Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/12/31

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Subject: [Leica] D-76
From: "Rod Fleming" <rodfleming@sol.co.uk>
Date: Fri, 31 Dec 1999 10:28:59 -0000

Hi

Brian wrote

>If I
>can get the Christmas dishes and rolls of gift wrap moved out of my
>darkroom to wherever else they belong, I'm going to load up with Tri-X
>and try again, but develop in D-76 1:1, as I did for 25 years, rather
>than this newfangled T-max stuff.

Yes- T-Max is unforgiving developer, as is HC-110. As I explained somewhere
near the start of this discussion, I use a very simple, classic technique,
using ID-11 and HP5+ on all formats- and I am very pleased with the results.
95% of my pro work is in colour, so mono is now something I do largely for
my own pleasure and interest- and I am a pretty tough judge of my own work.

The conversation about film has been interesting, and would have been more
so if certain parties had not started up a variant of the old "you only use
HP5/Tri-X cos you're not good enough to use the new stuff". Which is
garbage, of course, and pretty offensive too. Generally only comes up when
someone's had a few too many.........

People need to keep in mind that photography is art, and it's the final look
of that print on the wall that counts- it really does not matter how you get
there, what works for you is right. It's that simple. I was told many years
ago by a very good and experienced photographer "Find a film and developer
you like and then stick with it." It took me over a decade to realise that
he was right.

BTW if you have sensitive skin you might find that ID-11 is gentler than
D-76- but the results should look the same. The stuff is so cheap, and it
keeps in tightly stopped bottles for 6 months- just bin what you don't use.

But then again you might find yourself exposing more film, and needing more
soup..............

Cheers



Rod