Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/11/05

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Subject: [Leica] Development technique
From: Jeremy Kime <jeremy.kime@bbc.co.uk>
Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1998 13:15:01 -0000

I made it to the Brubeck concert last Friday but couldn't 'swing' a photo
pass. I ended up on the back row of the circle but couldn't resist taking my
M6, in one trouser pocket, and 90/2 in the other.
What did I see during the 2nd number but the one and only photographer
present using an M6 at the front of stage! Not a common press camera for
these events, he was freelance for the Guardian.
I devved(sp?) the film yesterday morning and was so busy completing the
layout of the latest 'LPP News' that after the initial vigorous agitation I
forgot all about it until the 14 mins were up!
(TMY 400, Aculux 2, 1+9 @ 20 degrees for 0.7g, using V35 enlarger)
So I gave it another vigorous, belated, shake and then poured it out after
15 minutes.

The negs were suprisingly printable! Because I'd shot my pix from so far
away I had merely group compositions on 5"x7" needing a full 16x
enlargement. But I could see detail on the white shirts and in the black
tuxedos, though lighting was definitely not bright, so I had 'the wind in my
favour'. I haven't done the contacts yet (to examine closely) and only chose
one neg for a quick couple of prints but I was surprised how usable the pix
were, 1/60th wide open with very little, if any, camera shake.
Boy, those detox tablets are working just fine!

Grain is smoother than I normally see, certainly contrast was less. I guess
the result of the unexpected development resulted in comparitively greater
action on the shadows and less(exhausted) development on the highlights.

Sometimes you get lucky!

Jem