Help needed: Efke/Adox25 exposed @80 by mistake

[sterioma]

Hi there,

by mistake I have exposed a roll of 35mm Efke/Adox 25 at 80 (I meant to put a roll of Efke 100 into the camera....)

I have basically overexposed by 1 2/3 stops the film and I am wondering whether there's any way to partially compensate with development. EDIT: this is obviously an underexposure. Thanks to 2F/2F for pointing that out.

The shooting conditions were unfortunately rather contrasty. I know that my results might be somehow poor, but since these are some of the pictures I took while on vacation in Stockholm, I'd rather give it a try and hope for the best.

I have available Rodinal and HC110. Any tips?

Thanks,
Stefano

 

[Ian Grant]

Not as bad as it sounds, EFKE/Adox films tend to be faster than their box speed, in fact in the UK (80's/90's) the distributor used to sell the Kb25 boxed as 50 ISO

I've always used the 25 film at 50 EI in all formats, and processed in Rodinal, so just give a bit of extra development. I don't have my Rodinal times to hand but I process Adox/EFKE 25 @ 50 EI, and Tmax 100 @ 50 EI for the same times, so just give an extra 155 or so.

Ian

 

[2F/2F]

I have basically overexposed by 1 2/3 stops the film and I am wondering whether there's any way to partially compensate with development.

Hello,

What you did was to under expose, not over expose.

The best thing you can do now, IMO: Shoot a sacrificial test roll (or two) the same way, try different processes on it, and see what you get. Use your experimentation to inform your decisions with the vacation rolls. If the pix are really important, this is well worth it, IMO.

What I would do is start out with a highly dilute reduced agitation development to "fake" a little extra speed in the shadows. Try HC-110 at very high dilution, for instance 1:100 (easily mixed from concentrate) or 1:127 (easily mixed from stock) using a semi stand method. Neither of these will fully develop your film because there will not be enough developer activity (assuming 250 mL of working solution and one roll of 35mm) but don't worry, because it is only the first step, and it has its purposes. This will develop a very flat negative in terms of contrast, but one with a little extra density in the shadows. Then I would dump that developer out and pour in a more normal dilution to boost the contrast a little (not too much, though). I'd probably use the normal dilution that you use, but at half the time you normally use it.

In a way, it is sort of like "pre intensification". It gives you a little more "initial meat" into which your normal dilution can bite.

I only might try such a stupid procedure because of the high contrast of this emulsion. I would probably not bother to do something like this with a less contrasty film.

Then I would take a look at the negs, and if they needed more contrast, I might tone them to get it, or I might see how well I could do with some prints first.

 

[sterioma]

Thank you both for your comments!

 

[P C Headland]

I've accidentally shot it at 100, having forgot to reset my meter....

Rather than my usual Rodinal 1+100 for 17 minutes, I guessed at 1+100 for around 25 minutes. The negatives were fine.

 

[RobertV]

Try at least a semi-compensating speed enhancing developer. HC-110 is your best option or buy:
1) Diafine 2-bath developer where you have iso 50.
2) Rollei High Speed (RHS)/AM74 where you can develop on iso 80 for about 4,0-4,5 minutes in the 1+15 dilution.

RHS/AM74 is a semi compensating Hydroqiunon/Phenidone developer.

The best advice is already given: Try out a role Efke 25 on iso 80 and check the results before developing an important film role.

Best regards,

Robert