keith_tapscott

Thanks Ken,

I hadn't thought of a mirror less with a lens adapter.

To be honest, she uses the current camera in basic mode where the camera automatically selects ISO and exposure, so just general snapshots.

I will do some research on the cameras you've mentioned.

I'm in the UK.

It's time to upgrade Canon EOS 600D, but I don't know what the latest equivalent is.

I only want to buy a body only. The camera is for my wife.

Thanks in advance.

At the present time of this post, D76 and ID11 are currently out of stock from the main UK retailers, so making your own is not a bad idea.

Both developers are well established, so I wouldn't worry about which one to choose.

1 litre of working strength Multigrade developer according to Ilford is good for about 100 sheets of 8x10 paper while PQ Universal and Bromophen are good for up to 70 sheets. So the Multigrade has the highest capacity.

I'm not so familiar with Dektol, so I would look at the technical data sheet. I use Multigrade developer and consider it to be an excellent all rounder.

Hope that is of some help.

 

 

On 3/16/2023 at 12:35 AM, danac said:

Has anyone used this tool?  https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/4258-REG/Beseler_8511_11x14_Borderless_Enlarging_Easel.html  It's far more affordable than some of the alternatives. I am thinking about making 11x14 black and white enlargements.

Look for a RR Beard Magitak Easel, They work best with RC papers than FB, as RC papers tend to lie flatter.

 

Photon Beard Magitek Rahmen ohne Zubehör – Foto Köberl – Secondhand (fk-secondhand.com)

There is a good article written about D23 by Derek Watkins for single bath and two-bath use.

 

D-23

What black and white film would you like to see revived and sold again? Extra credit if you can make an argument that the revived film would actually be profitable!

Kodak HIE infra-red film and if I can pick another film, it would be Fuji Neopan 1600.

Whether they would be profitable, I don't know.

<p>Ilford FP4 Plus.<br>

Develop in ID11 or D76 diluted 1+1. Use the time printed inside the film box.<br>

You may need to open the lens aperture by half an f/stop more than the light meter indicates for close up head photos if taking an incident light reading.</p>

<p>The developing times given for Tetenal Paranol-S and Adox RO9 (Agfa Rodinal) are very different, so beware of the claims that they are the exact same formula.</p>

<p>I used to use D-76 diluted 1+1, buthave just recently have tried a different approach.<br>

I make up the 1 U.S Gallon (3.78 litres) bag to make 4 litres of stock and decant it into four 1 litre bottles.<br>

After one roll of film has been processed, I pour the developer back into it's storage bottle for reuse, but strictly for "one-shot" use from then on.<br>

I think I would exactly the same with Xtol.</p>

 

<p>I like the technical information given by Foma for that film for speed achieved at G-bar 0.6 and only wish that Ilford and Kodak would produce similar charts.</p>

<p>I think I would go with E.I.200 and use stock Xtol for 7 minutes at 20*C as my starting point.</p>

<p>Thank you for the link Robert.</p>

<p>I have never seen that problem with D-76. ;-)</p>

<p>I am sure that normal developing would have been fine.<br>

I never got into the uprate/downrate and push/pull malarky.<br>

Admittedly I sometimes bracket exposures if the lighting is tricky to make sure I have good negative to print from, but I always develop for the standard time these days.</p>

<p>Agfa Atomal used HEAP sulphate as the key developing agent which was also used in May & Baker Promicrol. AFAIK, this constituent is no longer available.</p>

<p>The current Adox A49 Atomal uses one of the colour developing agents as a substitute. None of this really matters as long as a particular developer gives the photographer results that he or she is pleased with.</p>

<p>I am sure that Bruce is perfectly capable of judging whether a specific film and a specific developer gives him results that really stand out for him.</p>

<p>Bruce, I found your article about Delta 100 and Spur Acurol-N of particular interest.<br>

Sorry to read that the Adox Atomal with Adox CHS100 II wasn't to your liking.</p>

<p>@ Ron Taylor, what is the formula of Patrick Dignan's divided D-76?<br>

I have the divided D-76 formula by Robert J Starks which according to what Paul Farber said; <strong>"The maximum emulsion speed afforded by D-76 is retained, along with the high acutance. However, the divided development gives the negatives a beautiful range of tones which straight D-76 cannot seem to do over a large range of contrast situations."</strong><br>

<strong> </strong><br>

<strong>Excerpt from MODERN PHOTOGRAPHIC PROCESSING by GRANT HAIST (page 429)<br /></strong></p>

<p>Rather than making D-96, try Adox Borax-M.Q instead.</p>

<p>In 750ml of water at around 52*C dissolve the components in the order listed below.<br>

Metol 2g<br>

Sodium sulphite, anhydrous 80g<br>

Hydroquinone 4g<br>

Borax 4g<br>

Potassium bromide 0.5g<br>

Water to make 1 litre of stock solution.</p>

<p>Use the developer without further dilution and replenish it with the formula below.<br>

In 750ml of water at around 52*C dissolve the components in the order listed below.<br>

Metol 3g<br>

Sodium sulphite, anhydrous 80g<br>

Hydroquinone 5g<br>

Borax 18g<br>

Water to make 1 litre.</p>

<p>Treat as Kodak D-76 and replenish it as recommended for D-76 in Kodak publication J-78.</p>

<p>Although I have never been a fan of two-bath developers, his DiLuxol Vitesse two-bath developer looks interesting. I am not sure if all the developers mentioned on his site are still available.</p>

<p>Mostly HP5 Plus or FP4 Plus. I sometimes use T-Max films too. Ilford Multigrade papers for the prints.</p>

<p>There are plenty of good alternatives to Paterson developers. It is bad news though none the less that their developers are no longer available.</p>

<p>If you are OK with mixing stock solutions from dry powders, then you wont go wrong with Kodak D-76 or, Ilford ID-11. Ilford Perceptol is also very good if you can withstand a small loss of film speed, although it is more of a niche product than a general use developer.<br>

Stick with the tried and trusted processes and enjoy your photography.</p>

<p>You will not go far wrong with the tried and trusted ID-11 developer or Kodak D-76.</p>

<p>I wouldn't worry about it, if the negatives are a little softer than desired, then print with a slightly harder filter grade setting if you use VC papers. e.g; a grade 3.5 if you normally use a grade 3 setting.</p>

<p>As you only use the 35mm format, then any medium speed film from a reputable film manufacturer should deliver very satisfactory results from your 35mm camera kit.<br>

FP4 Plus, Plus-X, T-Max 100, Delta 100, 100 Acros etc.<br>

Pan F Plus should work very well too in controlled lighting.</p>

<p>Sodium tripolyphosphate as already mentioned is a good choice as is <strong>sodium hexametaphosphate</strong>. The latter was once known as <strong>Calgon</strong>.</p>

<p>Without knowing what type of lightmeter you are using and how you are using it and whether you are making optically enlarged prints in the darkroom or merely scanning the negatives, it is difficult to offer advice.</p>

<p>How well do your negatives print?</p>

<p><em><strong>"Best developer for a vast range of films new and old"</strong></em></p>

<p>Probably D-76 or ID-11 because most films are designed to perform well in those developers.</p>