Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/01/09
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Dan Post wrote: >> Tom- snip >> I understood from Mark Rabiner that the Potassium Bromide was interchangeable >> with the Potassium Iodide... I snip >> Dan Mark Rabiner wrote: >sorry, wrong impression, it could have been me, they are not to my >knowledge interchangeable. They are both restrainers but you've got to >go order the Potassium Iodide or Willi will be mad. You need two deadly >poisons combining together to form the ultimate Germanic high accutance >restrainer. I hope Tom agrees. >Mark Rabiner Dan, Mark is right, you cannot interchange the pot. Iodide with the bromide. The iodide is a "adjacency enhancer" more than a restrainer. The original Beutler formula lacked it - it was added to the formula in the 60's. I usually mix a 1000 cc each of A and B. The storage capability seems fairly long - at least 2 month in airtight bottles. Potassium Iodide is toxic - I have my local pharmacist mix up a 1% solution when I need to restock - a 100 ml of that lasts a long time. I have tried the Beutler with faster films too - in Tri-X it gives a very tight, but distinct grain. Great for pulling up deep shadow details. Looks fine on 8x10, but starts to get ugly at 11 x 14. You can always try the "long" version of that. Shoot Tri-X at 400 ASA and process it in Beutler for 60 minutes, with NO agitation whatsoever. Interesting "bromide drag" effect. Just load the film in the can, tap to dislodge airbubbles, and leave it sitting for 45-60 minutes, drain, wash and fix. One of these days I will try that with some slower films - very "artsy" effect. Beware of pictorial photography - you have to stop the Noctilux down to f16 and you know what the "LUG" thinks about that! With Pan-F+ I have been using 71/2-8 minutes at 68F - punchy negs, but highly printable. I did some Pan-F+ in 120 some years ago, shot with the Fuji GSW III and done in Beutler (2 minute pre-wash in plain water) - great negs and if you contact print them on 5x7 paper you can fool people into thinking that these were Leica negs! All the best, Tom A