Brand Library in Glendale in 4x5 (with problems)

 The mystery remains about why my JCH Streetpan 400 negatives were ruined by a milky surface. But I think I am getting closer to an answer. In order to find out, I went ahead and developed some 4x5 black and white negatives in the same tank, loading them with the same changing bag and using the same chemicals. I did this on Saturday night. I think it might have to do with exhausted fix.

I developed six sheets, and two of them came out. They were the sheets where I was using Arista 200 film. These two, however, did not. They were taken with Ektopan, my expired film from almost twenty five years ago. Now, expiration is not the issue, because my JCH Streetpan film was still fresh, very fresh in fact. I had just bought it from Freestyle less than a week ago. 

I was thinking as well, it might be the cold water which is affecting development of these negatives, because then, why else would my other 4x5 sheets developed in the same tank have come out fine? Why?

Here is a sheet taken with fresh Arista 200 film. It came out fine. (Cerritos Heritage Park in Cerritos, CA, photo taken on Nov. 14th, 2020.)

Now, of course, I should add, the proportions on these scans are not 4x5, and that is because, once again, I do not have a dedicated 4x5 film scanner. I am using my old Epson V600 which can only scan up to 120 size, so that is why I only scan a portion of the 4x5 negatives.

So, I think it comes down to either fix or cold water. I will through out the fix I have and mix a new batch. As a matter of fact, I think I would rather just buy a fresh bottle of fix from Freestyle and throw out what I have. And, I will then try to warm up my water when I am developing because, yes, the water is freezing cold when it comes out of the sink. 

So, the problem is not with my Fuji GW690ii camera. That is a relief. I was afraid it might have some kind of light leak.

Now, if only I had not forgotten to pick up a 4x5 film holder with two exposed sheets of 4x5 Fuji Velvia that I left at Cerritos Heritage Park yesterday. What an awful mistake, to take those photos and then, just leave them there at the park.