Developer/Fixer has Pinkish Hue! Can i reuse?

Saeid · Nov 9, 2004

Hi, i'm new to this forum.

I'm into black and white photography and here's my problem... I use Kodak TMax developer and fixer. And for film i use Kodak TMAX 100 or TMAX400. Now my question is, last time i was developing my negative, after the developing time was over i poured the developer into a measuring cup so that i could re-use it. Now heres the problem, there was a strong pinkish hue in both the developer and the fixer.

So at the time i dumped it and made a fresh batch for my other role of film, which after developing that also came out pinkish.

So my concern is, can i use a pinkish/redish developer/fixer? For either developing negative and/or printing! And if so do i have to increase developing times?

Thnx

Jamie R · Nov 9, 2004

Saeid,

The sensitising agents leaching into the fixer from the emulsion takes a few minutes to clear. If you had hung on for a minute or two, it may have cleared for you to reuse next time. Just wait. Spent fixer is a different problem altogether...

Good luck.

Hertz van Rental · Nov 9, 2004

Have had this problem. There seems to be a dye in the T-max film that comes out in solution. Appears to be inert as it affects the performance of neither solution.
If the pink stays in the film it apparently means your fix is exhausted. Here's the tech lit:

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/prof...f4016/f4016.jhtml?id=0.1.18.14.23.18.16&lc=en

There are others. Check the Kodak site.
Good luck

PictureCow · Nov 9, 2004

I don't think your fixer is exhausted especially if it's fresh. You can buy a chemical to test for that... you just drop it in and if turns cloudy you'll know it's bad.

I believe what you are seeing is AntiHalation coding. Which is a dye used on backs of most films. What it does is absorb light which passes through the emulsion. This way it reduces the amount extraneous light can be reflected from the camera back through the emulsion.

If you were to soak your film in just plain water for five-ten minutes BEFORE you use developer when you pour it out it will be pink... and that will remove a good amount of the coading.

I often soak my higher speed films in warm water before processing. It helps minimize grain too... an added bonus.

In my experience the higher ASA film the more coding the film will have. Which makes sense because it's got more silver anyway.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

Hertz van Rental · Nov 9, 2004

PictureCow has a point. Pre-soaking will remove some of the die but it will also alter your development time - the developer will get to work quicker and I can't remember the rule of thumb to work out the time change.
The die will not affect the performance of the chemicals so I wouldn't worry. Just watch out for residual dye in the negs.
Read the tech sheet - link above.

BernieSC · Nov 9, 2004

Most developers have a "one shot" mix so you can delute the developer for one time developing that way you won't have to worry about exsustion of the devolper.

If you're film has a pink hugh after fixing that means you did not fix long enough and you can refix the film.

Saeid · Nov 18, 2004

Well the negatives come out perfect. But the Fixer and Developer become pink/purple.... (the actual solutions) So u think i can reuse the fixer and developer for the next roll of negatives i want to develop?

Saeid · Nov 19, 2004

anyone?

oriecat · Nov 19, 2004

Fixer you can test with hypo-check, it will show you when the fixer is exhausted.

I don't know about the kind of developer you are using. I just use one shots.

Saeid · Nov 21, 2004

Ok it worked!

I had to develop 4 roles of film... so i used 100ml's of Developer with the ratio of (1+4)
And 100ml's of fixer with the same ratio (1+4)

Once i developed my first 2 roles, the developer and fixer had become pinkish. So i reused them... for my other 2 roles. i added an extra 30secs to the developing time. Making it a total of 7mins!

And i had to added 5 minutes to the fixing time (making it a total of 10mins)

The roles came out really good! The developer had become more pinkish/purple, and the fixer had gone kinda pink/brown (i had to extend the fixing time, cause the roles were kinda purple, and with the extra fixing time, it was perfection!)

So what did we learn here... u can reuse ur developer and/or fixer if they go pink... but i dont think u should use them if their really purple in color!