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Developing MACO IR 820 / 400 Professional

Just had the following email from Maco. This is from a Danish photographer also trying out the new film.

Email starts:
---------

The images that I scanned is available here (dust marks not removed):

http://klauselmquist.dk/photo.php?name=ir1

There seems to be no pressure plate marks on the images. Good! Very nice!
Technique: Leica M6, Elmar-M 50mm/f2.8, Heliopan RG715 filter.
I assumed that the film is two stop faster than IR 820c and hence generally made four bracket shots at 1/125: f/8 f/5.6 f/4 f/2.8.
Processing was as described in the IR820c PDF: Prewash for 30 seconds, 5,5 minutes LP-Supergrain developer (D76), 1 minute LP-Citrin stopbath, 3 minutes LP-Fix Supra, 4 wash cycles as described for IR820c, 1 minutes LP-Masterproof wetting agent.

Initial comments on IR 820/400:
- I like the extra speed as this allows me to use 1/125 or 1/60 with a decent DOF while IR 820c allows for 1/30 or 1/15.
- IR 820/400 dried surprisingly fast and with no flatness problems.
- The film advance in my camera made much less, if any, "noise" compared to IR 820c.
- The film is somewhat grainy, though I like to be absolutely sure about the exposure and processing of IR 820/400 before I can say anything for sure.
- The developed negatives had a light blue colour. This could be a result of improper washing, either before or after development.

- I miss the halations possible with IR 820c, such as:
http://klauselmquist.dk/image/irsolbaer_1_l.jpg
http://klauselmquist.dk/image/irsolbaer_1_n.jpg (smaller version)
On the other hand this gives the option for sharper IR images.

Email Ends
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Well it's a perfect day for IR here in my part of the UK, bright sunshine, temperature about 20 degrees, lots of lovely white fluffy clouds, the new green grass on the hills is positively glowing. -- And I'm stuck at work

Cheers

Mike
 
In my gallery I posted two pics about a week ago with the new film and 820c for comparison with the same filter in place.At ISO 400 there is a noticable difference in the
"glow" between them.Have already shot another roll(undeveloped as of yet)at ISO 200
 
Finally got around to developing my first film:

Exposed as metered by the Bessa-L, with Color-Skopar 21mm/f:4 lens, Heliopan IR695 filter, camera set to EI 400. Also did a few tests with bracketing from 2 steps under to two steps over.

Developed for 20 minutes in Neofin Blau, after a 2 minute presoak (which came out greenish blue). Four inversions every minute in the beginning, decreasing to every two or three minutes in the end (I get bored and do something else between the inversions).

No stop bath.

Dumped in 100ml of 60% ammonium thiosulfate at the end of developing, at which time the developer should be well and truly exhausted. Agitated vigorously for two minutes, then let sit for three more.

Wash as per "Ilford method", hang to dry.

Negatives look very nice! The ones following the meter seem spot on, 2 over is as obviously overexposed as the 2 under are too thin. Contrast is fairly high, but we'll see how they print (tomorrow?) before I recommend changes in the development.
 
I am dying to try out this film and can't ssem to locate the rg715(88a) filter I want to try. Where can I find this in 52mm thread? Any APUG sponsors carry this?
Thanks,
Mike
 
mikeb_z5 said:
I am dying to try out this film and can't ssem to locate the rg715(88a) filter I want to try. Where can I find this in 52mm thread? Any APUG sponsors carry this?
Thanks,
Mike
Click to expand...

I don't know about sponsors, but Dead Link Removed carries that, as well as the whole range of Heliopan IR filters. That's where I got my IR695 in 39mm thread.
 
Thanks ole! I was hoping I could order this from somewhere in the US

Mike
 
Harrison & Harrison sells it in the US. They don't have a website and I have their phone number if you want me to pm it to you.
 
First try with 820IR /400

I've posted two entirely unimpressive shots taken from my first roll of Maco 820 /400 (Thanks for the film, Diane!) in my gallery. I was using a 25 filter and found that there was very little IR effect in these shots taken around mid-day. I took some without any filter and then some with the 25, camera metered in my trusty AE1: ASA 400, Rodinal 1/25 at 9 minutes at 68ºf, Sprint stop bath and fixer. These are negative scans with no post processing.

I'm going to go out and get some other filters and also shooting at 800 asa.
 

Well, that was a while ago...

But now I've printed one of those negatives for two different print exchanges, and I'm impressed!!! I had plain forgotten that an 8x10" print from a 35mm negative could look so nice, even with grain. The grain structure is visible, but very smooth. Even sky and clouds look good! Shadow detail was better than I had expected too.

My enlarger has a colour head (i.e. diffusion enlarger), but I printed unfiltered on the rest of my old Oriental Seagull paper. The film obviously has a potential for quite high Dmax, and I think some of my highlights were way up on the shoulder. But I won't advise cutting my development time - at least not until someone else has tried shorter times. I'll use a "proper" fixer next time just to be a bit more "normal".

From what I can see the combination of Bessa-L, 21mm Color-Skopar, Heliopan 695 filter and Neofin developer must be just about perfect.
 
So what is the conclussion on this film ?
the 25 filter is to thin to give any effect ?
increasing effect from 29 filter through heliopan 695 to 715 ?
Speed (TTL) is 400 ISO as promissed ?
Development times a per techsheet ?
I can't access the gallery right now so I havn't seen samplepics
More comments on this film ?
Morten what about you ?
Søren
 
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