david_love2

<p>I just did a session with a model, shooting Delta 3200, rated at 1600 and 2:8...when it was all finished my camera showed f6:8. If that is true, then I underexposed by at least two stops...I can either develop in DDX as if I shot correctly, or, if I did actually shoot at 6:8, then the negs will be developed at two stop under...If I develop at times for 3200, then I am either under by one stop (if I actually shot at 6:8), or two stops over, if I actually shot at 2:8...so if I develop at times for 1600, I will either be right on, or two stops underexposed...if I develop for times for 3200, then I will either be two stops over (if I shot at 2:8) or one stop under (if I shot at 6:8)..my question is.....is it better to underdevelop, or overdevelop delta 3200 in ddx...anxiously waiting your reply.</p>

<p>Holy Crap batman...I just looked at the prices of nikon coolscan scanners on the big auction...I repeat...Holy Crap...so, I now declare, that it is less expensive to shoot medium format bw and scan with my V700 than it is to shoot 35mm and purchase a coolscan 35mm scanner...there...it is now OFFICIAL!</p>

<p>Very recently, I had the same problem...with advice from this forum, I now use distilled water in all parts of the developing/fixing/washing/photoflo process....cut way back...WAY BACK, on the photoflo...and agitated the photoflo so gently that no bubbles form....my distilled water use may be extreme (I pay $1 for a 4 liter jug, the advice from this forum did not suggest this much distilled water, but...)..but my problem is gone...good luck!</p>

<p>the scanner is an epson v700...the film is 645 MF...the "residue" lines are running parrallel with the long side of the film, and the "scratch" line is running at right angles to the long side of the film...as mentioned, they never seem to happen in the same spot...</p>

<p>thanks for all the replies...neither issues occur in the same spot on the negs...the only signifigance to them is that they are in a straight line...I will try less photoflo..I think i am using too much...I will also use distilled water for the final two rises..I'm afraid that the really straight lines are scratches, but they do not happen in the same place...I will check with a loupe to see if they are on the neg...</p>

<p>file with fine lines</p><div></div>

<p>close-up of the same neg</p><div></div>

<p>Looking for some help with my developing...the files attached show two fairly regular problems i am having with my developing..one is very fine straight lines on the negs...the other is what looks like unwashed stuff on the negs, but it is also in a straight line. I am using strictly ilford film/chemicals. My worklflow is as follows...loaded in a changing bag, cemicals mixed as per ilford instruction, I use distilled water to mix the dev, no pre-soak before the dev is added, I use patterson plastic reels, agitated with the swirl stick, ten swirls every minute, drain, stop with water, fix using distilled water with the fix, fix for 15 minutes, swirling every minute, wash for 15 minutes, changing the water at least three times during wash...it seems like it is something touching the film during developing, because these problems are in a straight line...I have attached (I hope, as I am fairly tech challenged) a full frame showing the residue problem, with a close-up, along with a section from another neg, showing the lines...look forward to your replies...</p><div></div>

<p>No disagreement with any of the earlier posts..I use a lot of fp4+ and develop it in Ilfosol 3...works great, it is convenient and lasts a long time after the bottle is opened...</p>

<p>Rodeo Joe...wow!!..that is a big difference in focus for composition....thanks for the diagram...and also to both you and Jeff for confirmation to focus from the whole screen....I can CLEARLY see why the focus would be off, if one alters composition after focus...Thanks again!!</p>

<p>In early May I posted a question about inconsistent focus on my Mamiya M645...since then, I have discovered, I think, what I was doing wrong. My focus screen has one focus point...in the centre of the screen. When I was trying to compose so that the subject was not in the centre of the picture, I was focusing on the subject with the (centre) focus point, and then trying to re-compose the picture...I think that I was then changing the distance, ever so slightly, but obviously enough, to make the subject out of focus. On my F100, I just pick the focus point that is closest to the subject and compose according to the focus point.Now, my question is, how do I focus and compose with the M645, so that the subject does not have to be in the centre of the picture. This makes for beautifully focused pictures, but requires more cropping than I would like. Look forward to any suggestions.</p>

<p>Thanks, Larry...I appreciate your reply....I guess I'll just have to buy more film to keep the fridge full!</p>

<p>I keep my film in the fridge...should I keep my developers/fixer etc in the fridge...will it help extend the life of opened but unmixed liquid concentrates (ilfosol -3, dd-x) , will it help with mixed powders (xtol). I had a slight yellow tinge to some ilfosol that had only been opened for about 3 weeks...didn't know if it was bad, but didn't use it just in case.</p>

Purolator for $19. is a great deal...I did not know that...sure beats driving from Saint John to Calais. Do you specify any particular code to get that price..

<p>Robert: Henry's has the very same price as B&H for Ilford Ilfosol-3, DD-x, and for Kodak Xtol. If you order online from Henry's when they have no charge shipping for orders over $50, they don't even charge the hazardous material surcharge...now for film, B&H just blows them away for pricing...I live in New Brunswick and have my B&H orders shipped to a mail dropoff in Calais.</p>

<p>By the way...since I have loaded the film according to the manual (firmly rolling the film and lining up the film start mark with the insert start mark) I have had no problems with the amount of frames produced.</p>

<p>Well, I think I have found the problem, although it seems strange. The only (tangible) variable that I have had is the new focusing screen, so I thought it couldn't hurt to put the original screen back in and shoot half a roll of film with the old screen and half the roll with the new screen. While putting my original focus screen back in the camera I noticed that, along the top edge of the screen compartment is a centre screw, and if I put a little pressure on either side of the screen, the screen will tip a little. It did this for both screens. When I developed the film, the images taken with the old screen were in focus, and the images with the new screen had some soft images... certainly can't understand why this is, but the old screen is back on the job (even though it is a little more difficult to use)..,any thoughts on why this would be...looking forward to any thoughts/suggestions.</p>

<p>I have not checked that ...but I don't know how to check it. Can you instruct me? Now that the mirror has been mentioned, is it posible to do anything with it. It has a (discoloured and straight) line of crud buid-up or something that runs almost through the centre of the mirror.</p>

<p>I thought about play in the magazine as well...I I have put just a little more tension in the tensioners on the inside of the door of the camera..hoping that this will put a little more pressure on the insert/magazine.<br>

I also agree that this is seeming like mechanical wear...looking forward to the replacement insert.<br>

One thing that I just learned (from reading the manual...go figure) is that the "start" line on the film must line up with the "start" line on the insert...otherwise one gets fewer frames...which may explain why the first frame was completely missing.<br>

Anyway, I have a portrait session tomorrow, so will give it a try again. Thanks again for the replies.</p>

<p>Thanks for the suggestions...<br>

- It is the 120 insert<br>

- it is a focus screen specifically for the M645 and fits in with a little click<br>

- the film is being loaded correctly...at least the way I have loaded since I received the camera<br>

- I think you are correct about the cogs/gear issue..I forgot to mention earlier that the film advance has once had a jerk/drag to it when advancing the film (the time that the film has come out with overlapping exposures).<br>

I have ordered another insert, anticipating that this will correct the improper film advance/overlapping frame issue....and I am in hopes that some how this will correct the focus issue. I am thinking that if the film is not advancing properly, that it may also be not laying completely flat.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I have an old M645 (with 80mm 2:8 and 150mm 3:5 ) that was given to me. It seemed to work fine until just recently. I bought a different (brighter) focusing screen and all seemed well. Just recently, I have noticed that the film advance can be erratic, not advancing the film correctly. I have had a film with overlapping exposures. Most bothersome though is a very inconsistent focus on my negatives. Yesterday I did a test to try and eliminate if the focus issue was me. I loaded a film, and very, very carefully advanced the film. I was very deliberate and precise with my focusing. When I developed the film, my first exposure was not even there, the second exposure was only half there, and I experienced the focus (sharpness) inconsistency. Ironically, one shot was so in focus and sharp I couldn't believe it. In fact, none of my other shots to date with this camera have been so sharp! If only they were all this sharp. Anyway, my question is, could the film insert that is not advancing the film consistently also cause the focus problem. I do not have another insert to try but I assume that this is the problem. Any other thoughts?</p>

<p>Larry: I believe that you use a v700. Do you use the max resolution setting on it, as in the discussion above? Also, do you use the original film holders, or an after-market set. I appreciate your knowledge in this forum and look forward to your reply.</p>

<p>I just scanned some wedding photos I took for my nephew 34 years ago. They were in the original sleeves but had significant side to side curl. I put them under some heavy books overnite. They were not flattened by any stretch of the imagination, but my scanner (epson v700) held them flat enough to scan...in fact I was very pleased.</p>

<p>Thanks for all the replies, in particular...<br>

Bob: the Labworks is the lab that my current (digital) lab uses for b&w work and was going to be my first Canadian choice. Thanks<br>

Dave: your shipping methods sound interesting and I think that I will go that way first. I am hesitant to change labs (Richard's is great) and after the earlier replies regarding printing on respective papers, I will just have the processing and scanning done at RPL, they send the scans by FTP and then I will have the prints done at my current printer. Technicare is an option. My current printer is Atlantic Photo Supply in Halifax and they have proven to be very good.<br>

Thanks to all for your replies...it has be very helpful!</p>

<p>I have used Richard Photo Lab for colour processing...and they do a great job. I am in Canada, and would prefer to send my film work to a Canadian lab...it is not a patriotic thing...just something a little closer (no shipping across borders) and maybe less expensive for shipping. I have been using Fuji 4ooh, overexposing by at least one or two stops. I would like to try the new Kodak Potra line, apparently it does not need the overexposing that fuji does. Also, does fuji film print better on fuji paper, and kodak film print better on kodak papers? I have asked for lab recmmendations before, but haven't as yet tried a new lab..looking forward to any replies/recommendations...thanks</p>