Pre Washing Kodak Tri-X

[tobey bilek]

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Internet myth.  If it made a better finish product, Kodak or Ilford would have you do it.  

Side note,  some film have a coating so developer is absorbed evenly and it is washed off by water.

Do soak to even temperatures to 68.

 

[Einst_Stein]

Absolutely not, I doubt Ilford will not give suggestions about Kodak’s products. But there are suggestions from companies like Jobo who are neutral about other brands. 

It is important to pay attentions to suggestions for non-professional film developers, particular less experienced. The prewash is somewhat leaning towards this category. Since it is not sharply a must, many people are happy without doing it, but this does not change the facts many peo do get the advantages.

I suggest you try it before giving any possibly  illogical comments. 

 

 

[tom.w.bn]

I never did a pre rinse and I never had problems with bubble-marks. Just tap the tank on the surface after agitation and nothing happens. The datasheet for Ilford films (Delta 100, Delta 400, HP5, ...)  says, that a pre-rinse is not recommended, because it can lead to uneven processing.

Edited February 15, 2020 by tom.w.bn

[erl]

On 2/16/2020 at 5:01 AM, tom.w.bn said:

I never did a pre rinse and I never had problems with bubble-marks. Just tap the tank on the surface after agitation and nothing happens. The datasheet for Ilford films (Delta 100, Delta 400, HP5, ...)  says, that a pre-rinse is not recommended, because it can lead to uneven processing.

The real secret is to continue with whatever gives your desired result. However, if pre-wetting leads to uneven developing, which I don't believe based on personal extended experience, then it follows that developing the film would lead to uneven fixing for the same reason since the developer pre-wets the film before fixing!

More than once I have found manufacturers advice to be sub-optimal.

[250swb]

As I recall from talking to Ilford, it's that a pre-wash doesn't suit short development times. You pour out your wash water and while all of the film will have gotten wet the wetness on the emulsion side becomes uneven because of the drips and dribbles left. So you then pour your developer in and it acts immediately on the areas that have driven off the wash water, and then the dev has to replace the wash water in areas that have absorbed the drips and dribbles. As short dev times typically mean a more concentrated developer some areas may never catch up so causing noticeably patchy development.

I always pre-wash simply to get the tank and reels to temperature, I also don't use short dev times. But the dye in the anti-halation coating makes no difference at all to the actual development.