Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/01/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]This is an interesting ranking and probably has a lot of merit but it only ranks developers along one dimension, acutance. I suspect the grouping would spread out a little bit if you added other dimensions such as tonality. This in turn can be categorized in terms like shadow detail, midtone separation, and highlight holding, etc. Its nice sometimes to go out and try something new, maybe bend some of the rules. Otherwise you'll never really know. (I'm having enough fun with the "Darkroom Cookbook" I think I'd OD on the "Film Developing Cookbook"!) Mike D - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Rabiner" <mark@markrabiner.com> To: <leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us> Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2002 2:56 PM Subject: [Leica] Four Categories of high definition developers > ON page 55 of "The Film Developing Cookbook" Anchell/Troop has four > categories of high definition developers: > > 1. Highest Acutance: > FX1, HDD, Beutler, Neofin Blue, some Pyrocatechin developers. > > 2. High Acutance: > Patterson VX39, & Acutol (FX 14), PMK, FX2, Formulary TFX-2, FX37. > > 3: Good Acutance (slightly higher than D76 but not as high as categories > 1 or 2): > Dilute DK 50, HC-110!?, Rodinal, Unitol, FG7.* > > 4. Solvent developers strongly diluted: good Acutance but less than > category 3. > D76, FX15, D23, Microdol X, Perceptol all diluted 1:3 or 1:4. They say > Kodak Xtol is a special case, offering a speed increase at that dilution > and unusually high sharpness for a solvent developer." > > Our developer discussions on the LUG have been involved with categories > 3 and 4 as that is what we are all using. > So many of us are using category 4 developers when we should be perhaps > using category 1! > We are three, count em, three leagues away from where we would like to > be or should be to take full advantage of our premium glass blah blah > blah and focused on a 24x36mm area to be magnified 5 to 15 times and so > on! > Premium 35mm photography! I think that is why we are here! > > Notice Rodinal does not make the top 2! > And Xtol even though they go out of their way to say wonderful things > about it is at the bottom of the barrel. - in Catagoy 4. > > maybe we should not be in catagoy 4 but 3; > not 3 but 2; > not 2 but 1! > Our glass easily deserves better. At least category 2 if not 1! > > Mark Rabiner > Portland, Oregon USA > http://www.markrabiner.com > > * this is a little unclear: > we assume they mean slightly higher than D76 1:1, HC-110 dilution B, and > Rodinal 1:50 or 1:100. And FG7 with no sulfite. > But we don't know for completely sure and there is some doubt. > I have a feeling they mean HC-110 at a higher dilution than B. Which i > by the way had no luck with. I got uneven development. > -- > To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html > - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html