barney

Quote: " I feel your Pain". All come on...How in the devil can you feel someone's Pain, and the guy doesn't need a lecture!!

 

Barney

Mr. Schorsch: I have dealt with Koh's twice. The first time was a Billigham bag (new). I got good service and a good price. The second time was this Spring I bought a Nikkor 2.8 55mm micro that they advertised as mint on their website. Great service, and the lens was brand new at a very good price! I don't think it had ever been on a camera. In box with all the paper. The man I dealt with was Jeff. I would buy from them again in a heartbeat. Good Luck...Barney

Mr. Kolosky: No I did not say what you said. :-) We are talking about the same thing, but I went into the detail of how to achieve those results. Hopefully there will be some new B&W Photographers that don't understand how to find Max. Black in an easy to understand way. Not everyone owns or has the use of densitometers. I really posted for them. All the best to you.

Everyone: Hope you don't mind be butting in with my .02. Max. Black. I set the enlarger at the height for the enlargement I want. 5 X 7, 8 x 10, etc. I usually shoot a blank frame in the camera in all formats. I take the blank frame and a partial frame with an image that is next to it, and place it in the Negative Holder. You don't need that partial image but that is just my way. I choose an aperture. I note and record where the enlarger height is located for this film and aperture. Time is next. I guess on the first one, and I am usually fairly close. I use 4 x 5 paper from Ilford. I buy them in 1000 to the box. You could cut them in half to economize but I don't. I set the timer for 1 second. I cover approximately a 3rd or half of the paper with something that will not allow light to get to the covered part of the print/stip I use a cut film holder. I expose through the filter I am going to use and the negative for 1 second. I take the cover off the paper, and expose for...let's say 19 seconds. I process. I let dry. When it is wet you can see the difference in the tones if there are any. Gray, dark gray, black, medium black, etc. You see this better than holding up some other standard to the strip, print, etc. because the shades are right together. Let's say I have black on one side and black on the other side, and I can see the difference. I can see it easily. I know that I am not there yet. So I change the times. 1 second again, then lets say 27 seconds for the other side, whatever. Process. Sooner or later you get a print that you will be barely able to see the differences in the two blacks on the Print. I take the darkest one as Max. Black, record the time in my Process Log. Now I get out the say 8 x 10 and print with the time. Let's say it was 1+ 27 for 28 seconds. I have a print that I know I have Max. Blk. Now some of you or perhaps all of you will say Barney that is not accurate how can you be sure? It is close enough for me! I ain't doing rocket science. :-) This is the way I have done it. If I expose correctly in the proper light, develop correctly I ALWAYS get nice prints. I don't Burn and Dodge...NEVER.

Best Regards to All and thanks for all the good Posts from You..

Mr. Kearney: I found Fred Lustig's number and address. (775) 746-0111. 4790 Caughlin Pkwy #433 Reno, NV 89509. Please call him during the day. His wife may answer, and you may have to talk to Mr. Lustig thru her. I did last week. It is kind of a pain but the man is apparently not well. So...Good luck.

Mr. Kearney: Call Fred Lustig in Reno, Nevada. He recently had a stroke, and will probably not talk to you but his wife will. The cams cost $30.00 the last time I checked which was last week. I don't have his number handy but you can find it on Graphflex.org

Mr. Froggat: I don't know what is the difference between ID-11 and D76 developers. I don't have the formulas. As a suggestion: You can mix your own D76. Grant Haist's formula in Stephen G. Anchell's book "The Darkroom Cookbook", second edition gives his formula for D76H. It is: 2.5 grams of Metol, 100 grams of Sodium Sulfite, 2.0 grams of Borax. Mix in that order with 1 liter of water. Start out with approximately 750 ml at 125 degrees F. I use this formula all the time for Tri-x and other films. It is extremely cheap to use, environmentally friendly, and even without mixing with Distilled water which is the expensive part of the formula will produce excellent negatives if used properly for time and temperature. I use it 1:1 for 9 minutes 45 seconds as Kodak recommends at ASA 400 for the new 400 TX Tri-x and get nice results. I like FP4 Plus, and used it for several years; however, I have recently went to Fuji Acros 100. HP-5 is nice but in my opinion so is TRI-X. I shoot TRI-X at ASA 400 which is different than most Photographers; however, I like the results and that is all that matters. Good Luck.

Mr. Walsh: May I suggest checking your enlarger alignment? An experienced darkroom man gave me some excellent advice recently on this procedure. I changed his process a little bit to make it more accurate. Take a 4 x 5 emulsion and clear it in good fixer. Scribe a line from one corner of the clear film with a sharp instrument...say the point on a compass. Use the same compass to scribe an arc through the same lines out about an inch or so from where the lines cross in the middle of the film. Place the film in your negative carrier, and turn on the enlarger light. The scribed lines will show up real well on the table, or if you prefer the back of a discarded 8 x 10. Measure from corner to corner where the scribed lines cross. They should be the same. If they are not your enlarger is out of alignment and can be realigned and checked using the described method. It works, it is accurate, and it may solve your problems. I own and use a 1967 Schnieder 150 Xenar also on my Crown Graphic. They are very good lenses. The lens will produce a beautiful image. As one of the other gentlemen said, " if the negative is sharp it is sharp and should produce a sharp image if your enlarger is in alignment. Good luck.

Mr. Kish: I have an M4-P also. In 2000 I dropped it on a concrete floor, and fouled up the rangefinder. I sent it to Leica. It was expensive. It took about 7 weeks. It was fixed properly. I have had no problems with it since...none! I do not know anyone on the West Coast; however, I will make some inquires tomorrow here in Seattle, and see what people recommend. Will get back to you if I hear a good report about someone on the West Coast.

Mr. Steiner: Please try a Nikon cable release. The number is either AR-3 or -7? They are a "good thing". :-)

Mr. Miller: Thanks for the info. What is and where do you get J&J classic 200 Please?

A Nikkor lens that is often overlooked is a 55mm 2.8 Micro. They are very sharp, and I use mine for a normal lens. Try Koh's in Bellmore, NY. Very reputable...they had a mint one for $225.00 not long ago. They still may have some.

What difference does it make!!! I own 4 different 35mm cameras. An old Minolta XD-11, A Nikon FM2T, a Nikon F3hp, and a Leica MP-4. I use them all. I use them for different things. Each one has it's good points and bad points, and they may be even different if any of you owned them. The point is who cares if digital or Leica or whatever is faster, lighter, etc. Digital is a wonderful format. I don't own it. I doubt I ever will, but I don't critizize it or try to show it's perceived weaknesses because I own a Leica. Leica's have their weakness's also. One is "the price", and my M4-P doesn't have a timer. My F3 has a weakness: it is heavy, and the flash sync. spd is slow. My Minolta has a weakness: it is old, and Minolta doesn't support it anymore I am told? My FM2T does not have a 1/3 EV adustment like the F3,etc, etc. Who cares? Nothing is perfect. Just enjoy your cameras and let everyone else enjoy theirs!

No war Mr. Queru: :-) I meant set the meter at 320. Then meter. If you meter with a gray card Kodak recommends you then add 1/2 of a stop more exposure. There is a reason for this but I want go into it. If the meter is done with an incident dome you usually use that reading. Not always but usually. Depends on the subject and where the light is coming from.

Barney

To All:

I have been bulk loading for several years. I use an Arden #74. I keep the loader with film in the refrigerator in a plastic freezer bag. I have never scratched a negative...never. I use the plastic film holders. I keep them in plastic bags until I use them. I always blow out the felt with canned air. Bulk loading is usually about 40% of what street priced film. To me it is worth it. I can shoot any number of exposures I want. I don't know anything about the Watson but the one I use is a more pricey but works well. You will not damage film with it.

Barney

Mr. Keller: May I suggest to set your meter to 320 for the first roll. Either reflectively with a gray card or as an Incident Meter if you can. Expose the film in your camera based on that setting. If it is a reflective reading you may want to add a 1/2 a stop. Then develop as Kodak suggests. See what happens. Adjust if needed from there. Good Luck. BTW you are using good film. Try developing in D76 1 to 1 the first time.

Barney

Glazers in Seattle. 1-888-531-3232, 430 8th Ave N. www.glazerscamera.com

Barney

Does anyone know if Fuji Acros makes bulk film for 35mm, and if so

where to get it?

Barney

Mr. Rupnow: Please try this site. www.nikonlinks.com go down the list to F3 serial #'s by Niklas Nikitin. Good Luck; Barney

Mr. Zappa:

You may already know this...you may not. In case you don't; try this site, www.megatron.co.uk

Good Luck...Barney

Mr. Zappa: I use a Weston V Light meter. It is very similar if not identical to your meter. I suggest you obtain a gray card, 8 x 10 preferably but 4 x 5 will do. If that is not easy use any textured surface that would produce near some gray tone in Black and White. Meter with your SLR. Meter with the Weston. If the Weston indicates you should use a half a stop less exposure you are fine. Why because as per Kodak, and I want go into the why of it, they recommend adding a half stop more exposure for reflective metering in some cases. More than that you may want to do the following. Call the gentleman at Quality Lite Metric. Their number is (323) 467-2265. Their address is Quality Lite Metric, 7095 Hollywood Blvd., Unit # 550, Hollywood, California, 90028. This is their new address. I have dealt with them 3 times. They are reputable, honest, fast, and they do very good work. They can install new selenium cells, balance your needle, and calibrate to Manufacturers Specs. My meter was recently sent to them for service. It is now dead on! I can utilize it to shoot Chromes if I want. As a suggestion: If you don't have one, ask them for an invercone to purchase. This will allow you to use your Weston also as an Incident Light Meter. I apologize for telling you if you already know this. If not, I would highly recommend them. I carry a 4 x 5 Kodak Gray card in my bag and/or shirt pocket. I meter both reflectively and with the Invercone for an Incident reading. Sometimes I don't meter at all though. Depends. I hope this helps. You have a very good and reliable meter. Just be sure via Quality Lite that it is functioning correctly. Good Luck and all the best to you.

Barney

Tom:

I use TF-4 also. I have gone back in forth on the acid/water stop bath. My .02 is: If the development times are long...say 10 minutes plus or preferably longer then the water stop bath would be fine. The percentage of increase development time is not that great with longer overall development times. However, if the development times are short, as with a lot of non-dilute developers/film combinations then the "don't stop right now development of water stop" could alter the outcome of the negatives. Presently I am using a citric acid stop by Ilford, ( I suspect Kodak's is the same thing basically ). It doesn't have much odor. After the Acidic stop has been used for film or paper, I then wash in water for a minute or so. THEN, I Fix with TF-4. Hope this helps a little. :-)

Barney

Mr. Byrd:

I haven't used mine that way but I think I will try it, and see what happens. What film were you using please?

Barney

I also recommend the Nikkor 55mm F2.8 Micro. I own one, and use it on an FM2 as a normal lens. It is excellent, and you can find mint used ones for very good prices.

Barney

I use stop bath, but afterwards run the film or print in a plain water bath to wash away the acid. THEN I place the fixer TF-4 in the film or the print in the TF-4. This allows the TF-4 to last longer. The fixer is caustic, the stop is acidic, washing the acid away first decreases less carry over of indicator dye and acid into the fixer enhancing the fixers life. I use three times the clearing time as Anchell and Troop recommend. Some darkroom workers now use only water as a stop which I think would be fine for paper but I am not convinced yet it is good for film UNLESS the development times are real long, and therefore the slow developing stop from water would not seriously affect the overall development due to a low percentage rate.

Barney