Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/10/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]> In the black and white realm an increase in real (shadow) film speed by the use > of water baths, borax baths, higher dilutions of developer or just better > developer more suited to bringing out film speed (like T Max developer) is a > real solution to people wanting more film speed than the number on the box. This > is called "compensation" in stead of "push," more diplomatic language. Yes, exactly. I just returned from Canada, where among many other things I shot a family wedding (thank God none of the formal stuff). I knew afterwards that the best shots were outside the church, but I also knew that I had underexposed by 1-2 stops (don't ask). I wanted to 'push' the film, but in standard pushing all you do is increase the contrast, but here it was the shadows I was interested in. Solution... a variant of the old two-bath development process. I developed the film in D76 stock for (what for me is) the standard time of 6m (@320ASA), THEN transferred without washing to a Kodalk bath for 4m, which I knew would bring up whatever shadow detail there was available. I held my breath as I hung up the film, but... bingo. There it was. Fully developed highlights, and enough shadows to print... but without the chalk-and-soot tonality and clumpy grain of pushed film. And I was right. They were the best rolls. - -- Johnny Deadman "The happiest time in any man's life is when he is in red-hot pursuit of a dollar with a reasonable prospect of overtaking it" - Josh Billings