New to darkroom process - any suggestions?

inthedark_06 · Mar 27, 2023

I am quite new to the realm of the darkroom process, I am making some home prints in preparation for a school project that is coming up. They were coming out quite decently but then began to come out looking very faded and low contrast. Is it exhausted developer? Something wrong with the fixer? The fixer I’m using has been used to develop two rolls of 120 and one roll of 35mm. I’ve tried using Ilford multigrade filters (1 through 3) and no dice.
Any input appreciated.

ooze · Mar 27, 2023

A decline in contrast is usually an indication of developer exhaustion. The best way to test this is to mix fresh and see whether that solves it.

It is generally recommended to keep fixer solutions for film and paper separate. Although this is unlikely to be the cause of your problem.

Molli · Mar 27, 2023

Hi @inthedark_06 Welcome to the dark from 2am in Victoria
How many prints are you putting through your developer; also, how long is the developer out in the trays in open air? I'm with ooze on this one, it does sound like developer exhaustion, assuming you've been consistently developing your prints to completion (i.e. ≈1min. for resin coated paper and 2-3min. for fibre base).

I follow the recommendation to use separate working solutions for stop and fixer for paper from that used to develop film, but reusing them on both won't cause any fading or contrast dramas.

All of your chemicals will have capacity limits stated by the manufacturer either on the bottle/packet or on their website. They tend to be quite cautious in their estimations, but following them and keeping track of how many sheets of paper/rolls of film you've put through your working solutions eliminates a variable in your process.

I hope you find the cause of the problem you're having and can return to getting good results as soon as possible.

Have fun!

Don_ih · Mar 27, 2023

The smaller the volume of developer, or the more dilute it is, the faster it will exhaust. If it's Dektol at 1:2, a tray full should be good for a dozen 8x10 prints or more. Diluted developer is only "good" for a day, although in practice, many people reuse it (but seal it in a bottle when not using).
If you want to boost the contrast, use the higher number contrast filters (4-5).
Using fixer previously used for film is fine, but you shouldn't go the other way. Fixer used for paper can contain paper fibres that will get stuck in the emulsion of your film.

For better advice, it's good to state the chemistry you're using, the dilution, the age, and maybe even show what your negatives look like. For instance, a very thin low contrast negative might be almost impossible to get a decent print out of (as would an overly dense low-contrast negative).

MattKing · Mar 27, 2023

Welcome to Photrio and the world of the darkroom.
I'm moving this thread to the general B&W: Film, Paper and Chemistry, because the Feedback and Discussion sub-forum is designed to deal with site operation - we should probably try to change that sub-forum's name!
Don't worry about starting the thread where you did - you aren't the first to misunderstand that.
If there is any chance that you can find someone local to help you with your understanding of these things, you should take advantage of that.
Failing that, there are lots of people here that can help and/or point you in the direction of good resources. The Ilford website is quite good: https://www.ilfordphoto.com/category/learning-zone/beginner-series/beginners-film/page/2/

250swb · Mar 27, 2023

You may have inadvertently contaminated the developer, it's often part of the learning process, so remember cleanliness is cheaper than wasting paper or chemicals.

Sirius Glass · Mar 27, 2023

Mix a new batch of developer. The developer is exhausted.

Welcome to ~~APUG~~ Photrio!!

inthedark_06 · Mar 29, 2023

Molli said:
Hi @inthedark_06 Welcome to the dark from 2am in Victoria
How many prints are you putting through your developer; also, how long is the developer out in the trays in open air? I'm with ooze on this one, it does sound like developer exhaustion, assuming you've been consistently developing your prints to completion (i.e. ≈1min. for resin coated paper and 2-3min. for fibre base).

I follow the recommendation to use separate working solutions for stop and fixer for paper from that used to develop film, but reusing them on both won't cause any fading or contrast dramas.

All of your chemicals will have capacity limits stated by the manufacturer either on the bottle/packet or on their website. They tend to be quite cautious in their estimations, but following them and keeping track of how many sheets of paper/rolls of film you've put through your working solutions eliminates a variable in your process.

I hope you find the cause of the problem you're having and can return to getting good results as soon as possible.

Have fun!

Hello
I put a grand total of 4 sheets of 3.5x4.5in resin coated paper through the developer. I had mixed it just before using it, and it was about 1cm deep in the bottom of a tray that is about 10x12in. It was probably out in open air for around 45 minutes? It was 1+9 Multigrade developer.
I was developing by observation and any time spend in the dev over around 20 seconds was resulting in entirely black exposures. (only in the parts of the paper where light had hit it - I did think to test that)

Thanks, and regards.

Kino · Mar 29, 2023

Yes, that's far too little developer at that dilution.

Also, you speak of developing by "observation". If you want any consistency at all, you need to develop to completion; at least 45 seconds for Ilford Multigrade Paper Developer.

Pulling prints from developer before completion will result in streaking, uneven development and inconsistent results.

If your prints are coming out too dark, you need to lower your exposure.

Don_ih · Mar 29, 2023

You want to aim for a time that's normal for your developer and dilution. So, 1.5 - 2 minutes is good, with the print agitated the whole time.

You should focus the lens with it wide open then stop it down two stops to make a test strip.

Like @Kino said, if your paper is coming out black, you are exposing it too long, too bright.

New to darkroom process - any suggestions?

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