Table 10-1.–Negative Defects Their Appearance, Cause, and Remedy-Contiuued
Defect
Appearance
Cause
Remedy
Fading
tendency.
Sepia- or yellow-colored
Incomplete fixation or insufficient
Properly fix and wash
stains or areas in the negative.
washing causes fading. Remnants
negatives.
of the fixing bath left in the
emulsion continues its action, and
in time, this defect appears.
Fingermarks.
Imprint of fingers shows up
Impressing wet or greasy fingers
Keep hands clean and
on negative.
on the emulsion of film before or
dry when handling
during development and fixation.
film. Sometimes natural
If mark is merely an outline of the
oil on the fingertips
finger, it was caused by water or
causes grease marks.
grease on the finger; if dark, it was
When fingers become
caused by developer; if transparent
wet with water or
or light, it was caused by fixer.
solutions, wash and dry
thoroughly before
attempting to handle
film.
Fog (Aerial).
A slight veiling of the
Negative exposed to air during
negative or parts of the
development. Occurs most
negative.
frequently in freshly mixed
developers.
Fog
(Dichroic).
Usually a fog of little density,
Hypo or excessive amount of
Removed by treating
consisting of finely divided
sulfite in the developer.
the negative in a weak
particles of silver. When
solution of potassium
viewed by transmitted light,
permanganate. Further
it is pinkish; when viewed by
prevention through use
reflected light, it appears
of clean tanks for
reddish green.
developer and fixer.
Frilling.
Edges of the gelatin become
detached from the base.
Detached edge of emulsion
may either break off or fold
over.
Careless handling; using solutions
Handle film carefully
that are too warm; insufficient
and sparingly; use
hardening of emulsion due to
working solutions that
insufficient fixation; exhausted
are mixed correctly and
fixing bath or one containing
are at the proper
insufficient amount of hardener; or
temperature. Wash film
excessive washing. Frilling is
sufficiently, but never
usually caused by a combination
excessively.
of careless handling and any other
mistake that will render the
emulsion or film soft.
10-36
