Stand Development --- Should I overexpose the film too?

Raghu Kuvempunagar · May 24, 2025

Alan Johnson said:
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015026286255&seq=126

On the RHS of this diagram are curves for with and without agitation.
There seems to be a rather small increase in the slope at the toe region with agitation.
With agitation does give a slightly higher film speed.

Thanks Alan. The diagram is insightful but it shows the effect of agitation on the rate of development by a rapidly acting developer. We don't know if a similar behaviour is observed when a weak developer like the ones used in stand development is employed.

Interestingly, in page #115, the effect of agitation on slow working developers is discussed which could be relevant to stand development:

Dali · May 24, 2025

dcy said:
What you wrote here is not "being nice to newcomers". It is hostile. I don't think you are unaware that ascribing a ridiculous opinion to newcomers can reasonably be read by said newcomers as you calling them dumb.

It is not hostile, it is true. Now, if you don't want to accept the obvious, go on but don't complain and ask for advice.

koraks · May 24, 2025

@Dali that's enough already. You pointed out that:

Dali said:
I am nice with newcomers.

It presently doesn't show. If you don't like the question OP asks, there's no obligation to respond.

pentaxuser · May 24, 2025

Thanks for the reply , dcy. My conclusion from this and your other comments suggests to me that you have gained valuable material from this thread and formed a plan with which to go forward

Best of luck and let us know how it goes. In my early days in photography I also experimented with different films and developers including Rodinal and found that at my usual print size of 5x7 from 35mm negs it gave me crisp prints that I and those whose who viewed my prints liked

I am equally sure that in 120 film the prints at 8x10 had the same qualities

Here's someone who also gathered a lot of information, perhaps too much and unfortunately wasn't able to form a plan. I hope you like it. It makes me laugh each time I watch ít

pentaxuser

dcy · May 24, 2025

Raghu Kuvempunagar said:
Second, very small tanks that can accommodate only one developing reel are best avoided. Use a tank that can take at least two reels and make sure that the film to be developed is loaded on the top roll.

Thanks. I have a two reel Patterson tank. Why should the film be in the top reel? If I remember correctly, that is not what I did so maybe that was another source of error?

dcy · May 24, 2025

pentaxuser said:
Here's someone who also gathered a lot of information, perhaps too much and unfortunately wasn't able to form a plan. I hope you like it. It makes me laugh each time I watch ít

Ha ha. Yeah, at this point my next step is to grab my camera and shoot a roll.

MattKing · May 24, 2025

dcy said:
Thanks. I have a two reel Patterson tank. Why should the film be in the top reel? If I remember correctly, that is not what I did so maybe that was another source of error?

I think that may be @Raghu Kuvempunagar 's preference. Mine is the opposite. The differences will be minor, if you take steps to ensure that there is enough developer in the tank, and the reel isn't allowed to rise out of it.

Raghu Kuvempunagar · May 24, 2025

dcy said:
Thanks. I have a two reel Patterson tank. Why should the film be in the top reel? If I remember correctly, that is not what I did so maybe that was another source of error?

MattKing said:
I think that may be @Raghu Kuvempunagar 's preference. Mine is the opposite. The differences will be minor, if you take steps to ensure that there is enough developer in the tank, and the reel isn't allowed to rise out of it.

My recommendation was in the context of stand development only, not a general preference. Keeping the loaded reel at the top helps in reducing bromide drag. I guess the additional space at the bottom of the reel helps bromide to diffuse out effectively.

MattKing · May 24, 2025

Raghu Kuvempunagar said:
My recommendation was in the context of stand development only, not a general preference. Keeping the loaded reel at the top helps in reducing bromide drag. I guess the additional space at the bottom of the reel helps bromide to diffuse out effectively.

Thanks for that clarification.
It is unlikely that I'll start going down the "stand" route, but if I were to do so, I might be tempted to use a full 3 roll tank and have the film in the middle, with empty reels above and below.
Fluid dynamics is a fascinatingly complex subject!

chuckroast · May 24, 2025

Raghu Kuvempunagar said:
My recommendation was in the context of stand development only, not a general preference. Keeping the loaded reel at the top helps in reducing bromide drag. I guess the additional space at the bottom of the reel helps bromide to diffuse out effectively.

Having the reel elevated allows gravity to drain away development byproducts that can build up during stand development.

However, I have found that using an empty reel to do this can still trap unwanted byproducts under the top reel, so I use an inverted funnel.

Also, I never use plastic reels because the high wind walls also trap developer. So, I only use Nikor stainless reels for this.

Stand Development --- Should I overexpose the film too?

Raghu Kuvempunagar

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Stand Development --- Should I overexpose the film too?

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