Diafine or What ?

Hello to everyone !

In past days i have been reading about this 2 part developer called diafine.

The problem is that when i expose for example T-MAX 400 /delta 400/APX 400 using yellow filter and cameras internal meter, making sure that everything should be metered correctly, still almost everytime the highlights will be blown out and shadows have almost no information at all. The pictures basically seem ok, but they lack of "snap".

I have developed fillm in rodinal, t-max developers with film manufacturers recommended developing times.

Should i start to use diafine to get better results or where i could get "the secrets" of developing times that will not so easily eat away the highlights.?

Help greatly appreciated

Sounds like you have a fundamental exposure & dev time issue, using Diafine isn't going to solve the root problem.

You need to do some film speed/Exposure/dev time tests. Ther's a good free article written by Steve Simmonds on the View Camera site, see Free section, it's just as applicable for 35mm or 120.

Ian

I don't think Diafine is the magic solution to your issue. Diafine is basically a push developer, i.e. rate Tmax 400 at 640 & get good results.

It sounds to me like you need to refine your current exposure & developing technique.
If the negs are thin in the shadows then you are underexposing. So meter more in the shadow areas for detail.
If the highlights are blown out then you are overdeveloping. Manufacturers times are just recommendations & are often too much.

You should be able to get good results from Rodinal & Tmax dev with some more testing. Pick one film & get that right.

I recall years ago a teacher in Sydney telling me that the two most common problems in B&W photography are underexposure & over development.

VesaL, what ISO settings are you using on the camera? Diafine comes with exposure recommendations that overstate its abilities as a push developer. It also overdevelops a lot of films, which would account for your blown highlights.

Ditto all of the above. It takes awhile to "dial in" a film and dev combo. It may take several rolls to do this. Change only one thing at a time and take notes of what you do.

Thank you all for your kind help.!

Because most of the time i use rodinal, i will have to start messin' with dilutions and development times. Anyone know a good starting point to test for TRI-X 400 and rodinal ?

I use Tri-X/Rodinal shot at EI 200 and developed 1+50 for 6 minutes, using agitation for the first 30 seconds and 5 seconds per every 30 seconds thereafter. I really like the results I get with this combo. You will lose some film speed when souping in Rodinal.

Yes, exposing at EI 200 is a good suggestion if you use Rodinal as your developer. I've only ever used 1+100 dilution and I don't want to mess up your schedule.

Shoot a roll at EI 200 of a scene that's of normal contrast. Cut the roll up in three or four pieces. If you have ample shadow detail, your exposure is good. Then you adjust the highlight density by varying development time, chemistry dilution, amount and method of agitation, and temperature. It's easier if you keep the dilution, agitation, and temperature the same, and only adjust the time component.
Adjust until you have printable highlights.

- Thomas

Thank you all for your kind support. I will make test exposures and developments this weekend.! :0)

VesaL said:

Thank you all for your kind help.!

Because most of the time i use rodinal, i will have to start messin' with dilutions and development times. Anyone know a good starting point to test for TRI-X 400 and rodinal ?

Click to expand...

I use Rodinal @ 1:50 for 10min 20ºC with "figure 8" easy agitation for full 1st minute, then 5 sec every 30 sec.

As an experiment I tried the infamous 1:100 semi-stand development with Rodinal, and while the shadows opened up, it still lost some "snap". But was easily compensated for during printing by some burning-in.

Hope I've been of some help for you.

Rolleijoe

VessaL

Diafine is a two-part compensating developer and it is has two primary applications.

First, it is will create a low contrast negative from a high contrast scene, and your logic is correct in that it would help prevent the blown out portions of your negative. You would also benefit from incredible shadow detail because of the extraordinary tonal range provided by Diafine. I would hesitate to classify Diafine as a "push" developer although the suggested ISO recommendation for a particular film may be higher than box speed. Tri-X is awesome at EI 1200 while TMax 400 works well at box speed or 640. Remember, Diafine will help control contrast.

Secondly, Diafine (according to Sandy King, View Camera Magazine) as a divided developer, is a magic bullet for creating a negative perfect for scanning. Using the low contrast Diafine negative in Photo Shop provides all the information you need with plenty of shadow detail and no blown out highlights to print your image any way you like. You will be able to place the contrast in your image at the level you desire and if you like the idea of the Zone System but shoot 35mm, this is your answer.

Using the correct developing technique is very important for great negatives and jumping around to different products will not always solve your problems. Excessive agitation is a cause of many problems with traditional developers, even Diafine.

Mark Thompson
BKA
Mark@BKAphoto.com

Thank you for your assistance. I bought Diafine set (quart) that im gonna try with T-Max 400 exposed normally and see what happens. :0) i would had shot my T-Max rolls as EI 500, but that time i was not aware about diafine. but now well see :0)

It is true that I should stick to one developer/Film combination and start with that. ''But you know the sun is shining, the need to photograph things in life burns in your veins, and you do not understand or remember to think things like developing. :0) This is the thing that i REALLY have to change in my working methods :0)

I'll second all that has been said. Haha. Make sure your exposure is correct. BUT, I think Diafine could help as Mark says because it does reign in the development of highlights. It also makes low contrast negs since it boosts the shadows.

Also, what kind of highlights are you blowing out? The brightest part of someone's face? Specular highlights? The sun?

Tim Gray said:

I'll second all that has been said. Haha. Make sure your exposure is correct. BUT, I think Diafine could help as Mark says because it does reign in the development of highlights. It also makes low contrast negs since it boosts the shadows.

Also, what kind of highlights are you blowing out? The brightest part of someone's face? Specular highlights? The sun?

Click to expand...

Hello.!
Usually the sky. i use yellow filter most of the time, and i try to be careful that the cameras internal meter does not meter light values too much from the sky. but this mostly happens anyway.

I totally fell in love with diafine, great results !