Just developped my first roll!

ksmattfish · Jun 24, 2004

From Kodak Tech Pub F-32: Kodak T-max Professional Films

Small tank roll processing w/ D76 1:1

Tmax100: 18C/14.5min 20C/12min 21C/11min 22C/10min

Tmax400: 18C/14.5min 20C/12.5min 21C/11min 22C/10min

Soulreaver · Jun 24, 2004

oriecat said:
You don't have an enlarger? Then how did you do your enlargements? Rental place?

Hi Oriecat.
No, I am following a photography course at a local college, and we use their equipment.I think we can go there anytime its not in use, but duty calls, so I only use them on Saturday classes.
Cant wait... :roll:
Have u set up your darkroom?

Thanks Matt, useful info as always.
What do you think caused that streak on the neg?

oriecat · Jun 24, 2004

Ahhh cool. Too bad you aren't able to use the space more often! Yes, I set up in my basement...

havoc · Jun 25, 2004

Yeah you guys are right. I was thinking the dev. times for ISO 100 & 400 were the same. I was looking at a box of 400 today and it is longer. My bad.

ksmattfish · Jun 25, 2004

There's no rule that says we have to do what Kodak says, but those are the "official" times.

Soulreaver · Jun 29, 2004

damn, my ISP, I had no internet till today :evil:
anyways, this second roll is really better, got nicer prints this time.
The streak was caused by putting two loops of the neg on the same circle of the spiral... :roll:

I heard that when you use the zone system you get to use your own times for each type of film, and you also change the Iso somewhat.
But that doesn't seem much practical with 35mm ...

ksmattfish · Jun 29, 2004

Soulreaver said:
I heard that when you use the zone system you get to use your own times for each type of film, and you also change the Iso somewhat.
But that doesn't seem much practical with 35mm ...

In a very specific manner, it only works for roll film if the entire roll was shot under the same lighting conditions. In a more generalized manner though, many aspects of the zone system can be applied loosely to roll film.

With medium format it is sometimes easier, because there are a lot less shots per roll. With 35mm, if you were bulk loading you could use 12 exp rolls.

Prophet · Jun 30, 2004

I know you guys are using celcius, but I am having problems with a slight purple tint to my negs. I have fixed for 15 minutes and up to as much as 17 minutes in the past and have gotten no change to the negs (from 10 - 12 minutes). Currently at 70 degree F I am developing for 7 minutes as per the TMax box,using D76 1:1. The negs come out looking ok, showing great detail and grain. Could I not be developing long enough.

I have been having problems getting good contrast for some time now and I think this purple cast on the negs is responsible for my disatisfaction with the contrast in the prints. Mind you this isn't a a lot of purple but noticable.

Back when I was first developing film 10 years ago, using Kodak B&W(can't recall the exact type of film) the negs came out clearer (if memory is still on par). When my High School switched to Fuji film is when the purple haze started. Since then, I have never been able to escape the purple haze curse on my negs.

Recently I have given thought to switching to Ilford film and processing to try my luck.
-Jeremy-

oriecat · Jun 30, 2004

I think some of the negs are just purple with different films. Do you do a pre-rinse before developing? I think that helps take some of the purple out?

ksmattfish · Jun 30, 2004

Kodak films are known for the purple tint; I've never seen it on Fuji BW, but then again, I rarely use it.

Sometimes it fades over time. Sometime additional fixing, or using a rapid fixer helps. You can re-fix previously developed negs by dunking them in fixer. Just try to avoid scratching them, and make sure they get washed completely (more difficult if they have already been cut).

What are you contrast problems? Too much or too little?

Prophet · Jul 1, 2004

To much grey. Maybe I am just being unrealistic. I will post my latest prints of my new son.

-Jeremy-

ksmattfish · Jul 1, 2004

Prophet said:
To much grey.

So low contrast. The method I was taught is to print until you get your highlights right, and then adjust the contrast filter until the blacks are right. Going to higher # contrast filters will increase the necessary exposure time to keep the highlights right.

If that doesn't work for you you may need to increase contrast in the film development. Are you using the standard Kodak recommended method for tank developing? It's something like agitate for the 1st 30 seconds, and then agitate briefly for 5 sec every 30 seconds there after. You can increase agitation, and see if that increases your contrast like you want it. I'd start out by increasing agitation to 10 sec every 30 sec, and maybe go for 45 sec at first.

When I was starting out in the darkroom I had problems with high contrast Tmax 400 negs, so I would skip the initial 30 sec agitation, and this helped lower the contrast enough.

Prophet · Jul 2, 2004

Agitate 30 secs, first minute, 5 seconds every minute there after. I agitate with the single tank, turning it upside down and back over in a half circle motion. I want to try pre-washing. Someone noted that you could prewash for 30 seconds, but is that at 70 degrees?

-Jeremy-

ksmattfish · Jul 2, 2004

Prophet said:
I want to try pre-washing. Someone noted that you could prewash for 30 seconds, but is that at 70 degrees?

Here's the order I use:

prewash 30 sec
dev
weak stop 30 sec
fix for twice the clearing time
wash 30 sec
hypo clear (wash aid) 30 sec
wash 1 min
wash 1 min
wash 1 min
wash 1 min
wash 1 min
photo flo 30 sec

All chems and water should be as close to the same temp as possible, or you may get reticulation. Reticulation is when temp changes actually cause the emulsion to break apart, leaving a fine texture of lines all over your image (actually can be kind of cool if done on purpose).

To figure clearing time dip your discarded film leader in the fixer and time how long it takes to go clear. Then you fix for twice that time.

For regular BW films fixing times should be 5 min or less with fresh fixer. For tabular grain films (Tmax, Delta) it may be up to 10 min.

I use a weaker than manufacturer recommended stop bath. Although this usually isn't a problem with 35mm film, with the larger formats strong stop bath can actually cause clumps of emulsion to explode, leaving a little pinhole in the emulsion (which then prints as a black speck). I add just enough concentrated indicator stop to get a slight yellow in the water. When it turns purple, I just mix up more. Back in the old days they just used water or water and vinegar for stop bath. I use it to try and make the fixer last longer (depleted faster by mixing with dev).