5x7 Taco/What's halfway between D76 and Diafine?

1) I just developed a few 5x7 negatives taco style in a 4 reel stainless drum and preliminarily I think I like the results a lot better than using a Bessler drum on a Unicolor base.

I did 2 negatives in Diafine and 2 in D76. Both seemed to work well. The Diafine doesn't need to be replenished though. I ended up using about 500ml of D76 to fill up the tank 1+1. I know D76 is cheap but it's still a pain to mix it up (and now I'm mixing with distilled water, adding to the cost).

So I was wondering if there is a more middle of the road developer than Diafine that doesn't need to be replenished?

2)Also just wondering who is doing taco style 5x7 and what you are using for a tank. I can get two negatives in a stainless tank, not sure what I could get in a Patterson tank.

3) Noticed a bit of marking from the hairbands I used to taco the negatives. It doesn't seem to show up in scans but it's visible on the non-emulsion side. Any suggestions on what would be better? These are scrunchi brand hair bands from CVS.

Thanks!
paul

Ahhhh, no. There really isn't anything like what you're asking. And FYI, Diafine can be replenished, even though it technically isn't necessary. I do it regularly, and the directions for doing so are printed on the box the cans came in. In case you've lost it, find it here. The marks on the film are from residual anti halation coating on the support side of the film. These will always be present if you're using the "taco" method, but can easily be removed. run the film through a fixing bath in a tray until the backing is dissolved and carried away. Sometimes, all you need is a tablespoon of sodium sulfite in a liter of water or even just plain water to do the job. Depends on the film and your patience. Fresh fixer works fast, and so does a sodium sulfite solution. Plain water takes longer, but is ultimately equally effective.

I find using the taco method and a cloth headband works great. I buy them at CVS, Riteaid. They are about and inch across and about a 1/4 wide. They come with sparkels and without. I only use the ones without. Since they are cotton and not rubber or nylon the developer and the fix easily seap through the band and I end up with no residual halation coating when all is done.

HC110 at 50:1 or higher dilution is cheap enough to use one-shot and not worry about replenishing.

Why not just make up (or purchase) some D-76 replenisher and incorporate it into your process?

Not to hijack but can anyone give a brief rundown of the taco method? How do you figure time and agitation? Same as rollfilm?

Thanks,

Jim

Mix up some XTOL and replenish it.

Or you could find many two bath developers. Divided D23 is one of the most popular. I have tried Barry Thornton's version of this and it worked well enough.

I haven't used the Taco method, but maybe loops of fishing line instead of hair bands is the first thing that comes to my mind.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. For the record, I'm pretty sure the marks in the back of the film are not the anti-halation layer. They look like thin divots in the film base. Perhaps my hair bands are too tight for 5x7. Fishing line might be a good try. I do find getting the bands off the film to be a little nerve wracking.

Jmooney, taco method is sweeping the nation, almost as fast as large format photography:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/largeformat/discuss/72157594305554218/

I did the exact same development as with rollfilm.

Honestly now comparing the taco with the unicolor drum side by side, I can't tell the difference in negs. I'm going to keep testing. I am getting a consistently weird stain with the unicolor drum that won't wash off though.

I've got (somewhere in my stash of weird and old stuff) a developing cylinder of stanless with a holder for 5x7 I think that holds the film in a taco shape. Gasket on the lid, so after the lid's on it can be inverted, but no light tight baffel or anything. I've never used it, seems likely it'd scrape the back of the negatives loading it. I'll see if I still have it.