My first film development experience

[tobey bilek]

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Too much contrast.   Cut time  15%.  Easy to gain contrast in post or darkroom, hard to lose it.

 

The first print coming up is more fun.

[Stealth3kpl]

Take a look at Chris Crawford's videos and see if you can pick out any snippets of information.

I pretty much do what you do when mixing D76 but, as Doc Henry suggests, I use the 1litre sachets. I am able to use tap water where I live. I leave it to stand for 24hrs+ as I think you did.

I second Toby's suggestion

Pete

Edited August 21, 2016 by Stealth3kpl

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[honcho]

 

.........I experienced the first problem with dissolving D-76 in 3L double distilled water at  55℃. Entire mixture dissolved (no precipitate there) but still the solution was blurry even after 24 hours. And I had to filter it. Does it always happen to you too?.....

 

You're off and running, good start!

 

Not sure what 'blurry' means, but you will find one of these useful when dissolving powders: http://www.patersonphotographic.com/product_info.php?ID=4469&licenseKey=38766b5aba7056dc12ebc00c6db476bc

[vhfreund]

Hi all,

I finally gathered all the stuff and chemicals to develop my films. I am using D-76 stock solution for development, Ilfostop and Ilford rapid fixer. I am using Kodak Photoflo as wetting agent.  And I have some questions and need your advice.

 

I experienced the first problem with dissolving D-76 in 3L double distilled water at  55℃. Entire mixture dissolved (no precipitate there) but still the solution was blurry even after 24 hours. And I had to filter it. Does it always happen to you too?

 

I shot Fomapan 400 at 400 ISO. As far as I read from the forum, it has an actual ISO rating not more than 200. I was expecting an underdeveloped film at the end of the process. But film turned out to be over-developed. And it looks very contrasty as if it is pushed 2-3 stops. Is it a general feature that you expect from Fomapan? This is my first time using this film.

 

At 19℃, I developed for 8:45 min (first 1 min continuous agitation and then every minute 10 second agitation) , 2 min for stop and 5 min fix. I washed with water in between baths to increase the lifetime of chemicals.

 

Can you comment on how can I improve the development process?

 

Here some results:

 

 

 

I use ID-11 which is told to be basically the same as D76. After dissolving part B of the components, I never managed to get all powder completely dissolved. There are always some minor residuals, however on the data sheet this is being mentioned as normal. I alway wait until the next day before I use the stock solution. I always have a stock which I dilute 1:1 for single use, which gives consistent results.

 

I recommend not to rinse with water after use of the stop bath. That doesn´t seem to make sense. There is no point in saving chemicals. Fixer isn´t too expensive.

 

Yes your pictures are either overexposed or overdeveloped. I don´t have experience with D76 nor do I know anything about the film you used. I also restarted doing my own processing recently after 13 years of abstinence. I used to develop T-MAX in a rotational processor. I than restarted with TRI-X with Ilfosol and I was not so happy with the results. The negatives were far too dense.

 

I now use Ilford FP4 plus and ID-11 and I am very pleased with the results! No rinsing in the beginning. I start with the developer immediately agitating 30 sec continuously at 20 C, thereafter twice every minute. The data sheet says 11min, I stop after 10:45 min because emptying of the drum takes a bit of time. Then stopping with 2% acidic acid 1 min, fixing 3 min and rinsing at about 20 C for about 20 min. Finally putting the reel in distilled water and carefully adding some droplets of wetting agent. I never swipe the water off!

 

I also achieved good results with Ilford HP5 plus processed in Perceptol. Starting with box speed and according to the data sheet at 20 C is always a good idea!

 

Best Theodor

[vhfreund]

By the way, you can test the fixer before staring. Just put some film you cut from your exposed roll just before you wound it on the reel into the fixer. Stop the time until the film becomes clear, double the time and there you have your required fixing time.

 

 

Best Theodor

[yigitaltay]

Thank you all for your suggestion and comments!

 

I after a week I realised all of the stuff got dissolved so the first part of the problem solved by itself. 

 

On the development part, I started to agitate less (first 30 seconds continuous, and 5 second at every other 30 second) and keep the development time at 8 min. And it worked!

 

Here some of the results I got

 

 

 

 

[fotohuis]

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The last particles of D76/ID11/Fomadon P W37 will dissolve after a few days.

About the exposure of Fomapan 400 in D76 you can look at the excellent Fomapan data sheets and here you can see for a regular (N=0) development the ISO rate is ISO 250. Depending for scanning, condensor or diffusion enlarger you can shorten or prolong the regular developing time for -10% or +10%. Of course also corrected according the table for time-temperature. Regular times are often given for 20C.

For a stop both HAc (Acitic Acid) or a stop based on Citric Acid (but this version is buffered) is possible but the last one is more pleasant for the smell in your darkroom.

In volume of the developer concentrate (D-76) just take a volume which is convenient for you to use up within 6-10 months. 1liter versions you also have from Kodak, Ilford or Foma. The saturated fixer you can test with fixer test strips or a solution of Potassiumiodide. For film fix 2g/liter Ag+ ions is the maximum or count the films in you film fixer 1+4 1 liter about 18 films or 10 T-grain type films.

Your last results are already pretty good. Just optimize your parameters. In case you want more info about the Fomapan films or Foma film developers you can ask me, Fotohuis is their Dutch distributor. In our program we also have more special type developers like Pyrocat-HDC, PC-TEA, Diafine type 2-bath, Windisch W665 ultra fine grain, Beutler A/B. In case you want full box speed of FP400 you can use the Diafine 2-bath type developer. Just new is the FOMA Retropan 320 soft film, a retro type film with grain and a lower contrast.