tim_brown

Try Microphen developer, diluted 1+5, 14 min. @ 75 deg. F, EI 32.

This is an older test. There is a better one at http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg.tcl?msg_id=0005l3&topic_id=Medium%20Format%20Digest&topic=

Do two bath fixing with a rapid fixer and use HCA or Permawash and

you'll never have this problem. See

www.aseonline.net/~brownt/photomain for details.

I mix water in a relatively large vessel to working temp (+/- 2 deg.

F) for rinsing rather than depend on temp out of the tap. Reducing

dev. time does reduce grain but then you need higher contrast paper,

which brings the grain back up, in my experience. Overexposing

traditional B&W increases grain and reduces sharpness. Just enough

exposure for the shadows does the trick. I use Xtol and Microphen,

both diluted 1+2. Microphen gives more grain and shadow speed in my

darkroom.

One easy way to get big grain is to use a "low tech" film like Tri-X

or HP-5 or alternately Tmax 3200 or Delta 3200, a non-fine grain

developer like Rodinal, frame the subject "loose" and crop the print

alot.

Use a 2 bath fixing routine and HCA or Permawash. Your fixer will last

about 4 times as long. See

http://www.aseonline.net/~brownt/darkroom.htm for details.

A side mount flash that swivels up like the Sunpak 544 can do the job.

I used alot of this combination (D100 and Xtol 1+2) for a year with

pretty good results. I switched to TMX because the grain is finer in

my darkroom. If you have alot of density in the shadows reduce

exposure (higher EI). How's your contrast? I adjust development time

so that an image of a bright sunny day prints well on #2 paper with a

condenser enlarger or #3 on a diffuse enlarger (what I currently use).

I have a Tamron SP 90/f2.5 macro. It is an excellent lens in

performance and build quality. The adaptall mount is a breech lock.

Chalk it up to YMMV. I've used Delta and Tmax developed in Xtol and

Microphen (400 speed films pushed). I get finer grain and better

sharpnes with Tmax. I get higher pushed speed with TMY. I don't have

highlight problems with Tmax. I use a tempered water bath held within

1 deg. F. I do get a batch to batch variation with Xtol but I run a

test roll each time and 5 liters lasts me 6-9 months. I often shoot

line drawings on 120 size TMX. I like the way I can punch up the

contrast with a not very large increase in dev. time. I do two bath

fixing and have never had purple negatives.

For 120 size TMX I use Xtol, 1+2, 75 deg. F, 11 min. At EI 100 I get

very fine grain and good tonality.

You can step up from the fixed lens TLR's without spending a fortune: Mamiya TLR.

See what I say at http://www.aseonline.net/~brownt/darkroom.htm

There is a consequence of the nearly flat plane of focus to keep in mind: if one is wishes to focus on an object that is off center in the frame don't turn the camera to center the object for focusing then reposition because the focus point will be too far. This is more of an effect for close objects, wide lenses and wide apertures. Am I making sense?

I follow a simple rule: never touch wet film (except the edges and

leader) with anything. My final bath is distilled water and half

strength photo-flo (two drops per 5 oz) then I hang them up.

I routinely do table top shots with my Mamiya TLR 180mm lens at f32 and make 11x14 prints that look plenty sharp. Diffraction limited resolution at f32 is about 50 lp/mm, so if I get 35 lp/mm overall and magnification is 7 for an 11x14 that's 5 lp/mm on the print. Anything over 3 lp/mm on a print that size is considered sharp.

The Mamiya TLR meets all your requirements. The C330f or C330s is considerably lighter and faster working than the ancient C3. A bright focus screen like a Beattie will make a world of difference too. The fixed lens TLR's don't focus as close. Rangefinders have parallax too. SLR's will be relatively expensive due to complexity. Sure, it would be nice to find an MF camera that is low on expense, bulk and age, but the three tend to be mutually exclusive.

"The only real minus for me is the flash shoes- they seem to be made to put the flash on backwards- I'll have to flip them around someday."

<br><br> I replaced the protruding screw with a beveled screw and countersunk the hole. Now I can insert the flash either way.

The Tamron SP 90/2.5 macro is a well built lens with great resolution

and contrast.

Why should the shape of a negative dictate the shape of the final print? Sometimes I think of my 6x6 camera as a panoramic with automatic lens shift. Sometimes I'll record an image at the decisive moment and later ponder a square proof for days, deciding if the final print should be vertical, horizontal, aspect ratio and how cropped.

I mix Xtol from the 5 liter package with distilled water, store it in full 1.5 and .5 liter bottles, the last partly filled bottle gets a "winesaver" cork (comes with a hand vacuum pump, available from kitchen supply stores.) I dilute it 1+2 with tap water and use one shot. My development times run 10-20% longer than Kodak's times with various films. Great results.

In counter to Gordon: There was a problem with bad packaging in the 1

liter size, and some of those bad packages might still be sitting on

store shelves. They can be spotted without opening the package. A

refund shouldn't be a problem. I use the 5 liter packs and have never

had a problem. If at least 100ml of stock is used per unit roll (36exp

35mm, 120, 8x10 sheet), regardless of dilution, there should be no

need for additional time compensation. Just remember the published

development times are a suggested starting point.

Try Microphen diluted 1+5, 14 min. @ 75 deg. F, EI 32.

Struan sez:<br><i>"if a lens really resolves 600 lp/mm at visible wavelengths it must have an aperture around f0.7 to avoid diffraction blurring"</i><br><br>

Actually, if the diffraction limit is conservatively rated at 100 lp/mm at f11 then 600 lp/mm would correspond to about f2, quite possible.

"add 2-3 drops of PhotoFlo, then rinse another 12 times and hang to

dry" Rinsing after using PhotoFlo completely defeats its purpose.

PhotoFlo should be used in the final rinse, preferbly with distilled

water.