How can small black spots appearing on manually processed films be explained?

The presence of small black spots on manually processed films can be attributed to premature contact with developing chemicals. This issue occurs when the film is exposed to the developer solution before it has been properly prepared or when it is introduced into the developer improperly. This results in localized areas of overdevelopment, leading to the formation of these black spots. This phenomenon highlights the importance of handling film with care during the development process to prevent unintended exposure to chemicals at the wrong time.

In contrast, inadequate developer time would generally result in underdeveloped images rather than spots, and improper rinsing technique typically contributes to artifacts such as streaks or residual developer rather than isolated black spots. Overexposure to light generally causes fogging or overall darkening of the film, rather than localized spots. Thus, recognizing the specific cause of black spots is crucial for maintaining the integrity of the radiographic films.