Hi Temperature Development

[Dan Pelland]

Is it my imagination, or do my negatives have more grain when I develop above 24C. When I discovered that my tap water runs very warm (in Florida US) I extrapolated development times based on published data. The contrast seems to be within normal range, but even on 4x5 Tri-X the grain seems to be more apparent using D76. What other film/developer combinations might be more forgiving of the high temperature?

 

[Maine-iac]

Is it my imagination, or do my negatives have more grain when I develop above 24C. When I discovered that my tap water runs very warm (in Florida US) I extrapolated development times based on published data. The contrast seems to be within normal range, but even on 4x5 Tri-X the grain seems to be more apparent using D76. What other film/developer combinations might be more forgiving of the high temperature?

It's not your imagination. While living in Malaysia many years ago, I couldn't figure out why I was getting grain the size of basketballs. My ambient water temperature was 84F. When I started cooling my developer to 75 or 74 using ice, the grain sized decreased accordingly. My solution was to sit the graduate full of developer in a larger graduate of ice water. I can't say I noticed any further improvement between 74 and 68. About the same. But above 74, I definitely got bigger grain. Don't know why, exactly. Someone out there with more knowledge of the chemistry will probably be able to explain it.

Larry

 

[bobfowler]

Is it my imagination, or do my negatives have more grain when I develop above 24C. When I discovered that my tap water runs very warm (in Florida US) I extrapolated development times based on published data. The contrast seems to be within normal range, but even on 4x5 Tri-X the grain seems to be more apparent using D76. What other film/developer combinations might be more forgiving of the high temperature?

As Larry said, it's not your imagination. I find that the old Tri-X looks especially horrible - even in a "fine grain" developer - when processed over 74F.

In the summer months, my tap water runs at about 77F, so I have a bath ithe ice water to cool the soup down to 68-70F for processing. Final wash gets tap water at 77F, but that doesn't seem to hurt grain size.

 

[Maine-iac]

Right, Bob. The washing isn't where the damage happens, nor the fixer either. Only the developer.

Larry

 

[bobfowler]

Right, Bob. The washing isn't where the damage happens, nor the fixer either. Only the developer.

Larry

Yeah, but I'm a little sheepish about putting film in fixer at 77F (or higher) that's just spent a lot of time at 68F. I know that newer films are much less susceptible to reticulation, but old habits die hard...

 

[juan]

I'm in Florida, too, and my tap temperature in the summer is 80F. I use Efke PL100 and found I had troubles with pinholes if I tried to develop at 68F and fix and wash at room temperature. I finally settled for developing at 80F, too, using Pyrocat HD (2:2:100 for brush development or 5:3:300 for minimal agitation in tubes). I contact print on Azo, so YMMV.
juan

 

[Paul Howell]

Here in Phx my summer tap water is 90-94degrees. I chill my chemistry to 68 using an ice bath and my water to 70 by using a homemade chiller. My chiller is a 10 gallon bucket with copper tubing wound in it. Tap water to chiller to film washer. I fill the chiller with ice, add water and then wash. It will chill the wash water to 70 for about 7-8 mints, so I use orbit bath and wash for 5-7 mints. If I am too lazy to set up the bath and chiller I use C 41 B&W or process in Dianfine at room temerature.

Paul

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

If your tap water is consistently on the warm side, you might look at tropical developers that are designed just for that purpose. DK-15 and some amidol film developers lend themselves to high-temperature use.

In my experience, Acufine also does well at high temperatures with Tri-X. I usually use it at room temperature, which tends to be around 75-deg F., and you'll get more speed (I rate Tri-X sheet film in Acufine at EI 640), but it's less amenable to zone system adjustments, if that is a concern.

 

[k_jupiter]

If your tap water is consistently on the warm side, you might look at tropical developers that are designed just for that purpose. DK-15 and some amidol film developers lend themselves to high-temperature use.

In my experience, Acufine also does well at high temperatures with Tri-X. I usually use it at room temperature, which tends to be around 75-deg F., and you'll get more speed (I rate Tri-X sheet film in Acufine at EI 640), but it's less amenable to zone system adjustments, if that is a concern.

And both Diafine and 777 work very well at 75F. Here in San Jose, that's about ambient temperature for 8 months out of the year. Sweet.

tim in... san jose