# Problem in development



## MDS (May 27, 2009)

Hi - Apologies if this is too basic for this forum, but I've just developed two rolls of B&W 35mm on a steel reel and have gotten pink blotches on about 1/3 of the pictures each time. I have some experience with plastic reels and never had this problem before; this is the first time I've tried steel. Is this a problem with how I've loaded the film on the reels, or is this a chemical problem...? If anyone could please advise me on how to avoid this I would appreciate it! Thank you!


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## terri (May 27, 2009)

You're in the right place, but I moved your post from that thread to make sure it gets some more views. 

I'm sure others will weigh in here, but at first read, what comes to my mind is that the film is touching itself on this reel. Are you sure the film loaded properly, and had you practiced on the steel reels in daylight to get the hang of it? 

Just tossing some stuff out there to think over.


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## christopher walrath (May 28, 2009)

We need more info.  What does it look like?  What film and chemistry did you use?  And for how long?

My first question would be . . . how thorough is the pink cast?  If it solid then one loop of film was touching another and fixing will clear this from the film.  If it is merely a pink/magenta cast to a visible negative then additional fixing will clear it up.  You don't need to reload the film onto the spool.  Just fill a bowl/mixing cup with fixer and, by taking one end of your negs in one hand and the other in the other, roll the pink film through the fix until it clears and then rinse thoroughly.

I would say it is definitely a chemistry related problem.  We just need to identify the reason this happened.  So tell us more.  Go through your process.  Maybe we can hammer something out.


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## Dwig (May 29, 2009)

MDS said:


> ... on a steel reel and have gotten pink blotches on about 1/3 of the pictures each time...



The the pink blotches are opaque then its a loading problem.

A common problem for beginners using SS reels is not loading the reels correctly. When improperly loaded the film buckles allowing the emulsion side of one layer to touch the back of the previous layer on the reel. When this happens chemicals don't get to the film. That portion if the film is not developed and not fixed. The unfixed portion will be a pinkish opaque blotch.

You can refix the film to removed the pink blotches, but those portios of the images will not have been developed either so the images will still be damaged.


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