Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/07/18

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Subject: [Leica] A Questionable Haze?
From: len-1 at comcast.net (Leonard Taupier)
Date: Fri Jul 18 05:50:32 2008
References: <48800A3A.9060307@gmail.com> <443F36DF-B2EA-49FE-814E-464E38E273AD@comcast.net> <488049BC.9080706@gmail.com>

I have been using Paterson tanks for the last 25 years or so and an  
assortment of different tanks for 20 years before that but always  
kept my agitation the same. That is I agitate for the first 30  
seconds of development and then for 5 seconds every 30 seconds after  
that. The agitation should be gentle, not vigorous.

I dilute Pho-Flo 5 ml in a quart of water. The dilution is not  
critical but keep it on the lower side. I generally make a new batch  
every 6 rolls or so. If you go longer you risk getting tiny dirt  
particles on your negatives which require PhotoShop cleanup. I use a  
tiny Jobo 25 ml graduate to measure the 5 ml Pho-Flo.

In the past I always used Kodak rapid fixer but in the last year or  
so I've been using Ilford rapid fixer which comes as a liquid and is  
easy to use. I normally mix up a gallon at a time. You can develop a  
lot of rolls in 1 gal of fixer but I use Edwal Hypo Chek to make sure  
the fixer is not exhausted.

Also bring your development time down to 9 minutes with Xtol 1:1

Len


On Jul 18, 2008, at 3:43 AM, Yama Nawabi wrote:

> I think my problem might just be in the agitation. Im using someone  
> else's development times as a start, and he goes for 3 times every  
> thirty seconds. Total develop time is 9 minutes and 30 seconds, in  
> XTOL 1:1 with Tri-x at ASA 400.
>
> I think I like the high contrast, but maybe I will try 45 seconds  
> when I shoot ASA 400. The temperature of the room is usually around  
> 23C. I bet it would be cooler in the winter, however I am in sunny  
> southern california, and temperatures here average about 85F lately.
>
> Thanks for your help. I will definitely do the photo-flo solution,  
> however i really am not sure how much to dilute.
>
>
> Leonard Taupier wrote:
>> Hi Yama,
>>
>> I'm not sure what the "haze" is but I have a couple of questions.
>>
>> During development what is your agitation or inversion timing.  
>> Your prints look a little too high contrast. There is no detail in  
>> the dark hair.
>> Do you use a stop bath between development and fixing?
>> What film, what developer?
>> A 3 degree rise in temp seems high in a 9 minute period but except  
>> for a slightly denser negative it shouldn't cause a problem. I  
>> would only worry if you were developing color. What's the  
>> temperature in your room?
>>
>> I would use a 30 sec dip in a Photo-Flo solution and then hang the  
>> film to dry. Don't use a squeegee. That can lead to emulsion  
>> scratches with some films and also lead to spotting on the  
>> negatives after they dry.
>>
>> Len
>>
>>
>> On Jul 17, 2008, at 11:12 PM, Yama Nawabi wrote:
>>
>>> I'm still going at the "street photography" thing (however  
>>> subjective that may be) and loving it. This was an attempt at a  
>>> hipshot, which seemed to work pretty well. Exposure was good to  
>>> my eyes, however, I notice when I scan in these negatives, they  
>>> look a little funny.
>>>
>>> I have gotten rid of that milky white look by fixing my negatives  
>>> longer, this was a problem I used to have before. However, I do  
>>> not really know how to maintain my developer temperature. The  
>>> temp went up from 20 C to 23 C and I had developed at ASA 400 (9  
>>> min, 30 seconds). Fixed for 10 minutes. The other change I had  
>>> done during this develop was using a film squeegee, however I  
>>> doubt that really had caused this haze.
>>>
>>> What I am trying to figure out is whether this developing error  
>>> had caused that funny black haze above the asian lady's head ( in  
>>> the left side of the photo )
>>>
>>> http://flickr.com/photos/helloyama/2672482550/
>>> And here is another example, to the left of the lady w/ the  
>>> stroller's head.
>>> http://flickr.com/photos/helloyama/2671662789/
>>>
>>> Anyone have any clues? Danke
>>>
>>> -- 
>>> ------------
>>> Yama Nawabi
>>> www.helloyama.com
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Leica Users Group.
>>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>
> -- 
> ------------
> Yama Nawabi
> www.helloyama.com
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information


Replies: Reply from drodgers at casefarms.com (David Rodgers) ([Leica] A Questionable Haze?)
In reply to: Message from mknawabi.lug at gmail.com (Yama Nawabi) ([Leica] A Questionable Haze?)
Message from len-1 at comcast.net (Leonard Taupier) ([Leica] A Questionable Haze?)
Message from mknawabi.lug at gmail.com (Yama Nawabi) ([Leica] A Questionable Haze?)