Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/09/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Another darkroom post. Found myself processing three rolls of TC (@320asa) today. Did two in my standard D76 stock 3m 5s/30s agitation 1.5% Kodalk 3-4m No agitation ...but since we'd been talking about HCB, I did the third in his standard D76 1+1 for 10 minutes to check the difference. Holy moly. It looks HORRIBLE compared to my standard dunk (IMHO). Little shadow detail, blocked highlights a gogo, general unpleasantness. Definitely inferior to, say, D23 1+1 for the same time. Maybe I put too much stock on shadow detail and overall printability, but this was not nice. Incidentally, I've only just begun to realise that seemingly *no-one* else uses standard D76 in a two bath process as I do above. For me, it's a great process - simple, cheap, tames the highlights, and brings the shadows right up. Grain is fine because of the concentration of developer. I guess acutance is probably not as good as D76 1+1 but it works for me. Also, a very curious neg problem. Looked like bromide streamers from over agitation but that definitely wasn't it...consistent bands of slightly higher density emanating from the bottom of the negative where the sprocket holes weren't...but not on the top, so it couldn't be drag from the holes. Had me scratching my head for a while until I checked the leader... yup.... a light leak in the cassette which had propogated *via the sprocket holes*, effectively pre-flashing the film. Very odd. Hopefully a one-off! Johnny Deadman