Do different paper developers affect exposure times in the enlarger

pauldc

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Jun 5, 2005
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Kent, UK
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Sorry if this is a silly question but having switched to Ansco 130 I am noticing that for contact sheets (35mm, tmax film) that the exposure times are very different to reach maximum black through the clear part of the film. Using Neutol WA I would get a time of 33 secs for my particular enlarger set up and for Ansco 130 I seem to be getting a time of 19.9 seconds. Other than a change of developer there is no other changes in my work flow.

Is my experience correct or have I messed up somewhere! Any advice would be very helpful.
 

Ian Grant

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Aug 2, 2004
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Yes developers can make a huge differance. Particularly warmtone developers like Neutol WA or Ilford ID-78.

Essentially with papers the finer the silver grain the warmer toned the print with chlorobromide and bromochloride papers, so you over expose & under develop to get even finer grain / warmer tone . . .

BTW Ansco's developers are just renamed Agfa formulae, as the US Government took over Agfa USA after Pearl Harbour, and never gave the company back !

Ian
 
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