A "sharp" developer to use with rotary processing

[StoneNYC]

I don't understand what you mean by, " the edges were very soft as it was too hard and sharp". How can something be too soft because it's too sharp?

Sorry, I must have missed typed that all, what I mean is that the edges on the new rotary processed film were very soft, where the edges on my older hand inversion developed film were very sharp

 

[Sirius Glass]

Thank you...

Now do not bug me about not posting photographs!

 

[eddie]

Stone- It sounds like you should have replaced the MOD54, rather than switch to rotary. If you were happy with your results with it, the switch seems to be the wrong course of action.
BTW- I think you're gonna be a huge PITA when you start printing in the dark... "I wanna print my 3200 half frame negatives (shot at 6400 in Rodinal), to 30x40 inches but have them be as sharp as the negatives. What paper should I use? Developer? Tongs?"

 

[Sirius Glass]

The JOBO 3010 Expert Drum would have been better that the 2509.

 

[Roger Cole]

*facepalm*

Eh?

I mean - you've said how your Mod 54 was broken, and you got a 2509 free etc. But if you really want something rotary doesn't lend itself to, it would seem easier just to find another method.

You can certainly let sheets soak in a tray, agitate when you like. Now a stack, that's different - but trays are cheap and how many sheets do you have to do at once?

Wonder if we could all just take up a collection to buy Stone another Mod 54 so he could go back to the method he likes? I'm at least half serious. It wouldn't cost much if several folks chipped in!

 

[eddie]

Roger- I don't think he has a darkroom. Doesn't he load in a changing bag? Trays won't work for him.

 

[Roger Cole]

Roger- I don't think he has a darkroom. Doesn't he load in a changing bag? Trays won't work for him.

Oh ok - I may have missed that somewhere in the pages then. I do recall reading that he worked at night after others had gone to bed, so I assumed he had a blacked out area. My mistake.

We could buy him some towels to stuff under a bathroom door to black it out...

 

[eddie]

We could buy him some towels to stuff under a bathroom door to black it out...

Or, he can pony up the 60 bucks to replace the MOD54, and get the results he's after.

 

[Roger Cole]

Yeah. Probably cheaper than trying ten different developers when he already knows what he likes.

 

[StoneNYC]

The JOBO 3010 Expert Drum would have been better that the 2509.

I would LOVE a 3010... But that's a lot more than a 2509... A LOT more... Unless you want to trade?

 

[StoneNYC]

Guys, I'm moving to a more CONSISTENT workflow... Slowly... My first step is to go rotary, my next step is to get a CPP2 processor... I'm progressing... And looking to the future, sure right now hand processing works but that's not sustainable at my current path.

The 2509n is a stepping stone to the 3010 and 3005 when I move to 8x10

 

[removed account4]

round and round she goes where shell stop no one knows ...

this thread is like a koan

 

[Roger Cole]

No one says you can't use rotary sometimes, inversion other times. I have a CPE2 I use for most of my black and white and used to use for color and will again but I also like Diafine for compensation and pushing Tri-X and that's not really good for rotary so I use it with inversion. Horses for courses and all that.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[richard ide]

Stone,
If you want sharp edges try stand development in trays. My observations are that you want a magic bullet where none exists. Slow down and learn. Processing film has so many variables. Change one at a time. Then you will know what effect one thing has on the others.
The only really magic bullets have glycerin in them. ;< )

 

[nworth]

What happens when I try and mix powders... This is why I don't like them...

Pyrogallol is a light, crystalline powder that tends to become airborne. That can be a real problem. Gloves, apron, eye shields, and dust mask are usually called for, since it is a significant dermal and inhalation hazard. Catechol comes as large, solid flakes without dust. It is very easy to measure and mix. It is also not an inhalation hazard and not much of a dermal hazard.

Xtol, and other powders, are pretty easy to mix. A one liter kitchen measuring cup or a 2 liter plastic drink container makes life easier, and you can use plastic or stainless steel mixing utensils. (Devote them to darkroom use only.) The problem with powders is that you have to process enough film to use them up before they expire. That problem also exists with liquid concentrates, but it is easier to manage with them.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Xtol, and other powders, are pretty easy to mix. A one liter kitchen measuring cup or a 2 liter plastic drink container makes life easier, and you can use plastic or stainless steel mixing utensils. (Devote them to darkroom use only.) The problem with powders is that you have to process enough film to use them up before they expire. That problem also exists with liquid concentrates, but it is easier to manage with them.

I would tell you that if XTOL used as replenished, then XTOL does not have be used in six months, but I had said that I will not mention XTOL in this thread. So do not ask me to post about XTOL here.

 

[eddie]

Guys, I'm moving to a more CONSISTENT workflow... Slowly... My first step is to go rotary, my next step is to get a CPP2 processor... I'm progressing... And looking to the future, sure right now hand processing works but that's not sustainable at my current path.

The 2509n is a stepping stone to the 3010 and 3005 when I move to 8x10

Now I know why your threads drag on... You morph the thread...
You never mentioned CONSISTENCY as the reason for the switch. In fact, you claimed to get good results prior to the switch (and no one would consider inconsistency "good results").
I don't know why you think hand processing is unsustainable. I'd venture to guess that the vast majority of b/w negatives are hand processed, including 8x10 and larger.
As for your path, it seems to be a figure 8...

 

[Richard Man]

Such entertaining thread... XD

 

[StoneNYC]

Stone,
If you want sharp edges try stand development in trays. My observations are that you want a magic bullet where none exists. Slow down and learn. Processing film has so many variables. Change one at a time. Then you will know what effect one thing has on the others.
The only really magic bullets have glycerin in them. ;< )

You sir, need to read the entire thread and not just the first post...

IE... no darkroom... No tray

Now I know why your threads drag on... You morph the thread...
You never mentioned CONSISTENCY as the reason for the switch. In fact, you claimed to get good results prior to the switch (and no one would consider inconsistency "good results").
I don't know why you think hand processing is unsustainable. I'd venture to guess that the vast majority of b/w negatives are hand processed, including 8x10 and larger.
As for your path, it seems to be a figure 8...

JOBO... 3005... Not hand, no darkroom, no tray... No Paterson, no MOD108 (yet) so I have to move to rotary to progress.

Also you can do 10 in the 3010 or 12 in the 2509n x2 and my current 2551 tank...

Progress not perfection...

 

[MattKing]

If you can make a cake from a mix you can mix up XTOL or D76 or Dektol or ... safely.
Some chemicals are more challenging.

 

[removed account4]

why should anyone who chimes in read the whole thread?
the whole thing is disjointed and makes no sense other than you are looking for a developer that can process your film in a rp.
you have waffled, gone back and forth about chemistry you will or wont use, have changed your criteria and your own personal definition of sharpness more than once ...
at this point it is people struggling to suggest developers for you to try in your rotary processor ... kind of a disguised " what developer should i try next" thread
but not really since you have reasons for not trying nearly every developer suggested. .. as if you had your mind made up before you even started the thread. lol

its kind of funny but i havent figured out if it is funny haha or not. lol

 

[eddie]

JOBO... 3005... Not hand, no darkroom, no tray... No Paterson, no MOD108 (yet) so I have to move to rotary to progress.

Progress not perfection...

Progress should be measured by improved quality, not by moving up in formats.

 

[Truzi]

For the times you want the sharpness, get a cap for your jobo tank and hand-develop. (Yes, I know, it uses a lot of chemistry that way.)

 

[StoneNYC]

Progress should be measured by improved quality, not by moving up in formats.

Look at photos from when I joined, and now

 

[StoneNYC]

why should anyone who chimes in read the whole thread?
the whole thing is disjointed and makes no sense other than you are looking for a developer that can process your film in a rp.
you have waffled, gone back and forth about chemistry you will or wont use, have changed your criteria and your own personal definition of sharpness more than once ...
at this point it is people struggling to suggest developers for you to try in your rotary processor ... kind of a disguised " what developer should i try next" thread
but not really since you have reasons for not trying nearly every developer suggested. .. as if you had your mind made up before you even started the thread. lol

its kind of funny but i havent figured out if it is funny haha or not. lol

I haven't changed my definition and haven't waifed at all.

For the umpteenth tune, everyone, if you don't have something helpful to say, don't just talk because you want to be part of the convo...

John, you're a good guy, but you have no experience with anything I'm asking about, so you shouldn't be commenting at all.