Need your help and comments

Hi all, first, I am posting here because I think my problem comes from the darkroom part of my workflow. If you think not, let me know. Here is the inputs (see samples attached to the post):

Film: Ilford Delta 100 36 exposures, freshly buy
Camera: Canon EOS Rebel 2000
Filter: Tiffen yellow #8
Developer: Ilfosol s
Stop bath: Ilfostop
Fixer: Ilford rapid fixer
(Can't be more "ilfordish")
Operator: a poor guy processing just is 4th roll of film.

Developped in a Paterson SS4 sytem tank, with autoload reel (ratchet type), I double checked the time chart, the proportions for the chemical, everything wasmesured with the precision of a surgeon.

What I think: First time with a 36 exposures, even if everything loaded just fine on the reel, I think the film was touching other part on some places. Maybe the problem is not in the darkroom too.

Those 2 pictures were side by side on the roll.

Thanks all for your precious help.

Moderator's note--Links to images on poster's hard drive removed to fix formatting problem. To use the "IMG" tag, the images need to be accessible on an image host on the web.

Not quite sure what I'm looking for here. I can't see any obvious processing problem with these 2 shots (except one small one, see below).
What I can see is that the left-hand one has an object (a pot plant?) very close to the lens and therefore heavily out of focus, while the right-hand shot has been over-exposed to the point where your scanner can't handle it - I can't say whether the neg would be printable in the darkroom. The right-hand shot also of course has drying marks on the negative. To avoid these, put a few drops of wetting agent in the final wash water and either hang the film up straight and very wet or use a good-quality rubber squeegee to wipe away excess water.

Are these the problems that concern you? If not, please let us have details!

Regards,

David

Now, I'm certainly not an expert, but I see nothing indicating that any part of either of these frames were touching anything else, and believe me... I've seen how THAT looks. :rolleyes:

If I had to venture a guess, I'd say that your exposure was off on the second shot... not sure if you are metering, or letting the camera do its thing.

I have a Canaon EOS Elan 7, and while its metering is pretty darn close in many instances, it's not always right on.

Hope this helps.

Thanks David, the flowers that are out of focus on the left are there on purpose, my concern is about the "bleached" or "washed out" effect on the right. The scanner is not the best so we have to pass over scan glitches. The light conditions were almost the same, the light reading on my camera was perfect, no flash, just window light in both case. That is why I did not tought about "over exposure", but something in the darkroom process. But since I am a real film newbie, everything is possible.

Patrick Latour said:

Thanks David, the flowers that are out of focus on the left are there on purpose, my concern is about the "bleached" or "washed out" effect on the right. The scanner is not the best so we have to pass over scan glitches. The light conditions were almost the same, the light reading on my camera was perfect, no flash, just window light in both case. That is why I did not tought about "over exposure", but something in the darkroom process. But since I am a real film newbie, everything is possible.

Click to expand...

With the second shot, it's possible that the meter of your camera (I see it's a Canon Rebel, don't know what kind of metering this has) locked onto the dark doorway or whatever behind the woman and set the exposure for this, which would have been much too much for the sunlit area. Depending on your camera's metering pattern, it may be possible to move forward, filll the frame with the sunlight subject, meter this and hold the setting and then re-compose the shot. If you have spot metering, this of course would be great.

Thanks David and Jeanette,

I just loaded another film and will do some test about the metering of my Canon. You opened my eyes on a couple of things about it, like maybe I should not take everything my camera says for the absolute truth. Trust my eyes a little bit more.

David, for your information, my camera is offering 3 methods of metering, single spot, multi and average. I will test all them.

Thank you very much for your help to both of you.

Patrick Latour said:

David, for your information, my camera is offering 3 methods of metering, single spot, multi and average. I will test all them.

Click to expand...

What works every time with any meter is to fill the frame with a gray card and set the exposure to this. Spot metering is very useful but you have to meter the right spot (a mid-grey tone) or else make adjustments. I think with the very over-exposed shot, you have spot-metered the very dark background. Good luck with your experiments!

Patrick it is nice to see that you are posting.

Firstly, I am NOT a fan of auto-exposure systems. I much prefer manual for control. When you are using automatic exposure and have problems with it you end up being at a loss as to what happened.

If you are using a filter it should be for a particular purpose. Using a yellow filter as you did in these examples has made the skintone and hair lighter..Is this what you desired?

If you do not have a seperate meter I would suggest that you take a reading from the shadowed side of the face and set your camera for one stop less exposure..or..alternatively, read from the lit portion of the face and give one stop more exposure..in both cases use a close up spot reading and set your exposure manually.

Generally, it is a better idea to make reading without a filter and then use a filter factor. Check the Ilford's site to see what they recommend.

I would also consider cuttiing the development time by 10% because the results look a bit contrasty. It is hard to be sure since it is the result of a scan from a negative as compared to a scan from a print.

Do you intend to print you work with a wet darkroom?

Dear Patrick,

If you are just starting out the 'how to process your first film' on the new ILFORD website is a big help, also if you are printing as well PM your address to me and I will send you the ILFORD Multigrade printing manual.

Simon ILFORD Photo / HARMAN tcehnology Limited