Just tried developing film (4x5) for the first time

[trondsi]

taken from the web page about L-max, I was looking for information about storage life of working dilution, but found this instead:

"Legacy Pro LMAX Developer is specially formulated for processing TMAX films and can be used to process many standard black and white films. It is liquid black and white film developer that offers enhanced shadow detail in normally processed and push-processed films. Do not use this developer to process sheet film."
​

As for your second attempt at processing, If you mistakenly pour in Fixer rather than Developer, you have ruined the film and NO IMAGE forms at all.

Dang again! Nobody warned me about this, and I even asked in the store.

So to follow up; what's your favorite developer for sheet film? I think I like the fact that it's fluid, as it makes things just a little easier.

 

[wiltw]

Dang again! Nobody warned me about this, and I even asked in the store.

So to follow up; what's your favorite developer for sheet film? I think I like the fact that it's fluid, as it makes things just a little easier.

https://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/pro/chemistry/j24.pdf

 

[MattKing]

https://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/default/files/wysiwyg/pro/chemistry/j24.pdf

Or the current link: https://kodak.sinopromise.com/uploads/files/chemistry/j24.pdf

 

[wiltw]

Or the current link: https://kodak.sinopromise.com/uploads/files/chemistry/j24.pdf

Huh?...the link I provided goes to 2017 data sheet, too.

 

[MattKing]

Huh?...the link I provided goes to 2017 data sheet, too.

Yes, but as Kodak Alaris no longer owns that business, I would expect your link to soon become defunct.
The sale to Sino Promise Holdings of the Kodak chemistry and Kodak colour paper business completed late in 2020.

 

[wiltw]

Yes, but as Kodak Alaris no longer owns that business, I would expect your link to soon become defunct.
The sale to Sino Promise Holdings of the Kodak chemistry and Kodak colour paper business completed late in 2020.

Oh, then thx for a link which hopefully does not go obsolete too soon! I was unaware of the change in corporate parentage.

The Google search engine seems to be similarly in the dark, as it provides no 'Sino Promise' hits in the first 10 pages of hits, when searching for "HC-110 data sheet", but Alaris link comes out first! You have to search 'HC-110 data sheet Sino' to get any hit via Sino Promise!

 

[MattKing]

I expect that they (Sino Promise) are working harder at optimizing their new "Kodak Professional Imaging" branding then the anything to do with black and white photo chemicals.
They remain perhaps the largest volume middle level distributor in the world of Kodak still photography products, but their sales are all wholesale ones.
Here is their main link: https://kodak.sinopromise.com/

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I use Pyrocat-HD, Xtol-R, and D-23 1+3 for sheet and all other formats.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

Great strides you are making. My first time my sheets all fell out. Anyway. No squeegee . Just photo flow and hang diagonally so water moves to one corner and let dry in an environment that is not dusty.

+1

 

[MTGseattle]

There's a lot going on in this thread. I almost spit out my beverage when I read the line about shaking the sheet dry.
Do you have other things going on while you process your film? It can be pretty easy to grab the wrong beaker or whatever if you are not working in some vast educational facility sink.
Any chance(regarding the small scratches) of some grit on the dark slides?
Not to derail the OP's thread, but when using a Paterson tank and the mod54, does one need the central tube? I've been fiddling with mine dry to get used to the motions, and it seems like with the central tube installed, the film holder moves around a lot less, and the funnel still "locks" into place properly. Without the central tube, the funnel still locks properly, but the holder can rattle around quite a bit. (maybe 3/16" up and down). I'm intrigued by the sparse chemical usage of the Stearman Press 45 tank, but the Paterson and mod54 is what I have in hand right now.
it seems like a very gentle agitation is key with the mod54 reel.

 

[MattKing]

I don't think a Paterson tube is light tight without the central tube.
And when I see the reference to shaking the sheet dry, I always think of Outkast:

 

[Donald Qualls]

still it’s weird if it went from good to completely unusable in a couple of days, it worked twice and then not at all?

Not that weird, if you're storing the working solution and trying to reuse it. The preservative that works so well in stock strength is diluted and the developer can oxidize much more rapidly. I'd suggest finding a developer that you're comfortable one-shotting, or else starting to replenish with Xtol or EcoPro (XT-3 is probably a step up and has been reported to replenish well, but it's still hard to get outside EU).

 

[trondsi]

Follow-up question: if I expose Ilford Delta 100 at iso 400, would you recommend pushing the processing?
Does this involve anything more than longer time in the developer?

 

[Donald Qualls]

Follow-up question: if I expose Ilford Delta 100 at iso 400, would you recommend pushing the processing?
Does this involve anything more than longer time in the developer?

If you underexpose two stops, you'll need to develop as "N+2" or "push +2" to get normal-looking midtones. There's nothing else needed other than selecting a suitable developer (some developers work better for a push than others, or even boost shadow speed a little) and developing for the longer time. Don't be surprised if, in addition to empty shadows, you wind up with blocked/unprintable highlights, though it's likely they still be scannable.

FWIW, conventional cubic grain films (like FP4+) tend to push better than tabular grain, in my experience, barring the "3200" films that are designed to push well.

 

[trondsi]

The Photo Flo feels a bit soapy and bubbly even after diluting it according to instructions. I suppose this is ok? Can I dilute it even further?

 

[trondsi]

It seems to work pretty well now.

 

[MattKing]

The Photo Flo feels a bit soapy and bubbly even after diluting it according to instructions. I suppose this is ok? Can I dilute it even further?

Depends on your water. I don't.

 

[Donald Qualls]

The Photo Flo feels a bit soapy and bubbly even after diluting it according to instructions. I suppose this is ok? Can I dilute it even further?

In my experience it isn't very critical, but it's canonical dilution is about a tablespoon in a gallon and in my experience most photographers use less. Bubbly is probably indicative you have more than your water requires. If it doesn't feel a little soapy, however, it's not doing its job.

 

[trondsi]

By the way I’d be very interested to know more about it tanks that use less fluid than this one. I only shoot occasionally and sometimes I want to develop just 2-4 sheets. The Paterson tank is wasting a lot of developer

 

[greg zinselmeier]

I use 1 liter to develop 4 sheets of 4x5. I made an acrylic box that will hold four individual hangers that when you pour in the L. Of developer It covers the height of the film. I tried to make the acrylic box for four hangers and a half liter but could not make it work comfortably for me, if I remember correctly, the volume of developer did not cover the entire sheet. But I could be wrong on that

 

[Donald Qualls]

By the way I’d be very interested to know more about it tanks that use less fluid than this one. I only shoot occasionally and sometimes I want to develop just 2-4 sheets. The Paterson tank is wasting a lot of developer

Photrio Partner Stearman Press makes their SP-445, a compact inversion tank that holds up to four sheets of 4x5 and uses only 16 ounces (about 475 ml) of solution. A little slower to fill and drain than a Paterson, but not excessively so (from reports). Needs a little care in loading and sealing to prevent liquid leaks (same is true of stainless and even Paterson tanks). Alternative film carriers available (some from third parties) for 9x12 cm and both 9x12 and 4x5 glass plates (and carriers can be 3D printed for other formats like 3x4/eighth plate, 2x3 or 6.5x9 8-sheet, etc.). Compact and lightweight enough to take along when traveling (assuming you have a local source of chemicals or can carry dry packets).

If I didn't use replenished Xtol, and hence mostly don't care about developer volume requirements for my 12-sheet Yankee Agitank, I'd certainly spring for one; costs barely more than a Mod54 carrier for a Paterson and uses less than half the solution.

 

[Jay Schrotenboer]

I use the Stearman Press SP-445. I have settled on 450 ml with it and find it works very well. I have not used anything else so I can not comparing them. At 450 ml I have plenty of room for the “squeeze play” and generally have very little leakage.