Developing reccomendations for Efke Ortho

I have some of the 4x5 Efke 25 ortho, and the last sheets I developed in Xtol were very high contrast. I was barely able to hold details on grade 0 paper. I developed it for 6 min @20C in my Jobo.

I realize that continuous agitation isn't the best the best way to get low contrast, but the Jobo is the only 4x5 tank I have and I wasn't wild about doing tray processing in the dark. Any suggestions for way to develop to a lower contrast?

Efke 25 Ortho is a film of high contrast for a couple of reasons:
1. It is an orthochromatic emulsion
2. It has a film speed of 25 or lower

Either of these will lead to high contrast when developed normally in a "normal" developer. Continous agitation also contributes to high contrast.
Use a more soft working developer,and/or more dilution. Run the Jobo as slowly as possible and for a reduced time.
Good luck

Jim Noel said:

Efke 25 Ortho is a film of high contrast for a couple of reasons:
1. It is an orthochromatic emulsion
2. It has a film speed of 25 or lower

Either of these will lead to high contrast when developed normally in a "normal" developer. Continous agitation also contributes to high contrast.
Use a more soft working developer,and/or more dilution. Run the Jobo as slowly as possible and for a reduced time.
Good luck

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Neither of those points necessarily means a film will be high contrast, that depends on the development.

Craig, I'm assuming it's PL25 which isn't actually an Ortho film but has reduced red sensitivity so isn't fully Panchromatic. The first thing you need to realise is the box speed of 25 ISO is its Tungsten speed which is lower because of it's reduced red sensitivity, the Daylight ISO is actually 40-50. I've used a lot of this film since the mid 1970's it shouldn't be over exposed, or over developed, I don't have a time for Xtol but as a guide I shoot it at 50 EI (as I did with Tmax100) and process for the same time which is 15mins in Pyrocat HD 1+1 to 100 in a Jobo 2000 inversion tank (pre- rotary). My negatives print on the same grdae as my Tmax100 & Delta 100 negs,

Ian

Ian,
I just had a look at the package and it says " PL25 Ortho". I got it from J and C years ago, and there was no data sheet with the package, so I went with box speed of 25.


I was shooting a rock formation in the mountains, similar to what we shot with Eric, and some parts of the negative were clear, others very dense and it was an overcast day with no shadows. I shot FP4 right after the Efke and they came out lovely.

I have just picked up some Pyrocat, so I will give that a try for the next sheets. The emulsion looks very fragile when it's wet, thus I like developing them in the Jobo drum to protect the film as much as anything. I was surprised at how much the emulsion swelled when wet.

Now I've seen the packet this is a high contrast Ortho film not the EFKE PL25 Pan so not really suitable for camera use, it's quite different to Ilford Ortho which can be with normal processing. You'd need a very low contrast developer, or very dilute Pyrocat..

Ian

Can you define how dilute "very dilute" is? less than 1:1:100 I assume? How about 1:100 Rodinal?

Craig said:

Can you define how dilute "very dilute" is? less than 1:1:100 I assume? How about 1:100 Rodinal?

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Probably more like 1:200 Rodinal. a developer like Technidol or POTA might be better but I looked in an old Fotoimpex catalogue (they supplied J&C) and they said it was almost impossible to use and print for normal work, would need Grade 0 paper.

Pl25 Ortho wasn't listed as a regular camera film on the Fotokemie (EFKE) website which was which I assumed you might have the Normal Pl 25.

Ian

I did need grade 0.5, but the print did come out very well. Lots of microcontrast in the rocks and trees. When it works, it works well!

Have you considered a soft working developer? I solved this problem with ortho film using Centrabrom S, slightly more dilute than prescribed.

I've never heard of that developer, I will look into it.