Re: Pinholes - after the fact

["Elton N. Kaufmann - Cycloid Fathom Group" <cycloid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Thanks all for the feedback on the pinhole problem.  I also posted my query
on the alt-photo-proc-l list and got some suggestions there.  It turns out
there's pretty wide range of diagnoses and solutions.

To summarize:
Re: possible causes of pinholes
1) chlorine in the tap water
2) using an acid stop bath
3) air bubbles not dislodged from the film (due to inadequate agitation)
4) No stop bath between developer and fixer
5) A quality control problem at the hoe of the yellow dragon [my words]

Suggested fixes  to processing:
1) use distilled water in making up developer (and I guess other solution
too?)
2) use a water stop bath
3) be sure to rap the tank to dislodge bubbles and possibly use a water
presoak

Suggested fixes to negative (all so a white spot on the print can be
spotted later)
1) use a sharp pencil to spot the emulsion side of the neg
2) use Spotone on the neg with a really fine brush (like a 10-0)
3) use opaque to spot the neg using a jewelers loop to see what you're doing
4) scratch the base side of the neg with a very sharp needle (like a
phonograph needle, remember those?)


Suggestions for fixing the black spots on the print:
1) scan it, use Photoshop to clone it out, output a neg on an inkjet and
reprint
2) use Spot-off (basically a bleach) and then spot
3) use the etching knife and spot (but only if the print is fro
reproduction, not exhibition)


Lot's of things to think about!  (Someone asked why microwave the distilled
water.  That was just to get hot water to dissolve some D-76 powder.)

My latest test on HIE yielded fewer pinholes and they had fuzzier edges. 
  I used a distilled water 2 minute presoak, D76 dissolved in distilled
water  (10 minutes, 68 deg F, 5sec agitation every 30 sec), distilled water
stop bath (no acid), 2-bath Kodak Rapid Fix with hardener mixed with tap
water (3 minutes in each bath), wash in running tap water 5 minutes, 30 sec
in Photoflo, room temp air dry.  The few pinholes 

Next I'll try Rodinal 1:25 on the last roll of HIE from my recent shoot
(the rest was Konica).  Does anyone have a favorite time/temperature for
the HIE?
					
								EltonK


Exhibiting fine-art and editorial photography
Cycloid Fathom Gallery
Elton N. Kaufmann, Chairman
P. O. Box 8129
Downers Grove, Illinois 60517-8129
USA
cycloid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.cycloid-fathom.com/gallery/
ftp.cycloid-fathom.com/group/uploads/

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