[Leica] cold morning

[jblack at ambio.net (John Black)]

>
> Film is the rollei retro 400, which needless to say, it's my current
> favourite for this ISO in 135.
> I had luck developing it in HC-110/B for 9' 30'' and a bit less than
> normal agitation, but this one was developed with Rollei High Speed
> developer 1+12 for 8' 30''.


>
> Presoaking it with constant agitation for about one minute will give
> slightly clear whites, but richer shadow and medium tones, no other
> noticeable effect. When I made my first tests the medium gray gave
> 0.70 logD on the densitometer, so you can make an idea about how
> negatives do look.

Luis:

Is the densitometer reading for zone 5 (middle gray) that you obtained
including the fb+f or subtracting it?  My best prints from any film are made
from densities of about 0.45-0.55 at zone 5 and about 1.20-1.30 for zone 10
and 0.40-0.80 for zone 1 and 1.10-1.25 for zone 2. All readings are MINUS
fb+f.  Contrast index should be about 0.50-0.60 with 0.55 being best.  These
numbers are true in my hands for low to medium speed films (ASA 100-400) but
fast films (1600-3200) will have little zone 1-3 density but normal above
that with CI of 0.60-0.70.

Sorry for all the numbers but I too have a densitometer and like to play
with homemade developers and measure their performance by HD curves. I am
interested in the D reading of the Rollei film at other zones also.

Thanks

JB