe (like there were darker clumps of grain on one side of the
clear spot like part of the emulsion detached itself and stuck nearby)
and there were far more of them than I usually see on my film (I cleaned
the holder the same as I always do).  I guess I could be interpreting 
what I saw wrong or maybe it was talc or something from the gloves I
used.   I think I'll have to look at the negatives carefully again.

>I use Kodak Indicator Stop
>Bath at the recommended dilution, and would not recommend a water stop,
>as it will reduce the life of your fixer.

I wouldn't mind a reduced life of the fixer, I'd even be willing to use
it one shot if I have to.  Fixer is cheap compared to almost $2 per sheet
for HIE!

Anyone seen clear spots like these on the 35mm version (where dust
shouldn't be a problem)?

John Sparks

------------------------------

End of INFRARED-PHOTOGRAPHY Digest 60
*************************************