Just scored APX 25 (120) and need dev times

[db1]

I just scored 15 rolls of APX 25 (in 120) and will be developing it

with D76 1:1. I live in Santa Fe and will be shooting it in the

late afternoon in the mountains. So I am looking for real world dev

times since I do not have the chance to experiment with it. Any

advice is greatly appreciated. (PS...I will buy more if anyone has

some for sale). Thanks.

[lex_jenkins]

I usually find the times given on the Massive Dev Chart at digitaltruth.com to be pretty close to acceptable. Only personal testing will determine what works best. It depends on the calibration of your meters, metering technique, processing methods/materials and other factors.

 

If this is a once-in-a-lifetime or otherwise difficult-to-repeat shoot, I'd suggest another film until you've had an opportunity to test APX 25 under controlled conditions.

 

The alternative is to repeat every exposure two or three times and do clip tests.

[25asa]

Good score. I saw the Ebay auction you won. Good price for 15 rolls plus Pan F. I paid more then that for a 1/3rd of that amount. If when you run out of APX 25, give Efke 25 a try. Its an old school emulsion too, and its easy to get from J and C Photo online. A place in Van BC also brings it in from J&C. They're both good films.

[garfield_spetz]

Scott, can you say who in Vancouver has Efke film? I'd like to find a Canadian supplier. Thanks.

[25asa]

Efke is sold by Beau Photo. They are on 8th Ave if I remember correctly- near downtown. Its about $6 and half per roll there. They get shipments of it in chunks. They get a load of it and when it almost runs out, they order more.

[25asa]

http://www.beauphoto.com/frames/beaufrm.html

[garfield_spetz]

Thanks for the info, Scott. Have sent them an email requesting pricing and availability.

[db1]

Sorry to bring you back onto topic but does 7 minutes @ 68 degrees in D76 1:1 sound correct?

[patrick_mckay]

Beau Photo - they're on 6th @ Granville to be precise ;~) Personally, I would recommend purchasing direct from J&C, as you'll save yourself a heap in mark-up costs. That's what I do. Just compare J&C's price for Polywarmtone Classic fibre paper, say in 16x20 glossy, against the identical product listed as Forte by Eight Elm Photo, in Toronto, or Leo's in Vancouver. There's a very significant savings here! (This applies mostly to Canadian buyers)

 

Just be sure NOT to have it shipped by Air/UPS, Express, etc,...as you'll then get dinged for additional Duty/Customs charges at the border. Just get it shipped by Regular Ground Servive, via the U.S. Postal Service. It's the cheapest, a little bit slower, but that way you'll only have to pay for applicable taxes at your local (CDN) postal outlet.

[25asa]

I agree on the UPS thing. A $40 brokerage fee really sucks the saving out of shipping from the US. Anyway has anyone had any problems with X-ray scans of bringing film across the border by regular mail?

[b_d2]

David,

 

I am breaking a standing rule of mine not to contribute to any

forum on photo.net because of the misgiuded responses of

many who prefer not to address the poster's question but rather

argue insignicant (at least to the question) points or use the

thread to address their own ISSUES. But - as I can plainly read

you seem to be in pickle here and I don't know why no one will

respond to your plea for advice. So here goes (and I hope this

isn't too late for you):

 

You stipulated D76 as your developer of choice. My advice is to

sacrifice one roll of the APX25 on a scene similar to the ones you

will shoot. You can do this at the same time you shoot your

"real" rolls to ensure lighting and subject are similar. Expose all

frames on the test roll to the same scene as quickly as possible

to mitigate light changes (clouds, shadow, etc.). Back in the lab,

develop the test roll first by cutting it into thirds (in the dark, of

course) an developing one piece at a time. The film can be cut

in smaller lengths if you think you can handle them, but you will

be sure to get at least on full frame of the identically exposed

frames in each piece with almost any ot the medium formats

(645 -> 617) and can experiment with zonal development

techniques if cut in threes. Develop the first roll at your 7 min. or

whatever you consider to ne normal (N). If it looks about right

compared to your other negatives, then use the other two pieces

to bracket zones (N-1 & N+1) around by 20 - 30% changes in

development times. If the first piece is too thin, increase

development as above to get to your normal (N) time. If too

dense, go the other way. Come to think of it, if your that unsure

about your N, you should probably "sacifice" two rolls initially. I

was recently forced to do this very thing with MACO UP 25 plus.

 

That said, I am down to my last 6 rolls of APX25 and will only

develop in Rodinal 1:50 - 10 min. at 20c (N) or PMK Pyro 1:2:100

- 11 min. at 21c (N). Those developers give me the proper

amount of contrast I am lookig for. You may differ.

 

Oh, and by the way, late afternoon (or early morning) in New

Mexico is indeed the proper way to shoot APX25. But that's just

opinion.

[db1]

Well as it turns out, I just scored another 40 rolls still in brick form. So now I have 55 rolls and I am about the buy another 10 from a friend. I now have plenty to play with since I got very few responses here.

To those of you who did actually response to my question I give thanks with sincere gratitude.