darkroommike

<p>To clarify, type of reel and tank is entirely a personal matter, beginners like Paterson for ease of loading, stainless steel uses less chemicals per roll, will load when wet, and temp control can be a bit easier.<br>

Processing black and white, there a two types of fixers, standard fixers made from powder and liquid rapid fixers. Fresh fixers clear film much faster than used fixer solutions and some films require much longer fixing times than others. As a rule ISO 400 films require longer fixing times than slower films and the tablet grain films, ESPECIALLY TMax films, require much longer fixing times than conventional films.<br>

C-41 and E-6 are a little fussy but your wet processing times are actually shorter than times with black and white. The three step E-6 kits are easy to use and produce good results. You don't need to mount slide if your plans involve only scanning the film strips. Rather than maintain a strict developer temperature most kits can also be used in a "drift-by" mode where the developer starts a little warm and then ends up a little cooler at the end of the developer cycle. Check the instructions that come with your kit.<br>

For consistent results I personally use a Unicolor Kit (mad by Tetenal) and a Unicolor Film Drum on a UniRoller. Easy to use, economical, and consistent.<br>

Save up your film so that you can process a batch of film all in one day that equals the capacity of your kit.<br>

darkroommike</p>

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<p>If all else fails a crochet hook works very well, now good luck finding a crochet hook! Contact your oldest female relative! Harbor Freight sells a pack of five hooks as well.</p>

<p>Check your batteries and your battery holder. I have 2.5 N8008s' (one is rebadged as a Kodak DCS200 with a bad hard drive which I plan to now convert into an 8008s since I have and extra back and focusing screen. My favorite AF Nikon. I never use it in AF mode but the focus confirmation and metering are great.</p>

<p>I have 5! It's a addiction. I also have a couple of part donors which I salvage for leatherette, covers, lens hoods and straps. I use a handheld meter so don't care about cells in camera. The GIII was the last "heavy metal" Canon RF it uses gold plated contacts and a quick load system that should make Leica hang it's head in shame.</p>

<p>I had the first Contax RTS sold in South Dakota and struggled to use it in one of the coldest winters on record. It flat out did not work, batteries would not fire the camera when it got cold. So I think the RTS was designed for people in the sub-tropics. The company had in it's catalog a remote battery holder (battery could go up the sleeve and into an inside pocket) but no amount of begging, cajoling, etc. could get one. There were big ticket clients with the same issue so I dumped the system and bought a Canon F-1. Now THAT was a camera. Ergonomics not bad (I rate them above the Nikon F2), lenses were pretty good but not as contrasty as the Contax lenses. I loved the Zeiss lenses but hated the camera. As I recall I had the 85mm, the 35mm, a 50mm and a short zoom.</p>

<p>Under some conditions you can supposedly get dichroic fog processing sheet film in TMax developer. Since RS will work for both i use RS for all.</p>

<p>The superfast films will fog even if stored frozen in your basement from Cosmic Rays(!). Yup a test was done years ago by Kodak (the test was on motion picture stock but film is film). </p>

<p><a href="http://motion.kodak.com/motion/uploadedFiles/US_plugins_acrobat_en_motion_newsletters_filmEss_12_Storage_and_Handling.pdf">http://motion.kodak.com/motion/uploadedFiles/US_plugins_acrobat_en_motion_newsletters_filmEss_12_Storage_and_Handling.pdf</a></p>

<p>"Extended periods beyond six months may especially affect fast films, as noted above, even if kept frozen. The only way to determine the specific effect of ambient background radiation is with actual testing or measurements and placing a detector in the locations where the film was stored. The most obvious clue is the observance of increased granularity, especially in the light areas of the negative."</p>

<p>Mix the entire package, divide the mixed developer into smaller GLASS storage bottles and fill them to the top, I lay a piece of plastic wrap over the mouth of the bottle before screwing down the lid. If you want to divide your developer use HC-110 or TMax liquid developers and Kodafix or Kodak Rapid Fixer, note that if you plan to one-shot your fixer you can dilute it to the more economical "paper strength" and I will often save the fixer in a tray and use it later the same day to fix proof sheets.</p>

<p>Different FILMS can produce a different look but standard developers produce very little difference in the look of an image. Pick one developer and stick with it, if you must experiment when starting out, try a few different films.</p>

<p>Replenishment works in the "real world" only for high to very high throughput, for lower volume applications like school and home darkrooms it does not work very consistently. Additionally most large volume film developers do not give the full true speed of the film processed and can also deliver lower contrast. </p>

<p>Adams, his book is great on theory, but not so much on the practice of negative development.<br>

The Massive Development Chart times are all starting times, to be modified by the user. Many variables can modify that starting time. Processing method, use of a presoak (or not), lenses used (old non-coated glass produces lower contrast), illumination system of your enlarger and even the bellows of your camera (re: Adams), smaller bellows can produce more flare, in one of his books AA prefers a 5x7 camera with a 4x5 reducing back to lower internal flare when using lenses with excess coverage. All the Kodak TMax films, and Tri-X have old film and new film starting times published, since professional studios may have many bricks of the old emulsion still in cold storage. Note that TMax 400 exposed in daylight and TMax 3200 exposed at night will assuredly have different optimal developing times even if the published times match.</p>

<p>Darkroom blackout cloth (not the vinyl). Rubber coated, flexible. Waterproof. Hot!! </p>

<p>Toyo made the Omega 45's, good news is they also made the Super Speed Graphic for a while and made an adapter to fit Graphic boards to view cameras. I picked up a used one for cheap on eBay (I have also seen them for ridiculous price). A press lens is not my first choice for a view camera but if you already have the lens--go for it. I used a 150 Xenar for years before getting a 150 Symmar.<br>

The Tominon's are good macro lenses, they came off MP-3 and MP-4 Polaroid copy cameras. The shutters are Copals, but most are Copals without diaphragms! Buyer beware. The Tominons that swap out of shutters have their own diaphragms, much like enlarging lenses.</p>

<p>You can probably sell the focusing screens and buy a fresnel for your 8x10.</p>

<p>Graflok backs for 3x4 show up on eBay all the time, and you can sometimes buy them cheaper with a Pacemaker camera attached and then resell your rig or keep for parts. Then add a 23 back. BTW searching 3 x 4 will usually turn up all auctions. (Note the spaces.)<br>

Someone has already mention Freestyle but I cut film for years using a standard paper cutter. I use Dymo tape to mark the positions and old film or RC paper to test the fit. I would first make all the 3.25 cuts from the 4-inch side, retaining the edge with the notch code, then rebox my film. And reset the cutter for the 4.25 cuts. Piece of cake.</p>

<p>After market lensboards sell on ebay all the time, the back from another F, or C,E,G models will work. Or if you are a DIY guy take a Graflok back, mount it to a lensboard and "Dremel" out all the extra metal. It won't rotate but you can mount it for either horizontals or vertcals.</p>

<p>Omega/Toyo: the D and E do not have interchangeable bellows, and if bad a new bellows will likely cost more than the camera. The C,F,G have interchangeable bellows. The D back rotates but is not removable. C,D,E,F,G have straight bellows CX has tapered bellows. There is a D on eBay right now with lens for $135.00 (I'm guessing it will sell for under $200.00).</p>

<p>70mm reels? I have one. It's a monster, made for the 18 foot loads of 70mm that fit the Hasselblad, etc. magazines. I don't think I have ever seen a 116/616 ss reel and suspect that any film you processed now would have such a tight curl you couldn't load it anyway. I usually just roll/reroll curly films in processing trays. 127 reels surface at swap meets and auction sites from time to time.</p><div></div>

<p>I scan old black and white negatives as transparencies on my Epson 1640 SU and invert tones in Photoshop. On my 35mm scans I make sure to turn all the scanner's "helpers" off (I.C.E., etc.) before scanning.</p>

<p>If the negatives were originally underfixed you could re-wet, re-fix, re-wash and the re-dry.</p>

<p>Diafine is a special case, the shortish developing times make it a perfect candidate for open tank metal reel processing (in the dark, of course). Most 4 reel 35mm tanks hold about a liter and come with a lift rod, if you have three 4 reel tanks you put Diafine A in tank 1, diafine B in two, and fixer in tank 3. Set time, load reels, drop into tank 1, agitate vigourously for 10 seconds then 5 seconds every 30 seconds, transfer to Tank 2 when time is up, agitate for 20 seconds then let stand for balance of time, then tranfer to film washer for 1 minute and then to fixer tank. This is all done in the dark but makes Diafine EASY. <br>

Since the tanks do not even need lids for this technique you can pick up tanks very cheap. I have 4 eight reel tanks with lift rods and can process 30-40 rolls of fim a day (and have in the past).<br>

I do not like Paterson reels for Diafine since you can not use a presoak, ever, and the spiral spacing on plastic reels makes it too easy for airbells to hide.</p>

 

<p>I loaded a lot of 120 reels over the years but got one no name I couldn't load, I measured the distance between flanges and it was wrong. Gahh! That reel went into the trash after I stomped it flat. Good SS reels include Hewes (everyone's favorite), Nikor (available only used so Caveat Emptor) and the one that no one has mentioned: Kindermann. Good, heavy reels, the center clips are a bit goofy but very nice and their tanks are the best on planet earth.</p>

<p>My best setup? Hewes reels and Kindermann tanks.</p>

<p>Round marks with no development usually caused by air bells sticking to film in developer. Round "holes" can be caused by too strong a stop bath. Dirty cameras cause all sorts of shapes for the shadows cast during exposure. I've even seen a shot with an ant silhouette.</p>

<p>1. When washing prints in an open tray with running water do the chemicals being washed off float, sink, or dilute somewhat evenly in the water?<br /> <br /> It dilutes into the water.<br /> <br /> 2. If a mistake is made in the fixing time, should prints/film be re-fixed? If so what is the procedure for it?<br /> <br /> Wash briefly and re-fix normally in fresh fixer for the manufacturer's recommended times and the continue processing as normal.<br /> <br /> 3. Is there such a thing as over fixing or over stop bathing? What would be the consequences of that?<br /> <br /> Too strong a stop bath can damage some film emulsions, too long causes no damage.<br /> <br /> Overfixing supposedly will bleach (lighten) some materials--I've never seen it happen with the stuff I use.<br /> <br /> 4. I read selenium stableizes the silver, how so? will it help minimize the effect of under fixing or under washing a print/film?<br /> <br /> Selenium is much less reactive to gases in the air (it is chemically similar to surfur--so no "sulfurization" can occur since "selenium-ization" has already taken place. <br /> <br /> Under-fixing + selenium toning or underwashing + selenium toning can stain. Curiously you can go straight from fixer to toner if you are using a strong toner dilution without risk of stains, I used to use a final, very fresh fixer before toning Ektalure to completion and mixed the toner 1 part stock to four parts HCA working solution.<br /> <br /> 5. If I were to mix my own developer, toner, emulsion formulas and so on, where would I buy the chemicals for it?<br /> <br /> The list changes all the time, in the US, Photographer's Formulary has the most complete selection.<br /> <br /> 6. Has Agfa completely discontinued producing silver imagery material? I really love their semi-matt paper and would love to get my hands on some more.<br /> <br /> Looks like it may be over but people have written Agfa off before and been wrong.<br /> <br /> 7. What kind of consequences are there to using expired paper? Does it change anything in it's life as post processed paper?<br /> <br /> The biggest risk is fog, I have some very old paper that I play with from time to time (Cykora) made in the 60's(!). Adding an anti-fog to the developer can help. As far as it's probable life post processing I would guess that it should be the same.<br /> <br /> Interestingly I find the most stable old papers to be graded fibre base made before before brighteners or developers were incorporated and the least stable to be early RC papers.<br /> <br /> 8. I would have to change the stage and bellow of my enlarger to enable it to process medium format film, is it doable and/or worth it? or should I just invest in an other enlarger? <br /> <br /> I recently bought a medium format B600 for 20 bucks so I'd say no--not worth it. I gave the enlarger away--I was after the borderless easel that came with it.<br /> <br /> If you only want to purchase ONE more enlarger check with schools and newspapers, they are unloading all their 4x5's and going 100% digital. Try not to buy an enlarger far away, the shipping will kill you (guess how I know this!).<br /> <br /> 9. Is there a substitute for a micro focus (grain finder, and the I won't have one within the next month) am I just ruining my paper by not using one and focusing by eye (I can see grain on my final large prints on my first try)?<br /> <br /> Depends on how old your eyes are! I was much better at 25 than I am at 55. Patterson makes the Micro Focus finder for under $20.00--you won't need anything more unless making 16x20's. You can just take a piece of film and scratch the emulsion with a pin and focus on that instead of your negative.<br /> <br /> 10. And lastly is there a pretty complete (black and white film, print and alternative processing) book that anyone suggests?<br /> <br /> I like and recommend David Vestal's the Art of Black and White Enlarging and David Vestal's the Craft of Photography.</p>

You've answered some of your own questions. The Plaubel is a specilist's tool sutied for back packing and street photography and has not been made for some time.

 

If you are thinking about the occasional portrait you either need to crop or put on a longer focal length lens.

 

I own a 'blad, a couple of Mamiya 645's, a Graflex XLRF and 4 Mamiya TLR's (I know I should downsize but can't decide what to sell.)

The gearing for the counter is also in the insert, so using a 220 insert will run the counter up to 30, using a 120 insert gets you 15 shots.