grainy photos...Help...

[Tck87]

I've been trying to create b & w 5x7 and 8x 10 photos. Everyone that I have done has turned out extremely grainy ( I'm using illord resin coated paper) . I'm not sure weather its the chemicals (Kodak d-76, Kodak fixer & stopbath) i am using, perhaps my negatives (they look clear) or my enlarger. Its been 3 years since i've developed film/photo so i'm most likely missing something. Any advise would be greatly appreciated...

 

[ann]

you will need to see a grain finder to determine anything along those lines in the negative,

the paper is not going to be the issue , it is the film type coupled with your developing procedures, along with which ISO are you using?

Also, smooth middle gray values will always show more grain.

you need to provide more infomration to assist in in pointing you to a more productive answer.

 

[Tck87]

It is 400 iso

 

[Christie Photo]

Overexposure will cause grain.

Are you using a variable contrast paper? High contrast will exaggerate the grain.

-Pete

 

[Dwig]

As already mentioned, overexposure will increase (not actually "cause") grain in conventional B&W film. To get the finest grain out of a particular film, you want the minimum exposure that produces a full tonal range negative. If the shadows (the clearest part of the negative) are significantly denser than the "clear" unexposed film between frames then you've overexposed the film.

Also, any temperature shock when changing chemicals will aggravate grain, particularly when there is also a pH change. Your stop and fixer need to be the same temperature as the developer. Even rinsing the tank between the developer and fixer, or stop, with tap water is a bad thing if the temperature isn't a match. If you are striving for the finest grain out of a particular film the best technique is to avoid using an acid stop bath altogether. Use a water rinse instead. The fixer life will be reduced, possibly as much as half the number of square inches per ounce, so you do need to take this into account. Just make sure the water rinse and the fixer are very accurately the same temperature as the developer is at the end of the developement period.

Third, all ISO 400 films are somewhat grainy; at least they are grainier than ISO 100 films. Are you printing close to full frame or are you cropping significantly? If you crop too much you will begin to see grain even in properly exposed and processed ISO400 negatives.

 

[Randall Ellis]

Try using your D-76 straight rather than diluted, and as others have stated, switch to something other than Tri-X. Developers come in different categories, for lack of a better word. Some fall into what is considered a solvent developer (Perceptol for example, although there are many others) - these give smoother tonality especially in areas of large similar tonal values, like skies and skin. Others fall into the category of acutance developers (Rodinal for example) - they give more pronounced apparent grain. Others still, like your D-76 (and ID-11) are considered middle of the road in that regard, neither solvent nor acutance.

Diluting your developer (D-76) moves it toward the acutance end of the spectrum while using it straight tends to move it toward the solvent end, generally speaking. Be advised that apparent grain means a print that has a higher apparent sharpness, again, generally speaking. If you are not happy with the results that you are getting, try using Microdol-X or Perceptol with a 400 speed film, or keep the D-76 and try a film like FP4+ or Plus-X.

Not all films are created equal in this regard. Some films, even those that have the same ASA rating, are just going to have higher apparent grain than others no matter what developer you use, so you may want to consider using a different 400 speed film. What ever you do, change only one thing at a time so that you can tell which change gave you the results that you like. Then you can try keeping that the same and changing something else to see if you can make further improvements, or not.

- Randy

 

[ann]

looks like a few others got back here before i could ask some more questions :thumbup:

 

[CSR Studio]

If you have some examples it would help everyone to point you in the right direction.

 

[Early]

If grain bothers you, try a fine grain developer like Kodak's Microdol X. I don't know if it was beginners luck or what, but it was the first developer I ever used, and the results were among the best I ever accomplished.

PS The film was Tri-X.