Ilford FP 4 and D-76

[warren_kornberg]

<p>I've been trying to run exposure tests on my Mamiya C2330 S with a Secor 80 mm and a pretty reliable shutter. I'm using Ilford FP 4 plus and Kodak D-76 developer 1:1 at 68 degrees F. I am being pretty careful but am getting some confusing results. Is it likely that ASA 80 is still too fast for this combination? And if so, what is a recommended time for FP 4 Plus 120film in D-76 1:1?</p>

<p>tnx<br>

Warren</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>My best results with FP4+ in contrasty daylight was at EI 64, 9 minutes in ID-11 1+1 at 68F. That was for 35mm, but 120 would be pretty close.</p>

<p>I'm not familiar with the Mamiya TLRs but the Rollei and Yashica TLRs I've used, as well as most older cameras, tend to run a bit slow with most shutter speeds but were consistent at any given speed as long as the shutter wasn't gummed up. Have you tried testing at only a single shutter speed to reduce the variables?</p>

[bob_sunley]

<p>Start with box speed on the film and Ilford's time for ID11 mixed 1:1.<br>

Both Kodak and Ilford publish developer time charts for processing films.</p>

<p>Confusing results could mean the shutter needs a CLA.</p>

<p> </p>

[larrydressler]

<p>You did not give the amount of time. What is confusing? What type of lighting are you using? if natural what type is it diffused contrasty etc. I always had luck with it at 100-125 but then that is me.</p>

[trooper]

<p>This was my go-to combination long ago (actually, I've thought of returning to it after looking over some old prints recently)! With incident metering and my equipment/general technique, I had a true EI of about 80 for decent shadow separation. I did find that very gently inversions and slightly extended agitation times (90-120 seconds after an initial minute of gentle, slow inversion) helped to control highlight density. In general, it's actually a forgiving, flexible combination. </p>

<p>A quick guide that I've used successfully for years, is to place a Stouffer Zone wedge in one film frame with even light, metered carefully (incident). If I can make out separation in Zone 1 and 2, I find that this equates to full tone negatives and I only need to control my highlights with time and agitation tuning. It sounds too quick and casual but I am very comfortable with the results with almost any materials I've used it with. I have good densitometers but find that I hardly use them except for extremely detailed curve setting from time to time and the quick system gets me about the same results.</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>I found that after I went to a scanner after an enlarger I had to relearn many things.</p>

[chris_waller]

<p>In bright sunlight I rate FP4 as low as 50 ASA and cut dev time by 45 percent.</p>

[keith_tapscott]

<p>Without knowing what type of lightmeter you are using and how you are using it and whether you are making optically enlarged prints in the darkroom or merely scanning the negatives, it is difficult to offer advice.</p>

<p>How well do your negatives print?</p>

[pc_b]

<p>"... pretty careful...": measuring light? photographing gray cards and measuring the negs in a densitometer? Where you are _not_ extremely careful/controlled is where the problem lies.<br>

You are doing analog photography: keep *all* variables constant but one (not easy) - and confusion will got away. In practice: get yourself a camera with an electronically controlled shutter (and an on-specs light meter which needs a battery!) for dev time determination work. (My personal guess: a 'hot' thermometer and/or cool stainless steel tank causing systematic underdevelopment. Or inefficient way of doing the inversions. Or... or...)</p>

<p>I'm with Keith, too: look at your prints/scans.</p>

<p>Technical note: FP4+ is _per definition by the ISO_ of 125ASA/ISO in D-76 as D-76 happens to be the developer the speed determination proceedure is based on. (...) In the U.S.A., however, no film reaches box speed in D-76. Must be some Ansel Adams residue in the tap water.</p>

<p>Dev'd in Xtol 1+1 my FP4+/100ASA negs have plenty of shadow info - if printed on decent paper and with such intentions. By E.I. 250 much of the darker shadows have gone but what a look!</p>