nina_sagan Posted February 9, 2004 Share Posted February 9, 2004 I have bought Acutol and basically I use it according to the data sheet comes with it or 'massive development chart' online. Recently I searched Photo.Net and found some comments mentioning the chemical "increases speed of film", about 1/2 to 1 F-stop or EV". What does this exactly mean? E.g. if I have Ilford Delta 100 or Fuji Acros 100, - Rate/expose as 200 and develop as 100? - Rate/expose as 50 and develop as 100? - Rate/expose as 200 and develop as 200? I am a little confused, and any comments much appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hans_beckert Posted February 9, 2004 Share Posted February 9, 2004 Acutol provides a slight speed increase compared to D76 on conventional slow and medium speed films. I ignore it, and I suggest you do so as well, simply because I like a bit more shadow detail. What matters more is the kind of enlarger you use. Could you decsribe your equipment in detail? HB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nina_sagan Posted February 10, 2004 Author Share Posted February 10, 2004 Thanks for your reply, Hans. Last time when I developed Acros (exposed as 100) with Acutol (1:9), according to the data sheet i.e. 6min @ 20C, the negative seemed a bit pale/flat (underdeveloped?). I have another exposed Acros (over exposed throughly +2/3 stop ie same as rated as 70?) here with me and not yet decided how I'm going to develop it... Well, to answer your question, I am using enlargers in a dark room provided by a photographic society, and they are mainly colour enlargers (ie not condenser but diffusion). There is one b/w enlarger by LPL but this one has no timer, so I merely use it. This perhaps means I need rather contrasty negatives, or try on the condenser enlarger. I also have TMAX 400 rated as 1600, and will develop this with TMAX (1:4). And there are two Ilford Delta 400 rated as 400, and I am not sure if its better to develop these with TMAX or ACUTOL... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hans_beckert Posted February 10, 2004 Share Posted February 10, 2004 Ilford Delta 400 is not all that good in Acutol. It loses a little speed and contrast. On the other hand, Paterson FX-39 does very well by Delta 400. Acutol should not be used on Delta films. I would prefer FX-39 to T-Max developer for Delta 400. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nina_sagan Posted February 10, 2004 Author Share Posted February 10, 2004 Hans, thank you so much for your comments and I am going to the dark room from now to process my films, with your advices in mind. Hope something supurb in the films. Nina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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