P/N 55 question

Search function wasn't of much help. Sorry if this has been answered before.

So. I bought several boxes of 55 not too long ago. Never shot it. Just heard the legends. Anyway, I'm a little confused about clearing, as I don't want to risk ruining any of it trying to practice. Ok. How does this work? Shoot, pull out, wait a bit, open up. Then what, coat the pos w/ the coating stuff in the tubes? And what of the neg? Does it need to be cleared on the spot, or can I set it aside and clear it when I get home? How wet is it gonna be? How should I store it if I'm going to (or even can) clear it later?

Sorry for the noob questions. Thanks.

After developing it, pull it apart. Look at the positive image if it is a bit overexposed (losing some detail in the whites) then your neg is probably good (I rate the film at ~ISO 20 for a nice dense neg). Dump the neg (black backing and all) into your clearing bath. Try not to scratch it, but just dump it in there and stir every now and then. After 2-3 mins the backing can be removed from the negative. I let it then clear a minute or two more and gently dunk it in and out of the clearing bath and run my hand over the neg's edges to remove any remaining goop. Then I wash te neg in warm running water for ~5 mins and let it dry.

I suppose you could clear it a bit later but best results are had if you clear immediately. So I take my clearing bath with me on the road.

I don't keep the positives.

02 June 2008

Maxbloom:

The only step I would add is after the 5 minute wash is to give the negative a 15-30 second rinse in Photo-Flo (standard dilution, 1:200).

I echo the caution about scratching the negative. During, and after, clearing the emulsion is very fragile. I do not keep the positives either. I am more interested in the negative for enlargement.

I would also recommend NOT trying to remove the metal clip. I cannot tell you how many negative I tore, or almost tore, trying to o do this. During the 5 minute wash the adhesive that holds the clip in place will dissolve freeing the clip.

Hope this helps and good luck with T55. It is a great film for very fin grain.

Regards,
Darwin

Follow what Keith said with respect to processing.

A couple more options: (1) You can leave the negs in the clearing bath all day with no harm, and perform the washing when back at home base. (2) You can process later when back at home base and there's no dust, wind, etc. This is what I almost always do. You have to learn to remove the film sheet from the holder without developing, but its not hard.

I like Type 55 positives. I generally try to make a good positive and a good negative on each subject. Requires expending two sheets, but the positives can be little gems.

Incidentally, Max, I am thinking about ditching the pods on my remaining 55 and 665 and developing in wd2d+. If anybody has any experience on non-pod staining development or general thoughts on the wisdom of this, let's hear 'em! I am thinking that staining development of this film could approach tonal nirvana.

Well, if it would help, I have a bulk roll of PanX you could experiment with to see how the film handles staining. I've appreciated your advice in the past and I'd be willing to part with a little bit of it.

Sweet! Certainly I'll take you up on that. If you wish, you could expose some panx yourself and send it to me to develop and send back to you. Ideally I'd have a couple of exposures so that I can try a few different things.

I really appreciate your offer.

My logic with the wd2d+ is that it may produce a more robust neg and improve highlight control.

In the field, I usually backed out the Type 55 packet out of the holder without processing it -- back in the darkroom, I would reload the packet and process it where I had running water and a place to dry it. Usually I had no choice as I have used it in weather conditions where the temperature was below freezing -- rarely does it seem I photograph when it is anywhere close to 70F!

Vaughn