terry_m1

<p>Here is a color image of my 8x6 feet darkroom. I sit on a cushioned stool while agitating prints in the developer, stop bath, and fixer trays. Hanging from plastic clothespins in this image are 8x10 inch prints drying, which I place there after I am done; otherwise, they would hit my head. There is sufficient space between the tables and the vertical wall across from them for me to turn completely around. Not seen in the top left corner of the wall to the left of the Saunders dichronic enlarger is a small air conditioning unit that is needed when the temperature in the garage reaches 80 degrees and more. I have made thousands of prints here and I love working herein!</p>

<p>Congratulatiions, Steven! I built our darkroom in 2000 in our garage and it measures 8x9 feet but is completely comfortable and productive. I process black and white film and make prints almost weekly and it is a wonderful hobby! Scans I've made from my prints and negatives as well as my father's negatives from WWII are on my Flickr pages as follows:<br>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21652620@N08/">http://www.flickr.com/photos/21652620@N08/</a><br>

Happy processing!</p>

<p>There is a donut shop close to my house here in Los Angeles where at all hours elderly males love to sit, sip coffee and eat donuts, and talk, talk, talk. I've been planning to walk in there with my M3 or M6 TTL with my 35mm ASPH Summicron attached, in my hand at my side, and walk by them as I approach the counter, and determine if any of them see it and immediately state something such as "Hey, is that a Leica?". If they do, I'll grab an image of them with Fuji Acros 100 loaded, then make prints in my darkroom and hand them to them as a surprise. That way, if they used to use Leicas decades ago, they will be able to see what gorgeous quality Leica's 35mm ASPH captures on today's black and white film.</p>

<p>I checked the PocketWizard Web site today and it does not mention any compatibility with a combination of Leica and Metz equipment. Are any of you successfully using the PW with yours, and if so, are you using it in the manual mode or the TTL mode? I have the R8 and the M6 TTL as well as the Metz 54 MZ-3 flash, and I would like to occasionally get the Metz off both camera bodies. Thanks.<br>

Terry</p>

<p>Oops-phone rang and I blew the above post!<br>

Leica M6 TTL, 35mm aspherical Summicron, and Delta 100 processed in Microdol-X.</p><div></div>

<p>No, the DMC-TZ5 does not provide the controls you mentioned. However, its metering is very accurate.</p>

<p>Below is an image of Calvin Klein model Gabriel Aubry that I captured late last year in a store with my Leica M6 TTL and 90mm APO/ASPH Summicron lens on the newish T-Max 400. The Ilford RC glossy print shows no grain because it was produced after processing the T-Max in undiluted ID-11 for 6:15 minutes at 73 degrees. Behind Gabriel is a gigantic flat sheet of textured glass.</p><div></div>

<p>Here is another TZ5 image, this time showing a feral cat in our backyard, with the lens zoomed all the way out. Stunning detail is evident in the original image (before I shrunk it to show up as an image on this page).</p><div></div>

<p>Here is another capture of our cat with the TZ5, this time in natural light. Wonderful detail and sharpness as well as color accuracy!</p><div></div>

<p>I bought the Panasonic DMC TZ5 in December and it is a wonderful camera in so many ways! Its Leica lens is outstanding and the camera fits in both shirt and pants pockets easily.</p><div></div>

<p>2+6 means a doubling of the base dilution of 1+3 to fill an 8 ounce tank since 2+6 equals 8 and 4+12 means a quadrupling of the base dilution of 1+3 to fill a 16 ounce tank.</p>

<p>I should correct my previous 1+ 30 statement to reflect the truth: I use Microdol-X 1+3. So if I am using my 8 ounce stainless steel tank to proces one roll of film, I mix a total dilution of 2+6 (1+1 and 3+3) and if I am using my 16 ounce stainless steel tank to process two rolls, I mix a total dilution of 4+12 (1+1+1+1 and 3+3+3+3). With both, I get perfect negatives year after year! I also forgot to mention that in the image I posted above, the cats are separated from the front yard by a heavy screen door, so that is what you see there rather than grain.</p>

<p>For years I have used Microdol-X (same as Perceptol) diluted 1+30 at 75 degrees for 18 minutes with Delta 100, Acros 100, Tri-X 400, and the new T-max 400 and I always get outstanding results without any discernible grain at all but with full displaying of highlight and shadow details. The accompanying scan is from an Acros 100 negative image captured with my Leica 28mm M lens on my M6 TTL camera with Metz flash. When I printed this in my darkroom, my dichroic enlarger head was raised 4 1/2 feet up. Despite that, no grain is visible at all on the 8x10 inch print.</p><div></div>

<p>I just made an 8x10 inch Ilford glossy RC paper print in my darkroom from an Acros 100 capture that was processed via my previously mentioned details for 18 minutes. I used a 28 mm Leica M lens and I had to raise the enlarger head 4 feet for the composition because the 28 was unneccessary for the scene. After focusing, metering was fast and easy and I got an outstanding print of subject matter captured at a front door in a house with fill-in flash. In fact, a friend saw my print and wants to buy it! Thus, my time was not way too long for M-X and this is the way I have been using it for years!</p>

<p>For years I have used ratios translated as 1+2. So, that means 1 ounce developer combined with 2 ounces of water. Thus this, for example, translates into 3+6 (3:6) to fill an 8 ounce stainless steel film reel container with 1 ounce extra. That's 1+1+1 ounce measurements of developer plus 2+2+2 ounce measurements of water.</p>

<p>Marco, re agitation when diluting it 1:3, 75 degrees, and 18 minutes, I simply agitate gently for the first 30 seconds and then only 4-5 times each minute. That keeps the grain invisible and retains highlight and shadow details.</p>

<p>I process Acros 100, Delta 100, Tri-X 400, and the new T-max 400 in Microdol-X at 75 degrees, diluted 1:3, for 18 minutes and get astonishing results every time from my Leica lenses.</p>

<p>My darkroom, measuring a comfortable 8x6 feet, is in my garage and I develop black and white film weekly and make prints weekly with my wonderful Saunders 670 MXL dichroic enlarger as well, still. It is such a joy to still be indulging in these processes!</p>

<p>I process it in Microdol-X at 74-75 degrees diluted 1:3 for 18 minutes and get outstanding results. These parameters also retain highlight detail, even when I use my Metz flash indoors, rather than burn them out like D-76 does.</p>

<p>I suggest you use the device I have posted on my following Flickr page to dry your Acros negatives. I have been using this device for years and it works beautifully!<br>

<a href="

<p>I love my Leica R lenses, but the DMR for the R8 and R9 was hideously overpriced/expensive so I bought a Canon EOS adapter, bought a Canon digital camera for less than $1 thousand, and ever since then I can use and have used most of my R lenses for digital captures. To me, Leica will fail to be on a total upswing if the anticipated R10 digital camera body is hideously overpriced/expensive like the DMR was.</p>

Yesterday we smoked half a pork roast and a complete duck in our smoker, then prepared a wonderful orange sauce.<div></div>

Half of a pork roast and a complete duck we smoked in our smoker yesterday afternoon:

At the link below, there is a brief discussion about pushing Tri-X and processing it. Specifically, the last poster, Luke H, has attached a night scene photo that, once clicked on, will take you to his Flickr page where it will be seen slightly larger. Above it, click on the "All Sizes" button and the image will enlarge considerably so that you can view any grain as well as sharpness and tonality.

 

http://flickr.com/groups/diybw/discuss/72157603319844418/

I buy all my Clayton chemicals at Freestyle Camera in Hollywood and have been for almost a decade. Love the stuff!