Ah ok, i remember i reused a fixer before and i used for i think 3 rolls and i got rid of it then, i just try to keep less use when possible just in case i will have a problem with fixer activity after reusing, so as long i used it once then it will be fine as you said maybe for few more rolls, and i will try to use it in short time so don't take more than 4 weeks or a month to store it.
B&W film developing
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Ah ok, i remember i reused a fixer before and i used for i think 3 rolls and i got rid of it then, i just try to keep less use when possible just in case i will have a problem with fixer activity after reusing, so as long i used it once then it will be fine as you said maybe for few more rolls, and i will try to use it in short time so don't take more than 4 weeks or a month to store it.
So any unprocessed film will do the job? you mean new film, or unprocessed film even exposed? So can i sacrifice one roll of film and i use it for checking my fixer? I will use this roll in parts so i can check the fixer every time, but i will tell you something, i always fix for maximum 5 minutes even if i use the fixer for first time, i know i can do that for about 2 minutes up to 5, but i just make myself in safe side and go for 5, so is this a problem is i keep using 5 minutes always as first time, and will i need longer than 5 minutes maybe if i reuse the fixer more than once?
I clip the leader from the film I am about to develope, so I have a specific time for fixing that film. Whatever time it takes for the film to clear, double that and you have the time for fixing.
Hello again,
I would like to ask, how can i use the film at different box speed? for example using 400ASA speed film @1600?
And if i do that, then how can i develop it? or should i shoot at normal same box speed and do push/pull with developing?
I really don't know what is the correct/best way to shoot film at different than its box iso speed.
I would like to ask, how can i use the film at different box speed? for example using 400ASA speed film @1600?
And if i do that, then how can i develop it? or should i shoot at normal same box speed and do push/pull with developing?
I really don't know what is the correct/best way to shoot film at different than its box iso speed.
Best result for push processing (e.g. shoot an iso 400 film on iso 1600 = push +2F) is to use a speed enhance developer like Diafine, Microphen, Acu-1/Acufine and go for a longer development. Data you can find on the manufacturer web sites or Digital Truth.
The problem is going to be the details in the shadows which are going to be lost and you still need a good dense negative (so not a thin negative). In fact what happens: Your density curve of the film is getting steep.
A good example of push processing is Tri-X (400) in Diafine E.I. 1250-1600 2x3 minutes. The speed boost is maximized with this Kodak film.
What can you expect: Detail lost in the shadows. Less nice grey tones and more grain. Some combinations are doing better then others.
The problem is going to be the details in the shadows which are going to be lost and you still need a good dense negative (so not a thin negative). In fact what happens: Your density curve of the film is getting steep.
A good example of push processing is Tri-X (400) in Diafine E.I. 1250-1600 2x3 minutes. The speed boost is maximized with this Kodak film.
What can you expect: Detail lost in the shadows. Less nice grey tones and more grain. Some combinations are doing better then others.
OK, tell me what you will do in my case/place then?
I just got a lens[65mm] for my new camera [Mamiya 7II], and i want to test the gear, so i chose Tri-X 400 to be the film of test, and it is night here, and i will shoot inside the house so the light is weak not strong enough, so i think with ISO 400 i will use either widest aperture or slower shutter speed, but i really don't want to use widest f or so slow shutter speed, so in this case the only way is to increase the iso, so what do you think? I can use the tripod for some shots, but i want to use handhold as well, and if i choose an iso then the whole film should be at same ISO, so will you just use tripod and go with slower speed or wider aperture or use higher iso and handhold[or tripod when necessary] with average normal speed or f stop?
i need the answer now because i am waiting to use the film now and don't want to keep it out of the fridge longer without shooting it.
Well the whole push of a film is searching for the best compromise. Further you need to know that B&W films are less sensitive in tungsten light. Panchromatic films normally 1/3 - 1/2F stop (but you have to look at the manufacturers specification) and Orthopan films (e.g. Rollei Retro 100 TONAL - Fuji Acros 100) 1F stop.
So your Tri-X is iso 320 in tungsten light and an Acros 100 film iso 50.
If you push +1F stop you're making the E.I. 640 and you're going to develop according iso 800.
Just look if you can make the exposures with your roomlight under these conditions. If not you have to go for push +2F, turn E.I. to iso 1250 and develop according iso 1600.
More push means more grain, less grey scale and less details in the shadows. With the 2-bath Diafine you can not control the density anymore so your Tri-X 400 MUST be exposed on iso 1250.
With preferable other speed enhanced developers you CAN control the density of the film.
The real boost of these type of developers is depending on the film but normally 1/2F - 1F stop. The rest is done by a steeper developing curve.
So your Tri-X is iso 320 in tungsten light and an Acros 100 film iso 50.
If you push +1F stop you're making the E.I. 640 and you're going to develop according iso 800.
Just look if you can make the exposures with your roomlight under these conditions. If not you have to go for push +2F, turn E.I. to iso 1250 and develop according iso 1600.
More push means more grain, less grey scale and less details in the shadows. With the 2-bath Diafine you can not control the density anymore so your Tri-X 400 MUST be exposed on iso 1250.
With preferable other speed enhanced developers you CAN control the density of the film.
The real boost of these type of developers is depending on the film but normally 1/2F - 1F stop. The rest is done by a steeper developing curve.
Low light = compromise
Taking pictures in low light is always going to be a compromise.
1. Longer exposure times. Either put the camera on a tripod, use a cable release, and live with the compromise of not being able to move your camera during exposure.
2. Use high ISO film, like Ilford Delta 3200. Delta 3200 is an ISO 800 film that can be pushed to ISO 1600 pretty well by developing longer and using a speed enhancing developer, such as Ilfotec DD-X. Expensive and difficult to purchase sometimes. Some find the film too grainy.
3. Push process your film. Take a roll of Tri-X and use it as EI 1,000 or 1,250 and process in Diafine. Works great. If you need more speed and use the film at, say EI 3,200, you will lose shadow detail and compromise how well the film will print or scan.
4. Change the lighting in the room. If you can make the room brighter, you can escape some of these problems.
No matter how you approach the situation you are compromising, unless you can change the lighting so that you can use your ISO 400 film at box speed.
You have to choose how to solve this 'problem' and learn how to live with the compromises. Or use them to your advantage.
Good luck.
Taking pictures in low light is always going to be a compromise.
1. Longer exposure times. Either put the camera on a tripod, use a cable release, and live with the compromise of not being able to move your camera during exposure.
2. Use high ISO film, like Ilford Delta 3200. Delta 3200 is an ISO 800 film that can be pushed to ISO 1600 pretty well by developing longer and using a speed enhancing developer, such as Ilfotec DD-X. Expensive and difficult to purchase sometimes. Some find the film too grainy.
3. Push process your film. Take a roll of Tri-X and use it as EI 1,000 or 1,250 and process in Diafine. Works great. If you need more speed and use the film at, say EI 3,200, you will lose shadow detail and compromise how well the film will print or scan.
4. Change the lighting in the room. If you can make the room brighter, you can escape some of these problems.
No matter how you approach the situation you are compromising, unless you can change the lighting so that you can use your ISO 400 film at box speed.
You have to choose how to solve this 'problem' and learn how to live with the compromises. Or use them to your advantage.
Good luck.
And lots and lots of water, photoflo wouldn't hurt either, and even more water. Now that I am doing this often, I can't believe how much water it feels like I am using!
You have Tri-X film, rated on the box at ISO 400. You want to shoot it at ISO 1600. That's two stop increase.
You need to develop your film longer. If you are pushing two stops, then increase the development time approximately 2.25 times your normal time. If your normal develop time is 10 minutes, then develop 23 minutes. If your normal develop time is 5 minutes, then develop 11 minutes. These are estimates - not exact, but they should work.
The shots will be OK, but not good. You can tell if the lens is working. The negatives will have higher contrast than ordinary, but you can print them on grade 1 or grade 0. If you scan them you can adjust contrast in the software.
If you want to shoot 1600 often you must experiment to find good development times for your circumstance. If you want to test the lens just once this will give you a usable image to see.
MB
Too bad, i was trying to test the camera with lens it didn't work, the shutter didn't fire, just for 2 or 3 frames maybe fired but the rest didn't, so i am worry what is the problem. I think the film is lost anyway, not sure if i will see anything even if i shoot at normal speed as box speed, so i have to solved this problem first then i will look at push process issue, too bad that i was shooting a friend and it didn't work properly, not sure if i want to develop the film even but i have to and see, i really hope it is not because the lens, oh my!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, I have a question, when i go develop my film, and the chemicals aren't in the proper temperature, how do I heat or cool them???
The standard solution is to stand the bottles in a tub of water, maintained at the desired temperature either by adding hot or cold water periodically, or using a souse vide cooker to hold the water at a given temperature (must be at or above room temperature for this to work -- a sous vide can't keep water at 20C when it's 35C in the darkroom).
The other option, with black and white, that has worked well for me for the past 18 years, is to just adjust your development time to suit the temperature of your developer. I use a factor of 4% longer or shorter for each degree F (that would be about 8% per degree C). Be sure to use a power rather than a simple multiplier -- for instance, if you developer is at 27C, you'd multiply your time by .92^7 (for 7C correction at 8% reduction per degree C). These days, I used the Dev It app on Android as my darkroom timer, and it has an option to automatically correct time for temperature.
Do note that some developers have a non-linear change below about 15 C due to hydroquinone becoming (I've read) effectively inert at lower temperatures.
This technical data sheet from Ilford, about several of their developers, contains a chart of standard development times for all of their films, plus a chart for adjusting times based on temperatures 13C - 25C.
Powder_dev_GB (ilfordphoto.com)
Powder_dev_GB (ilfordphoto.com)
This would work well for 20-25C maybe as high as 30C with some heaters, but likely isn't viable for 38-40C color development. Not to mention if an aquarium heater gets pulled out of the water while connected to power, it will quickly destroy itself, while sous vide devices have a safety to shut them off when the water level is too low for safe operation.
These are good points. I had them permanently attached in my darkroom sink. I had nice ones with thermal cut offs, to address the issue about overheat if I happened to forget to switch them off. I was attentive enough that I never got to test that feature. Sous vide wasn’t on the radar at the time, and would pry be what I would do now because of the built in circulation. Clearly a better solution
The other advantage of a sous vide is that these days they're cheaper than a good aquarium heater. Mine wasn't the cheapest one on eBay when I bought it -- but it was only $32 with free shipping. I've seen my partner (who keeps a reef aquarium) spend three or four times that on an aquarium heater without digital setting/readout or safety shutoff (but certified for aquarium use, which automatically doubles or triples the price of anything). It has digital temperature control with 0.1F precision, and claims to maintain temperature to that same precision once the bath is equalized. I fill my tempering bath to be a degree or two below set point, so the sous vide will be warming it up slightly; that way, I'm confident that when it hits the set point, the bath is pretty uniform (I then allow an hour for the bottles to reach working temperature, as they'd have been at room temp which might be anywhere from 15-21C).
Preflashing can push the toe and bottom of the curve up and back, when push processing.
Latensification can also help significantly with the shadow information.
One is a chore in the taking situation, but can be done selectively.
The other is something that has to be done before development, and is only practical to do globally on the whole roll.
With care, thought and experience it is possible to combine the two, as they are not really the same mechanism.
I’ve often wondered if you could pre-develop the highlights, latensify and then develop the shadows. But never tried it.
Hydrogen hypering can also buy you a stop or so at normal speeds.
The good news is that you don’t need a hypering chamber for normal speeds.
Vacuum chambering and subsequently pressuring the hydrogen crushes the halide crystals, due to the gelatine de-moisturizing and shrinking with microscopic but tremendous force. Fine for LIRF compensation. But destructive at normal speeds.
Ordinary hydrogen at atmospheric pressure and temperatures is best.
You just need to let the film sit for a day or two in an airtight container.
Combining all three should be possible, but the people who have done it in a film astro photography context, reports quite low contrast, but that might not be a problem when push processing.
1600 at close to normal image quality is not impossible.
The most easy and straight forward method to shoot in low light is of course flash. It is also a very daunting and often negatively perceived method by most beginners and even some experienced ones.
Learning how to use flash with bouncing, gels (for colour mostly, but also useful in B&W), diffusers and most importantly remote triggers, is not easy or inexpensive, but very, very useful.
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