Using too much developer?

[david_gallmeier]

It just occurred to me that I may be developing film inconsistently: does the

amount of developer used affect film development? For example, if I develop a

roll of film with 10 ounces of developer solution XYZ and then develop again

(same film, same length, etc) with 20 ounces of the same developer solution

XYZ, will this affect development?

[david_dorcich1]

Only if the 10 ounces doesn't have enough developing capacity to handle the amount of film in it. As long as the amount of developer the film is placed in has the more developing capability there there is film it won't matter.

 

Where you can also see a difference in the developing method. If you are developing by hand you want the film to be submerged in developer, if the 10 oz doesn't completely submerge the film then you will get inconsistent results. as the bottom of the film is in developer while the top only sees developer during agitation.

 

If you are using a machine to develop the film, like a jobo rotary processor, then you need to make sure that the larger amount of developer doesn't affect the amount of time the film stays in the soup. By adding extra developer you might be increasing the developing time the film sees on each rotation.

[rick_jones5]

As David indicated the amount of film developer could effect your results. For example, if you are using D76 1:1 to develop a single roll of 35mm 36 exp you will have to extend the development time of the 10 oz roll vs the 20 oz roll in order to get like results. Using the same developer undiluted I suspect you would be hard pressed to see a difference. You can avoid those kinds of headaches if you are consistently developing your film the same way each and every time. Consistency means: same times for similar scenes, same temperature, same agitation routine with same developer, volume and dilution. I've also experienced differences in how evenly the film is developed between a tank filled to the brim vs 3/4 full. Now I fill to 3/4 with empty reels securing the loaded reel.

[craig_shearman1]

As long as you're using enough developer to cover the film in the tank and using fresh developer, the total amount in the tank shouldn't matter. Most stainless steel tanks are designed so it takes 8 ounces of developer to cover a 35mm reel. That gives you 16 rolls of 35mm from a gallon of developer, well within the capacity of the gallon before it becomes exhausted. So having one roll at the bottom of a two-reel tank filled with 16 ounces, or one roll at the bottom of a four-reel tank filled with 32 ounces doesn't change the development time or give you any advantage. If you are reusing developer I suppose you could get to the point where you need 16 or 32 ounces to have enough strength left to develop a single roll. But that's a good example of why you should'nt reuse developer. I've been developing film for over 30 years and have almost always considered developer to be for one-time use, dumping it down the drain after each roll. Only exception when I worked a a couple of newspapers where we had deep tanks (five gallon one place, 3 1/2 another place) and we kept track of how many rolls had been through.

[tzalavras]

All things been equal (dilution of the developer solution, length of developing time, temperature and agitation) the volume of the developer solution you use is of no consequence, as long as it covers the film (assuming small tank and intermittent agitation) and there is enough developing agent in the solution for the surface of the film in question. You might see a difference thought (as David suggested) if you're using a rotary processor.