I would like to minimize odors in my bathroom/darkroom. I've heard that there are odorless fixers; however, the only one I've seen advertised (on the Web) is by Fotospeed. This fixer does not appear to be distributed in the US. Nor can I get any info on quality. Any info about products and pros and cons would be appreciated.

-- Christopher Hargens (ldmr@cruzio.com), December 13, 1999

Answers

Try the Zone VI fixer sold by Calumet. It doesn't have that odor, and is better too.

-- Alec (alecj@bellsouth.net), December 13, 1999.

Kodak "F24" is odourless (it has no acetic acid) and cheap and easy to make at home. Also, if you really want to keep the smell down, use a water stopbath. This method is reccommended by Gordon Hutchings for film development with PYRO negatives, and I have used it for all emulsion/developer combos since, with no problems so far. As for paper, I just read an old PhotoTechniques article (can't remember where) where the writer who deals with photo chemistry says it is perfectly OK to use a water stopbath for prints. Using F24 and water stop myself, I have a stink-free darkroom, except when I use sepia which really does leave one wanting to pass out occasionally...shawn

-- shawn gibson (s_g@stu.wdw.utoronto.ca), December 15, 1999.

Zone VI Fixer is Kodak's F26 Formula, which you can also mix yourself. It is relatively odorless and is a classic "hypo" hardening fixing bath. F24 is also good if you want to mix your own. Most proprietary rapid fixers are also fairly pleasant work around, with or without hardener but better without. Plain Hypo with a dash of Sodium Sulfite is my choice for a non-hardening fix for prints and has no smell whatsoever. It depends mostly on your processing style and which papers you use (RC or FB) as well as if you are processing archivally. There are, however, lots of choices to get rid of the smell. Experiment a bit with some of the above. Regards ;^D)

-- Doremus Scudder (ScudderLandreth@compuserve.com), December 16, 1999.

I think there are only two type of fixer: sodium thiosulphate ('hypo'), and ammonium thiosulphate ('rapid fixer'). Hypo doesn't smell; rapid does.

The downside to hypo is that it is slower, and more is absorbed into the paper, so a longer wash may be required for archival processing.

-- Alan Gibson (Alan.Gibson@technologist.com), December 17, 1999.