Good starting combination (film, developer)

[PerTulip]

The chemicals diffuse out - they need some time to do so, along with water that is being continuously refreshed.
The actual flow rate for the water is quite low - Kodak recommends a flow sufficient to entirely change the water once each 5 minutes.

Oh, I wasn't considering diffusion, just superficial washing. Makes sense.

BTW, I just looked at the negatives with a loups and the detail is amazing. And I made quick "contact prints" with my iPhone (photographed them to invert, no enlarger or scanner right now) and the shadow detail isn't bad at all.

I am really happy with the results.

 

[Sirius Glass]

HP5 and Tri-X are good choices. I like Kodak XTOL. Start using it as a stock solution [full strength] and later you may want to try it replenished.

 

[rpavich]

...Take note of how many seconds it took for the film to go completely clear, then double that number: that is your optimal fixing time, for that brand/dilution of fixer. The "clearing time" increases as you use the fix for each roll of film: the fixer becomes saturated with silver and so the amount of time it takes to remove silver from a film gets longer and longer. Why do I suggest you learn how long the ideal fixing time is, using this method? Because if you simply drop your HP5 into fresh Rapid Fix (of any brand) and leave it there for 2-3 minutes, you are allowing the fix to penetrate the emulsion far more than you need to. If you fix for only the minimum ideal time, then the washing stage can be completed in a shorter time and fix is more easily washed out of the film. In fact, freshly made Ilford Rapid Fix clears HP5 in as little as 10-15 seconds in my experience, and so the film is fully fixed after 30 seconds under normal conditions. There's quite a difference between 30 seconds in the fixer, and three minutes. (or more!) Bottom line: there's no need to fix longer than the ideal minimum. Find out what the ideal is for your fixer and film combination.
Some would say this is "a fine detail" that isn't required learning for someone first starting out with their own processing, and perhaps that's true. But it doesn't hurt to learn good habits from the very start

What a great tip! I've read things like this before several times but you just chrystalized it for me. I'm going to start doing this instead of just blindly doing the 5-minute-fix.

 

[bvy]

What a great tip! I've read things like this before several times but you just chrystalized it for me. I'm going to start doing this instead of just blindly doing the 5-minute-fix.

I'm a little skeptical, as it sounds like you just traded one risk for another: potentially under-rinsing to potentially under-fixing. A clearing test is useful, but is better used as a guide to determine if your minimum fixing time is adequate. I'm not going to fix my film for 30 seconds under any circumstances. And your rinse regiment should be one that covers a fixing time of at least five minutes anyway. Sticking with the manufacturer prescribed three to five minutes of fixing makes sense for a number of reasons. This might just fall under the category of addressing a problem that doesn't exist.

My problem with the standard clearing test is that if your working solution fixer doesn't fully clear the film even after an extended period, then your clearing time just tells you when your fixer is going to do the most it's capable of. It will NOT tell you if your fixer is fully clearing the film. I keep a small sample (~100ml) of fresh working solution fixer around that I use ONLY for testing. I clip a clear area of the last film I developed, place half in the fresh sample, rinse and dry. If the re-fixed half is clearer than the other half, it's time to extend my fixer time or (usually) mix fresh fixer.

 

[rpavich]

I'm a little skeptical, as it sounds like you just traded one risk for another: potentially under-rinsing to potentially under-fixing. A clearing test is useful, but is better used as a guide to determine if your minimum fixing time is adequate. I'm not going to fix my film for 30 seconds under any circumstances. And your rinse regiment should be one that covers a fixing time of at least five minutes anyway. Sticking with the manufacturer prescribed three to five minutes of fixing makes sense for a number of reasons. This might just fall under the category of addressing a problem that doesn't exist.

My problem with the standard clearing test is that if your working solution fixer doesn't fully clear the film even after an extended period, then your clearing time just tells you when your fixer is going to do the most it's capable of. It will NOT tell you if your fixer is fully clearing the film. I keep a small sample (~100ml) of fresh working solution fixer around that I use ONLY for testing. I clip a clear area of the last film I developed, place half in the fresh sample, rinse and dry. If the re-fixed half is clearer than the other half, it's time to extend my fixer time or (usually) mix fresh fixer.

Oh...maybe I spoke too soon.

EDITED TO ADD: Roger Hicks says that minimum of 2x the clearing time and max of 3 times the clearing time is correct.

http://rogerandfrances.com/subscription/fixer exhaustion.html

 

[Sirius Glass]

+1

 

[PerTulip]

Just wanted to thank you all again. Just go a box full of film I ordered and I am really looking forward to developing them. I especially appreciate the thorough and helpful answers in this forum.