[icywarm]

Anyone do anything like this? I am going to try the last one tonight... in D-76 for 1/2 time with borax after for 3 mins...

I'll post samples, but anyone have any experience they want to share to save me some time?!!?

edit: forgot the post http://www.ephotozine.com/article/Using-two-bath-developers-4637

[stevebrot]

Two bath development is one path to broadening dynamic range with a compensating development. Another approach is to use dilute developer, lengthen the time, and use limited agitation. Probably the best example is using HC-110 with dilution "G" (1+119 from syrup) semi-stand with times around 20 minutes. Edwal FG-7 (which I use) has some intrinsic compensating characteristics, but does not work well with some films (e.g. Arista.EDU Ultra 100). For that matter, YMMV for any technique depending on your choice of films.

Then there is the pyro path...


Steve

[lbenac]

Well I use Diafine with TriX@1250 on a regular basis and like it. I will be trying soon Pyrocat HD as a two bath - I have just tried it diluted 1+1+100.
Vertex Ninja here use Pyrocat MC as a two baths developer regularly.

As Steve pointed out to increase DR and open the shadow you can go:
1) dilute developer as discribed by Steve (Rodinal, Pyrocat,HC110.........)
2) one step further with stand development as opposed to semi-stand (Rodinal)
3) two bath and increase time on the second bath slightly to open shadow

In all cases agitation is also a factor for compensation

Cheers,

Luc

[icywarm]

wow I just checked out stand development... some people do D-76, stand for 60 mins! I would think you would get very muddy greys?!?!

[stevebrot]

I would think you would get very muddy greys?!?!

That is a possible outcome. The key is to be sure that the shadows get adequate exposure in the first place. What compensating development aims to do is to avoid blocking of the highlights. The best and anticipated result is a photo with a sense of brightness and open shadows.

I can't claim to be an expert with the technique, but here is an example of a photo where the high values are well controlled and even the shadows are still relatively open (at least for full summer sun on a high contrast scene).


Arista.EDU Ultra 100, HC-110 (dilution G, 1+119), 16 minutes @ 21C semi-stand

Be sure too, that your dilute developer has adequate activity to develop the film. Say you normally need 250 ml of developer at 1+1 dilution for a 35mm roll. That would be a minimum of 125ml as a start point for any dilution with the full volume available to the film through the process time. Yes, we are often talking about large two or three reel tanks filled for a single roll (with empty reels for spacers). The working volume for HC-110 at dilution G will fill a two reel plastic tank for a single roll of 35mm or 4 sheets of 4x5. Less volume will result in underdevelopment and muddiness.


Steve

[lbenac]

For that purpose I recently purchased a Nikor Q25 tank. You can do a roll of 120 in 1 liter and the tank is wider.

Luc

[fs999]

Has someone tried to develop a multi-layer film with two developers, one fine grain and a second one for highspeed ?
Like Rollei RLS (low speed) and RHS (high speed) in two bathes to gain more DR... sensitivity and fine grain.
I don't know if what I am saying is nonsense, but it could be interesting to try something like that.

[lbenac]

Has someone tried to develop a multi-layer film with two developers, one fine grain and a second one for highspeed ?
Like Rollei RLS (low speed) and RHS (high speed) in two bathes to gain more DR... sensitivity and fine grain.
I don't know if what I am saying is nonsense, but it could be interesting to try something like that.

You can develop 1 hour stand with a mix Rodinal and Xtol

• Xtol 100ml
• Rodinal 1+100
• Borax
• 900 ml water

That is the more I hva seen on that subject.
Otherwise check Barry Thornton book Edge of Darkness regarding the different devloper he has prepared along the line of what you are looking for.

Cheers,

Luc

[fs999]

Thank you. I'll have a look.

[Vertex Ninja]

...
Vertex Ninja here use Pyrocat MC as a two baths developer regularly...

Indeed I do! I'm on my wife's PC right now, but I will post some examples soon. I am also working on a test of 3-4 400 speed films, a studio shot, a step wedge, different ISO settings, and developer dilutions. I plan to do BTZS testing to find effective film speed and characteristic curves. I don't know when I'll be done with it, but I'll be posting my results in this forum. I'll be using divided Pyrocat MC as the developer for these tests.

I currently only develop for scanning, so I use divided developers as a way to make sure that I capture as much of the scene as I can and then make contrast and tonal decisions during and after the scan. Kinda opposite the Adams approach of developing for a single contrast grade.

You may be interested in this article:
http://www.tmax100.com/photo/pdf/devforscan.pdf

Edit: The first 5-10 images in my flickr stream were developed using divided Pyrocat MC. They weren't high contrast scenes, but I wouldn't say they are overly gray either. Here is a couple of them:

[lbenac]

You may be interested in this article:
http://www.tmax100.com/photo/pdf/devforscan.pdf

Sandy King in View Camera magazinz - thank you for the scan !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers,

Luc

[Vertex Ninja]

Sandy King in View Camera magazinz - thank you for the scan !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers,

Luc

Haha, not my scan and surely copyright infringement, but I found it on the webz. I do have a subscription though... great magazine but a little rough around the edges.

[fs999]

Thank you for the article !

[lithos]

I used Diafine. The lazy man's D-76.

If you want to check out combinations of film and developer, check out FilmDev | Everyone's recipes. It's an index of black-and-white photos from Flickr, along with how they were developed (and in what.)

[stevebrot]

check out FilmDev | Everyone's recipes. It's an index of black-and-white photos from Flickr, along with how they were developed (and in what.)

Probably easier to simply search Flickr directly. Here is a search using "Edwal FG7" (my favorite) as a search term:

edwal fg7 - Flickr: Search

There are even a few of mine in the results!


Steve