Developing times for b/w papers

I have noticed that some papers require a lot more time in the developer than others. I seem to remember from distant past that one should allow the development to go until it won't go any more, i.e. keep the exposures to a level that allows a good print without having to pull it from the developer before the maximum development has occurred.

Oriental, for one, I find to require 4 to 5 minutes to fully develop, where some of the VC papers pop up in 60 sec or less and are fully developed at 2 minutes.

Any guidelines on this? I have a ton of books, cannot recall this issue being explored in any of them.

It would seem that allowing complete development would be the prudent path?

Dear herb,

"It would seem that allowing complete development would be the prudent path?"

Allowing complete development is the prudent path.

Neal Wydra

herb said:

Oriental, for one, I find to require 4 to 5 minutes to fully develop, where some of the VC papers pop up in 60 sec or less and are fully developed at 2 minutes.

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"Speed-" type papers develop much faster than traditional-type papers.

Herb -

I use VC papers exclusively. My experience is that RC versions are done in 60 seconds, while FB papers generally take two minutes.

However, it is possible to extend development of FB papers, and sometimes this is an appropriate creative step. The result is slightly more contrast and slightly deeper blacks. Three minute is not uncommon, and I have gone four minutes. The concern with excessive development is that eventually the highlights start to suffer.

Like everything else in traditional photography, it's not rocket science, and there's lots of room for individual variations.

herb said:

. . . It would seem that allowing complete development would be the prudent path?

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The amount of development is one of the creative controls in printing on conventional papers that have no developer incorporated in the emulsion. It can also affect subsequent toning.

herb said:

I seem to remember from distant past that one should allow the development to go until it won't go any more

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Papers should be developed to completion. In other words, there is a point where continued development produces little change in density or contrast. The method that I use is to watch the print and not the timer/clock. When the print seems to be fully developed I allow a bit more time in the developer. Another method is to mark the time in seconds when the image appears and develop for 3 to 4 times longer. Prints can be left in most developers for several minutes without harm. In fact more prints are ruined by underdevelopment than by overdevelopment.

Herb

RC papers should be developed to completion. FB papers should get factorial development.

Most RC papers develop to completion within 90 to 120s. More time does no harm, but if you pull the print prematurely, and it will lack true blacks.

FB papers will continue to develop for a relatively long time. Factorial development is the best approach for these papers. In short, it works like this:

1. Measure the time it takes for the light mid-tones to appear in the developing bath.
2. Multiply this time with a given factor (6x is common) and pull the print at that time.

Leaving the print in the developer for longer will not improve the blacks but mess up mid-tones and highlights. The other benefit of factorial development that it compensates for developer exhaustion and temperature fluctuations.

Ralph is right on. For years I developed my FB prints in Zone VI developer for 2 minutes, as was recommended. I even used a stronger dilution than normal. Eventually, though, I set about figuring out what contrast level I was really getting with my color head (and the rest of my system of course.) Unfortunately, I wasn't getting much above a true grade 3. So I replaced filters, ran safelight tests, eliminated light leaking from the enlarger... Even though I went to some rather extreme lengths, I only achieved a slight boost in contrast. Then I read the part in Way Beyond Monochrome where Ralph recommended factorial developement. So I gave it a shot. Using 6x emergence time gave me a time of 4 minute (with fresh developer). Running the contrast tests again, I found that I had gained another whole grade of contrast. Thanks Ralph!