Table 10-1.–Negative Defects Their Appearance, Cause, and Remedy–Continued
Defect
Appearance
Air bubbles.
Minute pimples or blisters.
Cause
Develop by transferring the
negative from strongly
Remedy
Use an acid stop bath.
concentrated developer to strongly
acid fixing bath without
thoroughly rinsing after removing
it from the developer and before
immersing it in the fixing bath. In
warm weather, air bubbles may
appear even when using solution
of normal strength, if rinsing
between development and fixation
has been insufficient.
Pitmarks.
Fine holes or pits in emulsion.
Excessive alum in fixing bath;
Proper fixing and
sulfurous precipitation from fixing
drying.
bath when negatives are fixed in a
tray; and film being dried too
rapidly.
Pinholes.
Minute transparent spots.
Dust on film before exposure.
Proper handling of
film. Clean camera
back or film holders
before use.
Reticulation.
Leatherlike graininess or
Too great of a difference in the
Keep all solutions at the
wrinkling of the emulsion.
temperature of baths or between
same temperature.
final wash water and the air in
Reticulation effect may
which the negative is dried.
sometimes be removed
Gelatin may become badly
by placing the negative
swollen due to the temperature of
in a10-percent solution
a solution or wash water, and upon
of formaldehyde for a
shrinking, contracts irregularly
few minutes and then
due to the metallic silver
drying it rapidly with
incorporated in the emulsion.
heat. Use ample
Excessive softening of the
ventilation when drying
emulsion followed by a strong
negatives treated in
hardening bath, or an alkaline
formaldehyde.
treatment followed by strong acid.
10-37
