Harvey's 777

[df cardwell]

Don't be afraid to DEVELOP the film with 777--- double your time and see what you get.

You might PM c6h6o3, he uses 777 a great deal.

 

[mccolalx]

Thanks...i was just getting a little cautious, i guess.
i have been pushing to 3200 and experimenting with constant agitation, and have been pretty amazed with some of the results (especially with Kodak XX)

 

[c6h6o3]

I've been trying to use 777 recently, and I think that I'm having a problem with it. It seems like, even when I increase recommended times, everything is underdeveloped.
I shot a test roll of HP5+ starting at ASA 320 (incident metered), overexposed +4,+3,+2,+1 and then underexposed -4,-3,-2,-1. I developed for 11 minutes at 73 degrees (the package recommends 11 min at 72-74, but from searching on the internet, i was finding times ranging from 9-15 minutes). I then made prints from the -1, 0, and +1.
All three, with my enlarger lens set at f11, needed heavy contrast filter use to get a useable print.
I am presoaking for 1 minute, so i'm not sure if that is affecting the developer (it never seems to do have a time extending effect when i use other developers).
This seems to be a problem that i have encountered regularly with 777.
I really like the tonality and what it does to the grain structure of the films that I'm using, I just feel that I'm having to use much longer than recommended times for any film that I'm developing.
Any hints/suggestions from frequent 777 users?

My base time for 400TMax rated at 200 is 16 mins. at 72°F. I place my shadows on Zone IV, so the purists among Zone System practitioners would probably say that I'm really rating the film at 100.

Bear in mind that I mostly contact print onto Azo, so I need a much denser negative than one you'd use for enlargement. Nevertheless, 11 mins. would be way too little development for TMax at box speed, even if I were going to enlarge the negatives.

You can really cook a negative in 777 without blowing the highlights, especially with TMax. I've never developed HP5+ in Harvey's so I don't know how it responds. Hope this helps.

 

[Christiaan Phleger]

Oh man I can't wait for my new darkroom so I can try 777. Sizzlin' negs!