What causes large white circles on scanned black-and-white negatives?

Asked 8/14/2018

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I developed a roll of Ilford HP5 Plus and the scans show large white circular marks that appear in different places from frame to frame. I wondered if they might be caused by slightly off development temperature or residue from processing. The lens is new and the film was stored properly. What is the most likely cause, and how can I tell whether the problem is in the film or the scanning process?

black-and-white-film film-defects scanning developing film

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

7y ago

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Are they on the negative itself (look at the actual negative)? If so, they're probably water drops. You need to use a wetting agent (e.g. Kodak Photo-Flo) to avoid water marks.

If they're not on the negative itself, it's some sort of scanning artifact. Try scanning again.

Originally by user68581. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user68581

7y ago

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First check the actual negative, not just the scan. If the marks are visible on the negative, they’re most likely drying marks from water drops left after processing. Using a wetting agent such as Photo-Flo in the final rinse helps prevent this.

If the circles do not appear on the negative itself, then the problem is probably a scanning artifact. In that case, try scanning the film again and check the scanner/holder for dust or other issues.

A small development temperature difference like 21°C vs 24°C is not the most likely cause of large circular white spots.

What causes large white circles on scanned black-and-white negatives?

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