Colored pinholes in my slides

[amuderick]

I just developed a few more E-6 rolls. This time I used a 4 reel tank and 500ml of solution. Previously I was using a 2 reel tank and 350ml. Film was Provia 400X

The slides came out great except almost all of the photos had at least one tiny colored pinhole in them. When viewed with my 8x loupe, I could see the tiny purple (M+C?) or green (C+Y?) dots.

Any idea on what is causing them? How do I make sure it doesn't happen again? Thanks.

 

[Photo Engineer]

When you have a white or black pinhole on E6 slides it indicates a problem in either the color or first developer, but when you have colored pinholes it can indicate a coating defect. One of the layers is missing.

The reason I san "can" is that you might have a transient air bubble in either developer, and when it bursts it then allows partial development.

Did you give it a good presoak?

PE

 

[amuderick]

Yes, the film had a 3 minute presoak as per your previous advice. Coating defects are not good. Do you think this kind of thing would make it past Fuji QC?

I am using continuous agitation. I don't think it is an air bubble. Hmmm....

 

[Photo Engineer]

Usually, a bubble defect in color film results in a "," or comma defect or a double comma with a tail up and down. So, no I don't really believe it is a normal defect. It probably would not get by Fuji inspection, but this is not unknown to happen at Fuji or Kodak. I merely mention it.

It looks somehow like a process problem more than a coating defect, but if you see the comma shape or comet shape, then it is a coating defect. If it is round, then it must be air bubbles somehow reforming on the coating.

PE

 

[amuderick]

Here are two scans attached. Both are scanned at 2400DPI and shown at actual pixels (100%).

The defects don't look comma shaped. Any other ideas on the cause or how to mitigate it?

Thanks!

 

[Photo Engineer]

That is not a "comet" or a DEC "double ended comet" defect found in some coatings.

It might be a bubble in the coating or in the process. If in the coating, you can probably see a tiny depression or relief image of the defect by incident light. That will prove it is a coating defect, but if it is not there it will prove nothing either way.

PE