4x5 Development Woes :(

At the time, I could do 8 sheets at a time, but usually did 6. I had 6 holders, would shoot a complete load then come back and do it in two runs through the trays (one from each side of the film holder). just in case I did something really stupid (who me?).

HC-110 is one slippery developer. That I remember. I usually used D-76 1:1. Easier to control those slippery sheets in.

When you are finished your class, come back and we will entertain you with about three dozen other ways to process film, eh?

tim in san jose

CuS said:

If you are shuffling the TOP sheet, never the bottom, then you must be processing emulsion side up, right? I process emulsion side down and take from the bottom.

How much developer (volume) do you use in your 8x10 trays?

And, I will follow your idea of backing up the +1 shot - especially since I have been having problems with underexposure.

Click to expand...

Correct, emul. side up.
1.6 Liter per tray. (In tray processing you have to watch out for the capacities. Kodak says 10 8x10 sheets/gal in Dil. B) (Kodak publ. J-24, on their website.)

What's the benefit of emulsion side up?

Stefan Findel said:

Correct, emul. side up.
1.6 Liter per tray. (In tray processing you have to watch out for the capacities. Kodak says 10 8x10 sheets/gal in Dil. B) (Kodak publ. J-24, on their website.)

Click to expand...

What is the benefit of emulsion side up?

Perhaps that the you negate the effect of possible scratches from the tray bottom?

Right.

Solved: I am a bloody idiot!

Well, I developed another set of Delta 100 shot at 50 in HC-110B for 6.5 minutes. I had used a yellow filter for the shots as well, taking into consideration bellows draw, yellow filter, etc. I even shot backup shots a stop over.

The negs came out pretty good - especially the overexposed ones. While looking them over with our lab manager at school, I noted that it was weird that the images seemed reversed.

My lab manager noted that they should come out in the same orientation as the image shot. It was then that I realized that I had been loading the film BACKWARDS in the holders - emulsion side down! Its not like I had been shown and taught how to do it incorrectly - I just blew it.

I feel like a right idiot!

Ironically, I had finally figured out the proper exposure for Delta 100 upside down :-[

Looks like I'm kinda back to square one but at least I know what the problem was!

Thanks to all of you for your help and encouragement and if any of you need exposure data on Delta 100 emulsion side down - let me know.

I don't quite understand....the emulsion side of the film was not facing the lens?

All of us have made some errors loading holders... you are not an idiot.

Ed

Mahler_one said:

I don't quite understand....the emulsion side of the film was not facing the lens?

All of us have made some errors loading holders... you are not an idiot.

Ed

Click to expand...

Das what he said. Remember, notch in the top right corner as you slide it in the holder.

There are two kind of LF photographers in the world, those that screwed up loading film holders and those that fib.

tim in san jose

Well that explains it, and yes, I've done that a couple of times too. S**t happens. Now you know.