david_gallmeier

It just occurred to me that I may be developing film inconsistently: does the

amount of developer used affect film development? For example, if I develop a

roll of film with 10 ounces of developer solution XYZ and then develop again

(same film, same length, etc) with 20 ounces of the same developer solution

XYZ, will this affect development?

Well, the contrast wasn't an issue with the previous batch of photos I took (the scenes were extremely contrasty though) when I pulled to EI 320. In fact, the only difference I did notice was that the grain was much less visible and the images were also much sharper. Smaller grain + sharper images.

I apologize, I should have specified why I want to shoot at EI 320 from now on. My biggest reason is to reduce grain. The latest photos I developed from D76 (shot at EI 400) had significantly more grain than the previous batch (which were shot at EI 320). I will post a few examples later today (from the EI 400 batch).

 

While on the subject of reducing grain, what dilution of D76 would yield the least amount of grain? I'm currently using 1:1, and developing according to whatever temperature the tap + stock come to (between 70 and 80 degrees).

I just experimented recently with downrating HP5+ to 320; then I went back to

exposing normally at 400. Let's just say I will be shooting at EI 320 from now on.

 

I have a question about downrating though. What I did was I metered for EI 320

(set the ISO speed to 320) and developed normally according to times listed for

400. When you downrate, suppose to 200, do you then change the development time

or still use the time listed for 400? And if you can do both, what is the

difference between the two?

 

One more thing; as I don't have access to a darkroom currently but intend to in

the future, would you need to expose/develop prints at different times if you

downrate HP5+?

Wow, thanks for the feedback. So then the need to digitally adjust levels in the histogram (along with other adjustments) doesn't necessarily denote problems with the exposure?

 

Additionally, I suppose these are things which can be compensated for in the darkroom as well. I plan to make my own prints, I just don't have a place in which to do it yet. Thanks again for all the feedback.

So having to digitally adjust the histogram and play with sharpness effects does not necessarily mean problems with shooting/development?

 

Thanks everyone BTW; this has been very helpful.

My camera is a Pentax ME Super with centerweighted metering. So what do you mean by "hoodwinked"? And also, by exposing for shadows, do you mean to meter on the shadowy areas? This would wash out the sky more then, right?

 

I also have additional examples shot at the same time in my user profile.

These photos were shot at EL320 on HP5+ and developed for EL400 with D76. I

used an acid stop bath, hardening fixer and hypoclearing agent (all from Kodak).

Being in Hotlanta, the temperature for all of my chemicals was 78 degrees (for

which I adjust the development time accordingly to 6 minutes and 30 seconds).

After developed, the film was scanned using an HP Photosmart S20. Since I live

on the 2nd story of a small apartment, I don't have a darkroom to make prints as

of yet. I'm only able to develop the film at this time.

 

The images themselves were taken at F-stop 16 and the shutter speed was probably

250 - 500. I'm relatively new at B&W photography and need help. I'm just not

satisfied with the sharpness and contrast. Especially with skies - they always

appear to be bland white with no contrast between clouds and the atmosphere; it

doesn't look like it at all, but the sky was mostly sunny with only a few

clouds. You can't tell by looking at the sky, but the shadows on the ground

make this more obvious.

 

Please critique these photos and let me know what I can do better during

shooting/development. I dunno, maybe I'm just hating my own work.<div></div>

Atlanta, GA - big enough city. We've got Walmart.

BTW, if it's at all relevant, I'm shooting with HP5+.

I'm looking for some web resources on mixing your own darkroom chemistry. From

what I've seen, D-76 is something that can be easily mixed using storebought

chemicals.

 

I found photocrack.com, which has the recipes for lots of developers, but I

can't tell from the listed material whether or not the chemistry needs to be

mixed in any specific order. Also, where would I be able to buy these chemicals

locally?

 

Aside from D-76, is there any film fixer that can be as easily mixed? Any

information on these questions would be much appreciated.

I've got Kodak Fixer with Hardener and Ilford HP5+. The packaging on the fixer

says to fix the film for about 5-10 minutes, however this fixer is past it

recommended shelf-life. I just tried a clearing test and the clearing time is

about 3 minutes.

 

Anyways, my question is, should I fix for twice the clearing time or three

times? I'm reading both suggestions on the forums, but how long with

specifically HP5?

Question about film curling:

 

To everyone on this thread (and others who experience film curl), is the problem with film curling horizontally or vertically?

 

I have vertical film curl but not horizontal. I have some really short drying times which cuts down on dust (less than 30 minutes) but I hang and weight the film with a clothespin on a hanger at both ends.

 

I'm asking because I've never had problems scanning my negatives (haven't been able to start doing prints) and I'm wondering if film curl causes problems loading into an enlarger. If it does, how much film curl is generally acceptable?

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=Search&A=details&Q=&sku=27603&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

 

This is the fixer I use. The manufacturer says that the storage life of this

fixer is 2 months (tightly stoppered bottle, blah blah). Well, the stuff is

going to expire at the end of April and I have used about a sixth of the stuff I

ordered.

 

Can this be kept past the storage life or am I asking for it by doing this?

Will anyone please email me or give me a link with instructions on how to use an

Alden 74 Bulk Film Loader? I recently purchased one (used) and there aren't any

instructions. It seems pretty straight-forward, but I'd really hate to trash

100 feet of film.

 

Thanks,

David

I'm relatively new to film photography and have grown attached to Ilford HP5+

(especially because it is forgiving to maltimed development). But it's

expensive. I look at websites for the bighouses and see bulk film in 100ft

lengths going for half the price.

 

Can anyone tell me if other films are similar to HP5+? I've tried Tri-X and it

seems similar (especially in development), but Tri-X costs the same as HP5+. Is

there any cheaper alternative?

So for the HP5, if I don't have a bulk loader, but plan to reload the film into used film canisters, will the provide me with a light-tight container?

I've purchased a 100' roll of 35mm film (Ilford HP5 400). I'm going to load it

in my darkroom, but I have no idea what to expect. How is this thing packaged?

What I have is a small box which says not to open unless in a darkroom.

 

Can someone give me a detailed explanation of what to expect from the packaging?

Thanks!

Yeah, that's a good point. Without physically demonstrating how this is done, I couldn't very well recommend others to do it just from my text description alone. But I just wanted to share this because it sounds crazy yet does work for me.

Can anyone post any experiences they've had with the Arista Film Apron?

 

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/sc_prod.php?cat_id=&pid=5628

 

I'm debating whether or not to try them out. Additionally, is there any

required amount of developer (I use d-76 1:1) needed to develop one roll of

film? That tank looks like it does not have very much liquid capacity at all.

I worked in a camera repair shop for over two years and here's what I think is most likely the problem. BTW, I'm assuming your camera uses shutter blades and not a shutter curtain.

 

Part of the shutter is rubber bushing that cushions the shutter (the thing is accelerated at high speeds and needs to be quickly but softly halted). Under heated conditions (a hot car will easily cause this problem), this bushing will melt and cause the shutter to bind. I've had a camera do this on me once and I've seen many at the shop with this problem. You need either a thorough cleaning job on the shutter in this case or to have it replaced all together.

 

Look at the shutter blades and see if there is any grease/glue/moist gunk on it. If there is, then that's your problem. Even if there isn't, this could still be the problem. Also, without film in the camera, point the lens at a lamp or other source of bright light and fire the shutter several times while looking at the shutter with the film door open. You should be able to see a blink of light as the shutter opens/closes. If you can't, that's your problem.

 

Regardless, it sounds like your camera shutter needs to be repaired. This kind of problem will typically cost you between 80-100 dollars to have done, unless the shutter needs to be replaced outright. If you want, I can refer you to the place of business I used to work at, since they deal with this kind of problem all the time and can provide service, assuming you are in the US.

I will try the coffee filter solution. Or I may just toss out the entire batch of fixer, since fixer is cheap. The dust marks show up on the scanned images, but not on the negatives (there are a couple of marks I can see come up as white on the image that is black on the negatives over the rolls I've done so far).

 

However, I can assure everyone that the negatives are clean, scratch-free and have no watermarks whatsoever. I was hesitant to wipe the film with paper towels at first, but if I'm using a technique which is working very well, then how can that be terrible advice? The film dries in about 10-20 minutes using this technique. BTW, there are no squeegees involved, I just used that word to illustrate what you do with wet fingers to apply moisture.

Not so much a question as something I wanted to share about how I dry film.

 

I've developed probably four rolls of film at this point and don't know a whole

lot, but I've also been advised by my past boss, a 30+ year camera technician

with decades and decades of experience developing film. About cameras and

photography, nobody knows more than him. Anyways, this technique is from him

and not me.

 

After fixing the film, you rinse for about 20 minutes at the sink. Pull the

film out, and hang it up. With two thoroughly wet fingers, you "squeegee" the

film, not to remove water but to apply the proper amount of moisture to the

film. Then take a paper towel (not toilet paper, as tp leaves dust) and grip

both sides of the film. VERY slowly but steadily and without stopping, firmly

wipe the entire length of the roll ONCE. There should be accumulated moisture

on the paper towel, but no water streak left behind on the negatives.

 

I use Ilford HP5, D76 1:1, kodak stop bath, Kodak fixer with hardener and kodak

hypo clearing agent and plain hard water (though I live in Atlanta and the tap

here is of much higher quality than the tap in other regions). Maybe the

hardener helps, but regardless, no scratches and no water marks to speak of.

Dries very quickly too.

 

Dust. I do have some dust on the negatives, although it's hard to tell where

it's coming from. I mixed my fixer at a wrong temp, so this batch is very

cloudy with lots of particles floating around which settle and stir up during

use. I suspect that this is where most of the dust is coming from. Also, the

film scanner I've been using (soon I'll be able to make my own prints and see

actual dust myself) is old and causes dust and other artifacts to show up.

Later, if dust persists, I'm going to try drying the film in PVC tubes.

 

Try drying film with a garbage roll if you want to attempt this. Make sure that

when you wipe the film down with the paper town, that no water streak trails (it

isn't hard to achieve this).

Alright folks, I've developed my very first roll and it is PERFECT or nearly.

 

It was hard to gauge my clearing time, so I fixed (hardening fixer btw) for 10 minutes, then used HCA for recommended time.

 

Well, I washed for five, and I have one 35mm reel in a Paterson tank which can hold two. I refilled the tank once per 30 seconds while pumping the reel up and down.

 

Well, when I hung up the film to dry, there were droplets all over it, and I had no distilled water or wetting agent. So I ran the film through a large tub of shampoo water, because I read that somewhere. Giant streaks were showing up, or so it seems, so I panicked after this.

 

I ran the film through isopropyl alcohol and tap water and the droplets wouldn't go away. Halfway through drying, I wiped the film down with toilet paper in a desperate attempt to remove the streaking.

 

But when I came back, the negatives were grey AND I couldn't find any streaks/water marks. I ran it through my film scanner, since I don't have a darkroom and there is some dust, which may be either on the film or from the scanner (since the scanner is cheap). I guess that hardening fixer really does a good job at protecting that stuff.

In fact, can someone just tell me exactly what to do the moment my fixer is poured into my tank to hanging up the negs?

 

BTW, I have HCA but no photo-flo, so I'm thinking of using diluted alcohol.