First time with 4x5 in the Jobo. Epic Fail :(

So I got everything new in preparation for my first time processing large format in my Jobo. New D76, new fixer, oldish film (HP5+) but still good, mixed up chemistry yesterday so it had a day to sit.

I shot eight frames, and thought i metered properly. I used an old weston and a kodak grey card. Most of the shots required relatively little bellows extension and i did not compensate. I compensated for filters.

Most of the negatives came out with barely any density. One had a fair bit, looked almost fogged, the rest were way way too light.
I developed for 6.5minutes and as ilford themselves advised did not pre-rinse. I put the Jobo on between P and 6 in terms of rotation speed. Water was approximately 20 degrees as measured by my thermometer and the digital readout.

Im kind of just surprised that this first time developing failed so badly. I wonder if anyone else can suggest errors I made.

Thanks!

The fact that one came out points to problems in the camera. Go back and double check the metering and your shutters, etc. and see if you can find anything out of sorts.

If the negs are thin it's much more likely an exposure problem than a processing one. So I would say double check your metering & exposure.

I would guess camera issues too. Have you shot with this camera before? If so, how did things turn out? How did you develop previously?

Also what drum did you use, and how much developer?

I'm sorry to hear about this. Hang in there—success will be all the sweeter when you get your problem solved.

If you're new to large format, did you load the film right side up? The notch should be in the upper right or lower left hand corner in the vertical orientation.

You say you required little bellows extension. Were you photographing indoors? Most indoor subjects will require at least some compensation for bellows factor. Landscapes and architectural subjects generally not.

After adding filter factor, did you calculate reciprocity, if necessary?

There are a lot of things to remember, so everybody makes just about all of these mistakes at some point or other.

Film type and actual settings and lens and camera?
D76 dilution?
Does the film have an imprint on the edge to declare the film type? If this is visible then it could more likely be an exposure problem. If the imprint did not show up then more likely a development problem.

"Oldish Hp5" should have a somewhat dense base+fog level. Perhaps .2 or greater. If the film base looks clear, then this might suggest a development problem.

You said "20 degrees"...... that right there could be your problem if indeed that wasn't a typo. You want your temperatures around 68 degrees and even a very little higher depending. Other than that make your film is inserted in the film holder with the notch code in the lower left or upper right.

Thanks for all of the feedback.

I too guess it must be an exposure error. The film would not be old enough to have fog.
The film was loaded the correct way. I did not calculate reciprocity, but often used exposures up to 1/400th.

I used the stock solution of D76, its new developer (bought yesterday and expires in two years). I used 700ml in a 2553 tank. I was wondering how much d76 stock is used developing a sheet of 4x5? I find it very unlikely that the developer would be exhausted that easily.

It may be simply an exposure meter problem. I havent used the meter regularly and although i checked it kind of before using, it wasnt a thorough investigating into whether or not it was accurate. I may have checked it at a single setting only. I have another (spot meter for the zone system) arriving soon, so i think I will wait.

No, no imprint, could it be something other than HP5? It was three v's like -----v-v-v----

I was given this box of HP5 but it could be something else.

Finally, I thought it was quite normal to have a very pink base. But googleing "pink base film" brings up mention of an anti halo layer or something. Ive heard of this for movie film, but I thought photographic film was not coated like this. Is it possible that because I had no pre-rinse that the layer never really came off, and developer never got to the emulsion?

Jordke - sorry for not specifying, I was speaking in terms of Celsius since thats the unit on the Jobo thermometer.

I have this feeling that we would start to see a little ice at 20F. Just to clarify, i was not developing on the Titanic.

Most films have anti-halation layers and sensitizing dyes. These come out in the fix, hypo clearing agent, and rinse. It's not like movie film where there is a Rem-Jet layer that needs to be scrubbed off before development.

Well fixing was definitely not the problem, im kind of running out ways to blame the processing, maybe Ill just have to run some tests in regards to the meter and develop sheet by sheet in trays.

Try shooting some landscapes outdoors in full sun, and go by the "sunny 16" rule (exposure will be 1/ISO at f:16), and bracket three shots with more exposure a half stop apart. Print the negs straight and base your EI for future exposures with this batch of film (since you say it's out of date, I would test again when you've got fresh film) on the neg that gives you the best straight print.

"Sunny 16" is fairly reliable in the summer if you're not too far north, where the rule may be more like "sunny 11." If your meter doesn't agree, then you may not be using it correctly, or it may be out of calibration.

Try one sheet in tray processing. If you have problems still, it's not your Jobo or technique. As far as I can tell LF was intended for tray processing anyway. It seems that way from reading Adams' book "The Negative." I use three 5x7" trays for processing my 4x5 and 3-1/4 x 4-1/4 usually two sheets at a time. Back in the day I did press and later scientific photography with speedgraphics, and I used tanks with dip and dunk processing. I always liked trays better, but it's tedious to process many sheets that way.

Thanks again for your help David! I realized that I could also just use one of my other cameras with an internal meter to get a reading. Ill check this out and come back for more help if all else fails.

700 ml of stock is lots. Wait how many sheets? That tank can hold 12.

You said 1/400. What F/stop? What lighting conditions?

Yes 1/400 sec sounds likely it's an underexposure problem. The lighting would have to be quite bright and/or you'd need large aperture settings for this shutter speed to be correct.
Also what speed did you rate the HP5 at ? I find 400 to be a bit optimistic for this film, although thats dependant on the metering technique.

Bill's right you need a lot of light to use a 5x4 camera at 1/400th unless shooting wide open, most lenses are optimised for f16/f22.

Shooting here in Turkey were the light is almost always at the maximum my Gossen's will read I can't get to use more than 1/200th (older Compur) when shooting hand-held & f16/22.

It may be the way you're taking the meter fraedings.

Ian

GJA said:

No, no imprint, could it be something other than HP5? It was three v's like -----v-v-v----

I was given this box of HP5 but it could be something else.

Finally, I thought it was quite normal to have a very pink base. But googleing "pink base film"

Click to expand...

Tri-x would be like that. T-max 100 would have 4 v's.