SFX200 Development Times (I have tried searching!)

[lilserenity]

<p>Hiyam I'm very much interested in trying out SFX 200 and using Cokin's very deep red filter (A007) -- I have a Cokin A adapter system for my Mamiya C330F, it's also possibly to use in my Canon EOS 3 and Leica M2 if I decide to use it in 35mm too.<br>

I do my own development and printing at home and have not yet tried IR or IR-alike films like SFX.<br>

I understand with the Cokin filter I need to essentially reduce the exposure time by 5-6 stops, no problem, I can meter at ISO 6/12 and so forth.<br>

My question is development time. I'm probably going bonkers but I have not got a clue really what development times to use if say I have rated the film at ISO 6 rather than 200.<br>

I have checked http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.html and all I can see is times for ISO 100-800 -- for all developers, I tend to use DDX and that only shows details for ISO 200.<br>

Now am I missing something (probably having a masisve blonde moment) but what would the development time at ISO 6/12/25 be for SFX 200 as I won't have shot it at ISO 200 with the very deep red filter on.<br>

I have tried searching but have not found anything concrete (except to generally expose 5/6 stops less than the box speed which all makes sense to me.)<br>

Yours, probably very densely :),<br>

Vicky</p>

[john carter]

<p>I'm having the same problem, Ilford only gives times for their developers. I'm shooting at EI 40 with a 5x red filter, and my general developer for 'I don't know or am not sure of the time' is HC-110h. But I did find of Flickr someone put HC-110B at 9 minutes and 20 degrees. I will convert this to H (double the time) and see what happens. I searched for Rodinal in the SFX group tags without much luck but you might try that if you have a specific developer you like.<br />The reason I'm using a red filter is I DON'T want the IR effect. I want haze penetration and darkening of the sky. I'm adding this because everybody posts that you won't get IR or 'Wood effect' with a red filter. I may even go to an orange filter if the red is too much.<br>

But to your second comment, you are shooting at 200, you really are not pulling the film.</p>

[bethe_fisher]

<p>You aren't actually changing how you rate the speed. All you're doing is applying a filter factor. If you meter through the filter, you don't even need to do this - just set the camera for 200 to start and let it do the metering. If you're metering separately, then increase your exposure the number of stops needed for that filter. You are still rating the film as 200. For your first roll of IR-type film, it's best to go with this, see how it works, and then adjust future rolls. Develop it as 200, since that's how you shot it. </p>

[lilserenity]

<p>Hi Bethe,<br>

I did have this funny feeling I was thinking this through too much!<br>

Hopefully this answers your question some what John too.<br>

In which case I will order the filter and a roll of 120 SFX, and meter (externally) and apply a 5 and 6 stop factor to that, and then dev at ISO 200. I had this funny feeling that's what was needed, I just couldn't think it through clearly on my lunch break!<br>

It really was a blonde thing to ask!<br>

Many thanks!<br>

Vicky</p>

[john carter]

<p>I was a blonde when I was younger. Frankly, I've shot a lot of IR and getting all the ducks in a row is hard, you've got: filter factor, did the person you are communicating with use TTL meter or hand meter and then apply the filter factor, are they pulling or pushing the film, do you develop normally or not, they may say red filter but I have three with all of them having different filter factors, and what about half shade and half sun, it goes on and on. My experience is nobody gives you all the information. Good luck with SFX, I'm out this afternoon shooting, the sun has come out. </p>

[peter_fitzsimons]

<p>I develop this film in Rodinal Special (Studional) at 1:30 for 10 minutes.</p>

[jim_appleyard]

<p>I use quite a bit of this in 35. I set the cameras meter to 200, compose the photo (tripod!), put the filter on and set camera accordlingly, shoot.<br>

I use mostly Rodinal and found the times on the Massive Dev. Chart at digitaltruth.com</p>

[cblkdog]

<p>When in doubt, do a clip test.</p>

[Fotohuis RoVo]

<p>I am using the Rollei Super Pan 200 which is like the Ilford SFX 200 an NIR film till 740nm.<br>

The Cokin A007 is an 89B filter (695nm), I am using a RG715nm Heliopan filter (88A) for both the Super Pan 200 and the Rollei Infra Red 820/400 infra red films.<br>

Indeed 5-6x F stops film speed loss with the filters so the iso 200 film must be exposed with the above filters on iso 3-6 and the 400 iso film on iso 12 so normally you will have to use a tripod with the camera.</p>

<p>Always make a picture without filter (iso 200) to have a possibility to check the development on this negative.</p>

[bethe_fisher]

<p>There's also a really good book on IR by Laurie White. I think the title is something like "The Handbook of Infrared Photography"? But there are a couple of hints on how to start that can be applied to both HIE and SFX (and probably the Efke stuff, too). For the first roll (and she was talking mostly about HIE), either set the camera for iso 200 and meter through the filter OR use 1/125 at f16 for the whole roll with a red 25 filter (in good sun, like near noon). Then develop for the most standard or basic time (for iso 200). Once you see what you get with that, you can adjust either your shooting strategy or your developing one. In the book, there are some good examples of the same scene with different filters and films. I know Amazon used to have it, but I haven't checked for years.</p>

[lilserenity]

<p>This has all been incredibly helpful and maybe I need to also look into an 88A filter if I find the effect isn't strong enough.</p>

<p>I have ordered some SFX200 (in 120 format) to shoot this weekend as the weather promises to be bright and will process that. My plan is to essentially meter at ISO 6 and bracket where I feel a bit of dillgence is required and then process in Ilford DDX (as that's what I have about at the moment and I quite like it) -- the TLR I use doesn't have any form of TTL so I don't need to worry about setting it to ISO 200 and then reducing the shutter speed by 5-6 stops, just meter it right off the bat at ISO-6/12.</p>

<p>I may also look into Efke IR820 in 120 format too, as that looks quite good, not HIE by good all the same. I was hoping to try some Rollei IR400 but I can't find it anywhere (www.retrophotographic.com have it listed but no cart button) so it might be discontinued. If I have good success on the 120 side of things, I shall look into 35mm as well for shooting in my Leica and if using SFX200, my EOS 3 as well.</p>

<p>Many many thanks, I hope to share some results soon, I'm itching already to get out there and shoot!</p>

<p>Vicky</p>

[Fotohuis RoVo]

<p>Both Rollei Super Pan 200 and Rollei IR 820/400 are in production. The Rollei IR 820/400 has the widest bandwith together with the Efke IR820C. The last one is even more sensitive above 750nm but has a slower iso rate iso 100) which means with a 88A (715nm) filter iso 1,5-3.<br>

Maybe this link is interesting for you:<br>

<a href="http://www.vividlight.com/articles/2915.htm">http://www.vividlight.com/articles/2915.htm</a></p>

[lilserenity]

<p>Thank you Robert, that is a very interest website link, I will read that tonight.</p>

<p>As for Rollei IR820/400 and Super Pan 200, I will have to look harder, the usual places I go don't seem to have it but the Efke IR820 I can find readily.</p>

<p>I have ordered the SFX 200 (local shop only had it in 35mm at the moment, I'm lucky I have a shop 3/4 mile away that sells it at all!) and a Cokin A 89b filter. I'm aware the Rollei IR820 is not as grainy in some instances from some images but given I pretty much only aim to shoot it in 120 format to start with, this is a bit of a non issue.</p>

<p>Thank you again, I'm very excited about finally getting into some IR alike/IR photography!</p>