I wonder if you might have a densitomiter. Film/developer testing is so much better if you have one. You can then report what the true film speed is, what the density range is that you were shooting for and what exposure values it took to get those densitites. I recently ran some tests on 510 Pyro and was shooting for a DR of 1.3 or so to print a full range of tones on Grade 2 paper - which I tested with a step wedge to determine what DR the paper could print. I then found an evenly lit wall and measured a zone 5 exposure. With 12 expousues, I shot zone -1 to 11, one zone per frame to discover film speed and Scene Brightness Range. After development I measured the density of each frame and could find how many zones would print within the DR of 1.3. I also could see which exposure gave me a density greater than F+FB (fog). For the films I tested - I know I will be spot on for exposure and contrast range. I know that if I want to spread 5 zones out over the paper, I will need to expose at twice the film speed and develop in twice the concentration and that I will loose zones 1,2,8,9 & 10 in the printing. Zone 3 will be my new zone 2 and zone 7 will be my new zone 8. If I need all the contrast for a landscape - I know what my filmspeed will be and what my time will be to record everything in the scene. Before I had the densitometer - I looked at my negs and guessed my processes were ok. Now I have confidence in my processes and that helps a lot with the creativity.