[Leica] bill dilution H.

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

On 3/24/05 12:59 PM, "bill harting" <wharting@verizon.net> typed:

> Hi Chris,
> 
> My approximate normal time for TriX at 800 is diultion H at 11 minutes, 75
> degrees.  I had an odd accident, though, in this processing. I did two 
> rolls
> in one can, and a single roll of 120 from something else in another, and I
> accidentally unthinkingly mixed the HC110H at half strength, so Pedro, John
> and Bob were developed in HC110 at a dilution of one-quarter ounce syrup to
> 1000cc. I wondered why they were so thin. But yet apparently not too thin 
> (I
> have not printed them yet). Mark was developed separately later in a two
> reel can, and I had my oh-shit moment when was pouring the syrup and
> realized what I had done on the first two rolls. So I went ahead with the 
> 11
> minute time; these negs look normal and fine.
> 
> So what does this tell me? I won't know until I print, but HC110 even 
> wicked
> diluted seems to keep working. I won't try that again, though. Your
> experiences?
> 
> bill h
> 
> 
HC110 was supposedly Ansel Adams's developer of choice in his last decades
shooting with Hasselblads.
At way higher than Dilution b dilutions supposedly.

The easy way to use HC100 what all my photographer friends were doing
decades ago was to skip the intermediate working stock delusion and just use
the thick syrup straight out of the bottle as if its thick Rodinal.

Kodak now years later says this is now Kosher.
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/j24/j24.pdf
Get a tall very skinny beaker measurer and measure out one ounce.
To make the most popular mix which is dilution B just pour out one ounce to
make one quart.
That's pretty hard to screw up even if your drunk.

The ratio of chemical to water then is 1:31 as there are 32 ozs. in a quart.

I'd fill the rest of the little beaker with water to make it easier to get
all that very thick syrup out of it.
The problems I had with HC100 were never ones of inconsistence.
It was of inconsequence.

Ansel used it at much higher dilutions than B so the urban legend goes.
I think once that lights went out Steve Sexton his trusty assistant used
Pyro anyway instead but that's just me. Neither myself or anyone I've even
known could get anything close Ansel Adams quality out of HC100 with any
film in any dilution with medium format. And certainly not with tri x. I
approached it with Panatomic or Pan F with Beutlers or Rodinal.

I notice Kodak has all kinds of higher dilutions that B now in their PDF.
It used to have only one.

Other ratios are
Dilution D which is 1:39. That might work this new dilution only slightly
more dilute that dilution b. I think I've never tried it.

Dilution E which is 1:47 and in the area which Ansel was supposed to have
worked. Good luck. I got heavily mottled negs with the stuff diluted
anywhere near this much. Calico Tri X. And I tried it more than once and
with other films. Ultra high dilutions I think for hc110 is a fantasy as
I've never heard of anyone pulling them off except for this Ansel legend.

And dilution f which is 1:79 which is a Fig Newton of someone's believe me
imagination. Be great if you could use it for tech pan. Maybe you can.


I'd NOT use 75 but 70 degrees for a development temp.
Life is not that short. Your darkroom is not that warm.
And agitate not every 30 seconds but every 60
or less with extended times..

As far as the list of options for ASA 1600, 3200, and 6400 goes...
Ha ha ha ha ha!
I guess they cant sell anything anymore without a list of fantasies.
800 maybe but I'd be wary of even that.

"Make 6400 pancakes from one box of Uncle Mark's pancake mix!"

And a bridge in Brooklyn and a tower in Paris to sell...


Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/