Look Who it Was Random video

Negative Flaw: Bad Film Fixer

4,749 views · Published 29 October 2018 · 1:48 · Indexed 7 October 2026

Channel: David Hancock · 2018 · Howto & Style

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Spoiled fixer cannot perform its primary job, to convert unexposed silver halide crystals into a stable and soluble ion easily removed by the water component of the fixer solution. Film fixer is a vital part of the developing process. It allows film to be brought into the light, but it also helps to deliver proper grain structure and image contrast. The reason that fixer helps control grain and contrast is the spoiled fixer, as noted in the introductory sentence, cannot full clear unexposed silver halide from the film, resulting in a foggy, blotchy, or grainy image when the film is brought into the light.

This video looks at how to gauge a fixer's lifespan, remaining usable life, and tips for making the most of your fixer.

Video script:
Those are some odd-colored blobs. Those shots are positives of black and white negatives that show fixer stain on the film. Here’s a negative of one of them so you can see the actual colors.

This shows a staining pattern. The same issue can also manifest as cloudy negatives or blotchy cloudiness. The issue here is that the fixer was bad. The negatives were likely also left to sit too long in the bad fixer to compensate for it being weak.

To prevent issues like this, keep your fixer fresh and don’t over-fix in bad fixer; simply get fresh fixer. As a guide, fix should be used for no more rolls than the manufacturer suggests on the package, liquid fix concentrate should be disposed of if it is not used to make stock solution before the expiration date, and stock fix solution, even unused, should not be kept longer than six months. So, when you mix your fix, always write the date you mixed it on the bottle. Also use hatch marks to count off the number of rolls you’ve used in 35mm equivalent. I used 1 hatch for 35mm, two hatches for a roll of 120, and two 4X5 sheets to one hatch. 110 I honestly don’t mark because it’s about 25% of a 35mm roll.

My Patreon Page:
https://www.patreon.com/DavidHancock

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Gear I used for Filming and Editing:
Video Capture and Film Digitization- Pentax K-3 (http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/k-3/) or Pentax K-1 (http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/k-1/)
Secondary Capture- Sony CX330 (http://www.sony.com/electronics/camcorders/t/handycam-camcorders)
Lens- Pentax 31mm FA Limited (http://www.pentaxforums.com/lensreviews/SMC-Pentax-FA-31mm-F1.8-Limited-Lens.html)
Off-camera Audio- Tascam DR-70D or Tascam DR-60D MKII and Tascam DR-05 (http://tascam.com/product/dr-70d/ or http://tascam.com/product/dr-60dmkii/ and http://tascam.com/product/dr-05/)
Video Editing- Sony Movie Studio Platinum (http://www.vegascreativesoftware.com/us/vegas-movie-studio-product-comparison/)
Audio Processing- Adobe Soundbooth (https://www.adobe.com/sea/products/soundbooth/)

My Photography Website:
http://www.5119photography.com/

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