Efke PL 100 (ADOX) and D76, 4x5

I want to do some messing around with this combo. So far I have tried HC110, Rodinal, DD-X and PyroCat-HD. Each has it's +'s and -'s.

For users of this combo what development times do you use and what asa do you rate it at? Does anyone have any curves worked up??

Please keep it to the original question, while your favorite dilution of Rodinal etc may be great, at this point it's not what I am asking for.

Thanks,

Eric

Eric,
I use 1:1, around 10 mins, though the last batch I processed for 8.5 mins, as I was building a bit too much contrast for my taste (could be a thermometer slightly off). I have used D76 straight for around 7 mins, but the 1:1 mix gives me (IMHO, of course) a nicer lower zone range, a little bit more detail in the shadows.

erie

I did my initial test at 10min's 1:1 but the contrast doesn't seem to be good enough. I went with that because that's what the Massive Development chart suggested.

When I was using that combo I remember the recommended development times being ridiculously off. I think I settled on 18-20 minutes at 20C, with a 1:1 dilution ratio. But then again everyone's "system" is different.

yours:

Attached: scan of negative exposed at 5:30 PM CST, 2 May 2008

Efke PL 100 M (9x12 cut) exposed at f/11 and 1/50th, Zeiss 322 0 5x Orange Filter
D76 1:1
8.5 minutes
Water stop bath.
Ilford Rapid Fixer
Unicolor 8x10 drum and Uniroller (4 sheets at a time)

For use with my old Voigtländer w/filter I've adjust my meter to ASA 25. Between the inaccuracies of the meter and the shutter, it works. I'm sure your settings will vary.

Dann

Dann, that is a great shot. Looks to me like you have the whole process nailed down. Nice work and great image.

Jim

here's a few shots on R100, the roll film version of the same film:




erie

Another think I forgot to mention I use hangers and tank for developing. 10 sec agitation every 60 sec's.

Eric, I use hangers as well for sheet film, one of two possibilities:
Have you tested with your lightmeter and camera/shutter to establish a working EI? (do you have sufficient detail in the shadows?)
If you're just seeing a low contrast ratio, verify temperature, extend development by 20% and recheck, repeat as neccesary. (if you have access to a densitometer, it would help a great deal to establish an EI and measure Contast Index, as well as allow you to diagnose where the failure (f there is one) is)


erie

Eric, I've been using the EFKE/Adox KB14/R14/PL14 - now called by the ISO value KB25/R25/PL25 - for probably 30 years now, and I've also used the 50 ISO emulsion.

All the Adox/EFKE films need personal speed testing, they tend to require rating at a slightly higher film speed than the box value, unlike Kodak & Ilford films which usually require a cut in film speed for good tonal results.

So you may be over-exposing and under developing which would give flatter contrast.

Ian

Ian Grant said:

So you may be over-exposing and under developing which would give flatter contrast.

Ian

Click to expand...

very interesting. I have a densitometer so will be doing some better testing. Just wanted to see what others that have gone down that path have found. No point reinventing the wheel so to speak.

Well Eric, I shoot both Tmax100 and Adox/Efke PL25 at 50ISO processing in Xtol or Pyrocat HD for the same dev times and get very similar results in terms of contrast and tonality, the PL25 does have greater Red sensitivity though.

That's why I figure the ISO needed for PL100 needs testing.

Ian

I've got PL100 nailed for the other developers I mentioned just looking for info on D76. I will print the test negs I shot the other day and see how they look. They scan ok, but to my eyes look a bit thin. But then again I love a bullet proof neg.

Eric Rose said:

I've got PL100 nailed for the other developers I mentioned just looking for info on D76. I will print the test negs I shot the other day and see how they look. They scan ok, but to my eyes look a bit thin. But then again I love a bullet proof neg.

Click to expand...

I actually regret posting a digital scan from a negative. Very embarrassing, now. I simply don't know what got into me. The basic developing data I provided is accurate, but the "digital hybrid image" inserted in my response provides no helpful information with regard to your original question, and in fact may have derailed your thread to some degree. Sorry Eric. I will insure that never happens again. Dann

DannL said:

I actually regret posting a digital scan from a negative. Very embarrassing, now. I simply don't know what got into me. The basic developing data I provided is accurate, but the "digital hybrid image" inserted in my response provides no helpful information with regard to your original question, and in fact may have derailed your thread to some degree. Sorry Eric. I will insure that never happens again. Dann

Click to expand...

No worries Dann. Thanks for the input.

Eric Rose said:

I want to do some messing around with this combo. So far I have tried HC110, Rodinal, DD-X and PyroCat-HD. Each has it's +'s and -'s.

For users of this combo what development times do you use and what asa do you rate it at? Does anyone have any curves worked up??

Please keep it to the original question, while your favorite dilution of Rodinal etc may be great, at this point it's not what I am asking for.

Thanks,

Eric

Click to expand...

I rate PL100 at 100. I develop it in the 1+1+100 dilution of Pyrocat-HD for 16 minutes at 72 deg. F with semi-stand agitation.

1. I presoak the film for 2 minutes in 72 deg. F water

2. I Place the presoaked film in the 72 deg. F developer and gently agitate for 30 seconds, then allow the film to stand in the developer without agitation for 7 1/2 minutes.

3. I then gently agitate for 30 more seconds, then allow the film to stand in the developer without agitation for 7 1/2 minutes.

4. I Dump the developer, then rinse the film in 72 deg. F water for about 30 seconds, then dump the water.

5. I fix the film in 72 deg. F TF-4 Fixer, wash in 72 deg. F water and dry it.

I'll dig out my D log E Excel plots and post them.

Thanks Tom but I have a very workable PyroCat-HD set of developing times. What I am looking for are times for D-76. Do you have those??

Tom Hoskinson said:

I rate PL100 at 100. I develop it in the 1+1+100 dilution of Pyrocat-HD for 16 minutes at 72 deg. F with semi-stand agitation.

Click to expand...

Your information is important and should be shared but maybe under a different thread. Didn't someone begin a collection of film and develop times for PyroCat-HD on APUG?

I agree with Ian. They are beautiful when you figure them out. Out of the box, they are flat, though. I mostly use the 50. When I tried D-76 1:1 using PL100, I though I could have done with about 1.5x as much development. The shadows were OK, though, in that case, so 100 was actually a decent EI....just too little development. I think I used the times from the Freestyle Website, which were 6 minutes for 25, 7 minutes for 50, and 8 minutes for 100. I might have a mistaken memory, however.

At any rate, I have used HC-110 dilution H (and now Ilford HC) for everything for quite some time now (the most versatile, convenient, and consistent developer I have ever found...and those are the things I want in a developer 90% of the time), so didn't ever do any raw testing with D-76. Just a few unimportant shoots for friends. They turned out fine with printing, but were definitely weak negs out of the box.

At any rate, I see no point in doing a film in so many different developers, but if you really want to get your answer, you will have to just burn some sheets, at least on the basic zone I/VIII testing. You have a densitometer and the film is reasonably priced, so just go for it. If you have it nailed down well with all those other developers, then you know what to do to nail it down with D-76 as well.

One item of note is that I do process this film colder than normal. I do everything else at 75F, but go with 68F for the Efke, no stop bath, and Kodafix (which is a hardening fixer), as opposed to Ilford Rapid Fix (non hardening), which I use for everything else. I tried this film at 75 with stop and non-hardening fix and ruined the edges of several sheets, and had some pinholes from the stop. I think the lower temperature helps prevent damage (although I have no proof of this).

2F/2F

It appears I will have to do my own testing. Oh well. 2F/2F, I am not a magic bullet chaser I simply want to have the D-76 info for when I travel and want to process on the road. Taking PyroCat-HD in liquid form on the plane is not an optionn nor taking it in powder form. To many powders equals too many questions from customs apes. I use PC-HD for 99% of my film developing but there are times that the "look" of another developer can be used as part of the creative process.