rick_jones5

One approach to controlling contrast at the printing stage is to first nail the print exposure for the highlights (a subjects white T shirt or the sun lite side of a face). Only then look closely at the shadows or dark tones in the print. If the dark tones look too gray - add contrast. If the dark tones are so dark they obscure details you can see in the negative - reduce contrast. If you find you are having to, more often than not, add contrast - reduce your negative development time and vise versa.

<p>While your developing times can change significanlty with temperature changes your dilutions and processing times for stop, fix, PermaWash and Photoflo will remain unchanged. I try to carefully control my developer temperature and times but have found no problems whatsoever when remaining processing steps vary by as much as 5 or 6 degrees. But truth be told it is very easy to keep all processing temps very close.</p>

<p>HC-110, Kodak Indicator Stop Bath (liquid stop), Kodafix (liquid fix w/ hardener), PermaWash (liquid HCA) and Kodak Photo-Flo 200 (liquid used to minimize water marks and streaks as film dries). These are the same chems I used when developing bulk loaded Panatomic X in the 60's. The Covington site already mentioned is a must read especially the section on extending developing times. I have tried to keep my developing times around 10 minutes by varying the dilution of the developer of choice. Much easier to control the process at 10 min. as opposed to the 3 1/2 possible with certain HC-110 dilutions.</p>