UK-based photochemical producer Zone Imaging has unveiled a new film development fixer which it says is much safer than current products.
Called Eco Zonefix, the new fixer was launched on Tuesday (2 May) and is available for pre-order through the Zone Imaging site now, with delivery in mid-May.
“Eco Zonefix is an eco-friendly, odourless, alkaline, non-hardening, rapid fixer for film and paper in all manual and some machine fixing applications,” Zone Imaging said in a press release.
It listed the new fixer’s benefits as:
- Ideal for both conventional non-staining, pyro/catechol staining film developers and paper developers
- Odourless
- Fast fixing and washing out times
- Acidic stop bath is not necessary (use water instead)
- Can be used in both soft and hard water
- Sodium thiosulphate based so hard to over-fix
- More friendly to the environment than most neutral/alkaline fixers
- Free from borate derivatives and EDTA/DPTA chelating agents, phosphates, acetic acid, known carcinogens and mutagens
- Requires less water to wash out than acid fixers
- Less fixer wastage and transport bulk as a powder for one-litre working solution.
This is the second developing product to be released by Zone Imaging, which is run by chemist and photographer James Lane. Zone Imaging released its formulation of 510 Pyro, invented by Jay De Fehr, in 2021, which has since become popular with home developers.
Lane told Kosmo Foto he had been working on the fixer for the last year, with most of the involved testing being carried out over the last six months.
He said: “It’s safer to the environment as it doesn’t contain borates (they’re harmful to plants) or non biodegradable EDTA/DPTA. I suppose safer to the user than acid fixers as it’s odourless (significantly less ammonia fumes as it’s more stable).
“It was designed originally with 510 Pyro/other staining Pyro developers and paper fixing in mind as all testing was with 510 Pyro, water stop bath or fixing paper,” lane said. “But it’s perfectly compatible for non-Pyro devs too.”
The new fixer costs £7.95, which makes enough solution to fix 15 to 20 rolls of 36-exposure 35mm films.
I'm a New Zealander who has been living in London since the mid-1990s, shooting film seriously since the year 2000. Kosmo Foto was launched in 2012 and has since become a film brand, with the release of my first films Kosmo Foto Mono 35mm (2017) and Kosmo Foto Mono 120 (2019).
I’m doing everything I can to promote film photography in the 21st Century, and help it survive and thrive. If you want to write something for Kosmo Foto, please drop me a line at foto.dowling@gmail.com.
Maybe you can do an article on the safest and most eco friendly BW chemistry?
Can only be a good thing to have more eco-friendly products, credit to James.