[Leica] B&W film development - the continuing saga

[Ian Stanley <ian@mos.com.np>]

Greetings all,

	For a multitude of reason the only b&w film that I shoot is TRI-X in both
35mm and 4x5.  The 4x5 is always developed in HC110 Dil. B and the 35mm is
developed in either HC110 Dil. B or Stocklers that I buy from Williams of
Hove in the UK.

	Another good source or straight forward advice on negative development is
Fred Picker's work.  Either in his news letters, his books, or his video
"Fred Picker's Photographic Technique - The Negative Exposure and
Development" available from Calumet.  I have always found his methods to be
well thought out and tested as well as easy to understand and follow even
for me.

	I started using the Stocklers developer as I cannot control the water
temperature in my darkroom.  It is in a roof on the top of my house and it
can get quite warm in the summer.  The water tanks are also on the roof
(this is Nepal remember) so it gets quite warm as well.  I can measure the
development times accurately with a compensating developer but in the
summer times were getting too short for proper agitation.  Using the
Stocklers allows me just perform a couple of initial agitations and then it
just sits for the rest of the development time.  This is a two bath
developer and is quite forgiving but does not seem to give me quite the
same degree of fine tuning that HC110 does.  However, prints from this
developer are easy to print and that is what it is all about.  There is
more information on this developer in Leica Fotografie International 7/94E.
 I haven't tried the Stocklers for 4x5.

	One of the reasons you are being subjected to this tirade this morning is
the weather - I'm stuck in the house.  We were woken up very early this
morning but thunder that shook the entire house.  Thunder, lightning and
heavy rain has been going on for about four hours now which is really
strange for this time of year.  I caught a quick glimpse of the mountains
early this morning and there was lots of new snow.  This weather will not
be good for folks on the mountains and in the high hills.

	Speaking of the mountains - Frank Filippone - I sent a response to you
about Nepal and Everest Base Camp to your private e-mail address - did you
get it??

Ian Stanley,

Kathmandu, Nepal