New paper developer combo

[goros]

Hi all,

I'm going to use a new combination paper-developer. The problem is that neither in the paper nor in the developer are developing times.

Is there any easy test I can perform to find out the most adequate times?

I remember reading a test like the one I'm asking for in an old issue of B&W Photography by Les McLean but I'm unable to find it.

Thanks

 

[gainer]

Most paper should be developed to completion, and you can watch it go, so do a print, leave it in the developer until the black is black. It will usually be a while after that when the white starts to fog if your print exposure was correct.

To do a quick and dirty test, develop a test strip in roomlight and watch the timer to see how long it takes to get really black. Then take a strip of unexposed paper and develop it for the same time in total darkness. It should still be white.

It does no good, as a rule which you should learn from experience even if I didn't tell you, to jerk an overexposed print before the proper maximum development time. All you get is a wasted piece of paper anyway.