Eco Zone Fix Alkaline Rapid Fixer for Black and White Photographic Film and Paper

Description

Zone Imaging Eco Zonefix is an eco-friendly, odourless, alkaline, non-hardening, rapid fixer that comes in powder form.
It is diluted with water to make one litre of working solution for ready use.

Ideal for both Black and White film developed in either pyro/catechol staining or conventional developers and Black and White paper developer

Low odour, doesn’t require acidic stop bath, fast washing out times, long shelf life and designed for soft and hard water up to 500ppm

Sodium thiosulphate based, free from: borate derivatives, non-biodegradable EDTA/DPTA based chelating agents, phosphates, acetic acid, known carcinogens and mutagens

Fixing times and method
For best results when fixing, it is recommended that all film/paper processing solutions are kept at the
same temperature or at least within 4ºC (7ºF) of the developer temperature.
For films manually processed, the average recommended minimum fixing times at 20ºC (68ºF) are 2-
5 minutes. The range of times for film considers different film types.
Lower ISO films tend to fix faster than higher ISO films e.g. in completely fresh Eco Zonefix,
Fomapan 100 has a clearing time of approximately 17 seconds compared to Ilford HP5+ of 47
seconds. Like all fixers, unreplenished Eco Zonefix fixing times will increase with use hence the
fixing time range recommended below.
For resin coated papers, fixing time is 30 seconds and for fibre-based papers it is 60 seconds.
Material being fixed Time (minutes)
General purpose films 2 – 5
Resin coated paper 0.5
Fibre-based paper 1
The agitation technique for film is continuous inversions for the first 30-60 seconds of fixing and then
inverted again during the first 10 seconds of each subsequent minute. The agitation for paper is
intermittent rocking of the dish/tray.

Capacity of fixer without replenishment
When the fixer is unreplenished, the fixer bath will eventually exhaust from a reduction of
thiosulphate concentration and build-up of silver, halides and carry-on residue from previous solutions
diluting it.

Material being fixed Capacity/litre

General purpose films 15-20* 135-36 exp rolls (1,200-1,600 sq inches)
Resin coated paper 50 sheets of 8×10 inch size 3.5m2
Fibre-based paper 25 sheets of 8×10 inch size 1.75m2
*The fixer can be extended to 20 rolls of film from 15 with an additional extended fixing time of
minimum 3 minutes. Capacity for paper can be extended up to 40% if archival results are not needed.

POWDER ODOURLESS ALKALINE NON-HARDENING RAPID FIXER FOR LOW BLACK AND WHITE FILM AND PAPER PROCESSING

The importance of alkaline rapid fixer lies in its ability to remove unexposed silver halides from the emulsion of the film or paper. This step is crucial because it prevents the image from deteriorating over time and becoming discolored. Here are some key reasons why alkaline rapid fixer is essential for black and white photography:

1. Image Permanence
When you invest time and effort in capturing the perfect shot, you want it to last. Alkaline rapid fixer ensures that your black and white photographs stand the test of time. It helps remove any remaining light-sensitive silver halides, making the image permanent and less susceptible to fading.

2. Elimination of Residual Chemicals
After the initial development stages, there may still be some unexposed silver halides left on the film or paper. These residual chemicals can lead to discoloration and degradation of the image over time. Alkaline rapid fixer effectively removes these unwanted chemicals, preserving the image’s quality.

3. Enhanced Archival Quality
For photographers who seek to create images with archival quality, alkaline rapid fixer is a must. It ensures that your black and white prints can be stored for extended periods without significant deterioration.