Development for fog

Hi all! Sorry for all these questions.

 

Just shot 3 rolls of film in foggy weather. HP5+ shot at box speed. Will develop it in D76 stock for 7.5 mins (20 deg). Just wondering if standard agitation will be good enough or will it result in too weak contrast? In short, any tips for developing fog photos? :)

The amount of agitation makes almost no difference to negative density. You'd have to be constantly inverting the tank and back throughout the development time to make a visible difference.

 

If you want to increase contrast, then it's far more predictable to increase the development time or temperature. However, this runs the risk of blocking up highlights completely if overdone.

 

Personally, I'd maybe increase the development time by 5 to 10% at most, and make up for the lack of subject contrast by using a harder paper grade, or in post processing after scanning.

If you exposed properly for the less light, develop normally. You can print with grade 4 paper or variable contrast paper with filter.

 

If you exposed with the sunny-16 rule, even though the fog blocked the sun, increase the development time.

I may be missing the point here, but if you were shooting in the fog, don't you want that to be apparent ? If so, surely increasing the contrast will tend to negate the effect of the fog.

I may be missing the point here, but if you were shooting in the fog, don't you want that to be apparent ? If so, surely increasing the contrast will tend to negate the effect of the fog.

Yes, you are right. I was just wondering if nevertheless I should make some adjustment in processing to make it not too flat

Thanks a lot for the replies everyone I really appreciate it. I seem to have yet another problem though :( :( :( I am getting a thin, feint, dull black line on the left hand side of any pic which has a portion of sky. It's hard to see sometimes but it is definitely there. No sky no line, so I am thinking maybe a light leak but I thought they would show up white not black? Then I thought it was underdevelopment or insufficient agitation but it affected another batch of 2 rolls and is in exactly the same area. Picture attached. (Processing info 7.5mins D76 stock at 20 deg, agitating 1st full min then 10 secs every minute. HP5+) Any thoughts?

 

Which way does the shutter run in your camera? Vertically or horizontally?

 

I'm guessing vertically, and that you have something stuck to one of the edges of the shutter curtains or blades. You won't normally see the edges of the shutter unless you look in the back of the camera while the shutter's being tensioned. Even then the protrusion might be hidden.

 

This obscure fault has come up before, where a bit of deteriorated light-seal foam 'goo' has stuck to someone's shutter.

 

The reason you only see it in the sky, is because it's so faint that any detail obscures it. Whereas the unbroken expanse of blank sky shows up any slight variation of density very easily.

 

If it turns out to be rotted light-seal foam, then it might be time for a new camera.

 

Nice picture BTW!

Which way does the shutter run in your camera? Vertically or horizontally?

 

I'm guessing vertically, and that you have something stuck to one of the edges of the shutter curtains or blades. You won't normally see the edges of the shutter unless you look in the back of the camera while the shutter's being tensioned. Even then the protrusion might be hidden.

 

This obscure fault has come up before, where a bit of deteriorated light-seal foam 'goo' has stuck to someone's shutter.

 

The reason you only see it in the sky, is because it's so faint that any detail obscures it. Whereas the unbroken expanse of blank sky shows up any slight variation of density very easily.

 

If it turns out to be rotted light-seal foam, then it might be time for a new camera.

 

Nice picture BTW!

Thanks!

 

It's a horizontal shutter, an Olympus OM2n. Damn that sucks. Can't really see anything when I open it up but I'm no expert. No real camera repair folks that I know where I am either :(

If the shutter runs horizontally, then that vertical line can't be caused by a protrusion on a shutter curtain.

However, it could be due to something causing the leading blind to drag and momentarily falter in that area.

 

Have a look at the channel where the shutter runs and check for any debris or stickiness in there. You should be able to examine the shutter channel(s) by setting the shutter to B.

 

Any obstruction should be about 6mm from the right hand edge of the frame, looking into the back of the camera - the image is inverted and reversed by the lens.

 

If it's not a 'stuttering' shutter, then I'm not too sure what else might cause it. Maybe a dead straight hair or fibre stuck to the back of the lens, or hanging down in the mirror box? Unlikely, but possible.

If the shutter runs horizontally, then that vertical line can't be caused by a protrusion on a shutter curtain.

However, it could be due to something causing the leading blind to drag and momentarily falter in that area.

 

Have a look at the channel where the shutter runs and check for any debris or stickiness in there. You should be able to examine the shutter channel(s) by setting the shutter to B.

 

Any obstruction should be about 6mm from the right hand edge of the frame, looking into the back of the camera - the image is inverted and reversed by the lens.

 

If it's not a 'stuttering' shutter, then I'm not too sure what else might cause it. Maybe a dead straight hair or fibre stuck to the back of the lens, or hanging down in the mirror box? Unlikely, but possible.

Thanks for the reply you guys are great! Actually I found out last night it's happening to pics taken with my other camera (OM10) in exactly the same place. So I then thought maybe a lens problem but no because I've used different lenses. Did a blank scan and sure enough it was there, so I think scanner banding is the issue! Came across this article which explains it perfectly even how it affects sky tones more......How To: Eliminate Banding From Your Scans - Film Advance