Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/05/03
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]My reply below to Usuff Omar's question contains the details on other Tech Pan developers that some of you wanted to read. BTW the short answer to Mar's direct question is: NO, only _immediate_ reuse is safe. Usuff Omar wrote: > After processing a roll of Tech Pan a week ago I didn't throw away the > technidol developer but have saved it. The instructions from Kodak say > it can be reused a second time and that the development time should be > extended by a minute. I'm about to develop a second roll of Tech Pan > using this saved developer. But I've noticed its gone from a pink to a > yellow color over the past 6 days. As this is the first time I'm doing > this, can anyone advise whether its safe to go ahead? I don't want to > risk losing my negatives, and if anyone has any bad experiences I'll use > fresh technidol, despite its expense.. Thanks! I have never used Technidol, so I cannot answer your question directly, but if you are thinking of reusing Technidol in order to economize, then I can propose alternative methods of saving money. The cheapest developers for Technidol are Rodinal and Xtol. With these developers I use an e.i. of 25 and get as much shadow details as I get when I use an e.i. of 200 for Delta 100 with the same developers and having adjusted the Delta development time for the 'underexposure'. This statement is based on densiometer readings of series of 12 exposures (Zone system type of stuff). The times shown below for Tech Pan give me curves that are pretty normal, but YMMV and the negatives may be too hard if you use a condenser enlarger. Both Xtol and Rodinal negatives look more or less normal, but the frame numbers are very weak. In fact you cannot read them on a contact proof print (exposed at the minimum time to get maximum black). You can write in the frame numbers with an overhead pen, or simply assign your own two-digit numbers to each frame, the first digit being the strip number and the second digit being the frame number on that strip.This saves you writing in the numbers. The Xtol negatives are brownish while the Rodinals are blackish. This makes the Rodinal negatives look harder, but you cannot see any difference when looking at the print. Negatives of the same subject exposed in similar circumstances print on more or less the same grade paper irrespective of if Rodinal or Xtol was used. I dilute Rodinal 1+150 and develop for 8 mins. I dilute Xtol 1+3 and develop for 12 mins. In both cases the temperature is 68°/20° and I agitate continuously during the first 30 secs and then 10 secs per minute. I used 8 ml Rodinal and 150 ml Xtol stock per film. I have not experienced streaking or uneven development In another price group (I mean more expensive!) I have tried Tetenal Neofin Doku but I did not like the prints, they were too hard for my taste but had more acutance, which I liked. But honestly, all these developers have enough acutance with Tech Pan (Xtol probably the least). Camera shake, inexact focusing and other factors have to be optimized before discussing acutance any further. My favourite developer for Tech Pan is Maco Docufine LC (stands for Low Contrast). It has the advantage that you can use an e.i of 64 but the offside is that it is much more expensive than Rodinal and Xtol. I develop for 10 min in 68°/20° and agitate just like the instruction leaflet says: for the full first 30 secs, and thereafter I turn the tank _once only_ every minute . However Maco recommend 8,5mins for e.i. 40 and 13 mins for e.i. 64 but my negatives were too contrasty with 13 mins development. What more can I say? Oh yes: fine grain does not always mean sharp print. And: slow film speed is a major disadvantage if you want sharp prints (camera shake, small d.o.f. etc). Delta 100 @ 200 developed in Xtol 1+1 for 13 mins has amazingly fine grain _and_ sharpness. Or try it in Rodinal 1+50 for 16 mins. A bit more grain but sharper looking prints. Have fun, Chris - -- Christer Almqvist D-20255 Hamburg, Germany and/or F-50590 Regnéville-sur-Mer, France