Newbie 4x5 question

Hi!

I just got a large format kit together. ITs a Calumet CC401. I took a picture to test the camera set up. The scene was low contrast. overcast, bleh day. I have developed 35mm and medium format before. I plan on developing the 4x5 in a tank, I have a large plasic tank that one sheet will fit in with ease, the tank holds about 800 cc. I have in the house the following developers,

R09
Pyrocat HD
Tmax
D-76 in powder form

I also have used quite a bit the Gainer Vitamin C formula with Sodium Carbonate, Metol and Vitamin C.

In trying to figure out which to use and what time to start from for a low contrast scene I feel a little lost. So which would you recommend? My priority is to simply develope HP5, 4x5, in a tank, for a low contrast scene and not mess it up!

Thanks for any help!
Nancy

What developer would you use if you shot that scene on 35mm or medium format?

The answers are not very different with LF. The real difference is that you can process each sheet differently if you want to. It will take a lot of time though. Of course with 35mm and rollfilm it really isn't an option.

Rodinal (and hence R09) tends to be contrastier for me so it may be a good choice, but generally if you want to expand contrast you need to reduce exposure a little and extend development a little. It will depend on the EI you used to shoot the film.

One difference is you don't need to worry about grainy pictures. But other then that it's no different then the smaller formats.

Thanks for the quick replies! Just to let you know,

In medium format, if all the picts were low contrast, I would probably use Pyrocat HD , 1:1:150, Sem-stand for 65 minutes. However typically, I usually do not take pictures on such an overcast day, so for a "normal" scene I generally mix up the Gainer formula and develop for 8 minutes.

Nancy

Thanks again for any advice!

I think where your concern is the results of working with the new kit and not so much the finished picture, I would use something simple and most revealing of your kit, such as D-76. I would avoid the "exotics".

Start with what you know and work from there. Whatever you did that worked with 35mm and rollfilm will not work all that differently with 4x5. The processing methods can cause slight differences in results (e.g. tray development vs. tank development) but generally, what you have done will still be worth doing. You just have more options now with sheet film.

Follow your instincts as a starting point.

By the way, don't be shy about exposing multiple sheets of film of the same scene. You can develop one, then do a second with adjustments (or a different developer altogether). I tend to shoot at least two sheets of anything I shoot. If the first develops nicely, I do the second the same as insurance. If the first has faults, I learn from them and adjust for the second sheet.