W. Moersch build a special grain developer...

[Thomas Böttcher]

Hello APUG,

Wolfgang Moersch Photochemie intends to build a new
developer which is able to develop a lot of the conventional films
'normally'. A lot of photographers and me would like to have a special
grain developer. The idea is that the new 'normal' developer gets a special addition which intensifies the grain during developing if needed.

Mr Moersch has produced this 'normal' developer and is in the testing phase now. If there are enough people interested in it, he will see to
the development of a special addition, which intensifies the grain.
Wolfgang Moersch is not convinced that there is a sufficient demand for such a development. I am more optimistic because of the positive reactions from some German photo platforms.
What about the reactions in the APUG worldwide?

If someone is wondering about my good english I have to say that a girlfriend of me (teacher for english) helped me. ;-)

Thomas

 

[Aurelien]

Very interested in this grain additive

 

[Lowell Huff]

What does "intensifies the grain" mean ?

 

[clayne]

Interested.

 

[Thomas Böttcher]

Hi,

here is also a german Discussion in Flickr.
http://www.flickr.com/groups/moersch/discuss/72157622543957040/

Thomas

 

[Christopher Walrath]

I am reading this and would like to add my opinion. I use HC110. I like it. I see no reason for me to branch out. I, most likely, will not pursue this new developer.

Now, I really hope it takes off. I cannot support WM with my money. I earnestly hope that others can and will. We need more individuals like Wolfgang pushing the modern photographic envelope as it were. Go get'em Wolfey.

 

[Alex Bishop-Thorpe]

Sorry, but I'm not sure what you mean by "intensifies grain" - are we talking finer grain or larger grain than usual? I'm not really sure what benefits this new developer is hoping to provide, but I dont have much experience with Moersch products in general...

 

[thebdt]

I second Fleath's questions... What does "intensify grain" mean, exactly? I'm having a torrid love affair with grain already; my tryst is fueled with Rodinal. Indeed, there are many different techniques for manipulating grain. What is special about this developer specifically?

 

[AgX]

It is about accentuated, large grain.
(to my understanding)

 

[Ian Grant]

It is about accentuated, large grain.
(to my understanding)

Geoffrey Crawley devised a devloper for this purpose back in the 60m the problem is 99.8% of photographers want finer garin, but there is a need for grain effects occasionally.

Wolfgangs idea of an additive is perhaps a good option if it could be used with a standard fine grain developer.

Crwaley's developer FX-16 wasdesigned to give accentuated grain as well as excellent acutance (edge effects).

D163 give large grain with some films, but one problem with many modern films is that the fine-grain is inherrent in the film and far less developer depedant than it used to be.

Ian

 

[fschifano]

I don't get it. If you want more apparent grain, boost the contrast with some over development, use Rodinal or even a highly dilute standard developer like HC-110 or D-76, or just print on a slightly harder paper. Any of these practices will make grain more obvious. Use them in combination for even more.

 

[Ian Grant]

I think they are talking significantly more grain than that, without the contrast boost. Crawley's Grain dev was great for very grainy low contrast images.

Ian

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Not too mention, it's yet another way to play with things. For those looking for something new in the darkroom, or at the very least a new version of something old, this is great news indeed.

 

[Mike Crawford]

I'd be very happy to have a grain additive to use when needs be; sounds like an interesting product. Over to you Wolfgang.

 

[JohnArs]

Yes it would be nice since Kodak does for quite some time not anymore produce the 1000 ASA B/W Film which was very grainy, forgott the name of it!

Cheers Armin

 

[Bluenose Neil]

More Details

Please tell me more about the Girl Friend. Photos even. I like my hc-110, but still interseted in new products.....even girlfriends.

Cheers,
Neil
Cold, wet, lonely Nova Scotia

 

[fschifano]

Yes it would be nice since Kodak does for quite some time not anymore produce the 1000 ASA B/W Film which was very grainy, forgott the name of it!

Cheers Armin

2745 Recording Film.

 

[JohnArs]

2745 Recording Film.

You are absolutly right! Thanks for helping my brain.

Cheers Armin

 

[fschifano]

2745 Recording Film.

You are absolutly right! Thanks for helping my brain.

Cheers Armin

That was fun stuff, and sometimes I miss it. No matter really though. Ilford's Delta 3200 or Kodak's TMZ serve the purpose of that old film well. Of the two, I think Ilford's product has the nicer looking apparent grain.

 

[Perry Way]

my guess is a grain developer that "normalizes" would mean that it attempts to make all grains the same size. in other words an analog rendition of what the digital world calls pixelate.

? just a guess. if it did something like that, it would be kind of cool to play with for certain subjects.

 

[cmo]

Why not just use Agfa APX 400 (or a repackaged version), expose it at 400 and over-develop in Rodinal? You get brick-sized grain, and if you are lucky you get 'one grain per frame'...

Nevertheless I'm sure Moersch would have some success in that niche, simply because everyone would try it

 

[clayne]

Why not just use Agfa APX 400 (or a repackaged version), expose it at 400 and over-develop in Rodinal? You get brick-sized grain, and if you are lucky you get 'one grain per frame'...

Nevertheless I'm sure Moersch would have some success in that niche, simply because everyone would try it

Not really. APX400 takes a lot of pounding, and even though it's a somewhat grainy film, it's no Delta 3200.

apx400@1600, rodinal 1+50 (not overdeveloped):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kediwah/3869662812/

By no means is it excessively grainy.

 

[cmo]

clayne, that's interesting, it's the first good result I see from that film. Is that a 35mm shot?

Let's bash another one that really deserves it: Lucky 400.