beutler high acutance developer - more compensation

hi,

i'm using this classic formula and the acutance is amazing but i want

more compensation ( zone IX and onwards currently printed as paper white with

grade 2 ).

do i just dilute bath B ( sodium carbonate ) - at the moment, after

mixing A and B together there will be 5g/L of sodium carbonate ...

or

do i mix A and B together and then dilute even further ( reducing the

metol ( 1g/L ) and Sodium sulfite ( 5g/L ) even further ) ?

at the moment i'm dev'ing j&cpro 100 for 11 min in 50 ml A + 50 ml B

+ 400ml water @ 20 deg C inversions for the first minute then 5 sec every 2 min.

any suggestions appreciated.

Your posting indicates you are using Beutler at one part A, one part B and eight parts water. I always used it with ten parts water, which would compensate somewhat. My father occasionally used it with Dupont Cronar film (a document copy film) at 1:1:8 for higher contrast. Switching to 1:1:10 might be enough of a change in contrast.

I would suggest you make three short rolls photographing a blank surface going through the zones, starting at around -I to about XIII. (go beyond the range in both directions to make sure you go far enough) Develop one roll at your present 1:1:8. Develop the second roll at 1:1:10. Develop the third roll at 1:1:15. (Make sure you use enough stock solution. I would suggest using the same amount of stock and more water and a larger tank.) Contact the three strips together on a sheet of paper. The contacts will tell the tale.

I recall Beutler recommending that the developer not be used at temperatures higher than 65 degrees F. I'm not sure how significant that is.

Good luck.