What could occur if a film is exposed to the fixer solution too early?

When a film is exposed to the fixer solution too early, the primary consequence is that unexposed silver halide crystals are not properly developed, leading to areas on the film remaining light or even completely clear. The fixer works to remove the unexposed, undeveloped areas from the film, which is essential for achieving a proper image. If the film is placed in the fixer before the developing process has fully completed, those areas that should have turned dark will instead be washed out, resulting in light areas on the final image. This is because the fixer acts to stop the development process prematurely, preventing the necessary transformation of exposed silver halide into a visible image. Therefore, the film ends up with portions that lack the needed contrast or definition, ultimately affecting image quality.