Re: Why use divided development?
In my experience Diafine always produced flat negatives. It is in fact one of the reasons I switched all those years ago to using Pyrocat-HD. I wont be surprised to find that any other divided development process will reveal the same issues with density that Diafine does. After all, how many people tell of using Diafine to 'rescue' an over-exposed negative ?!
The other reasons for using Pyrocat-HD for me was the long shelf life, the cheap costs and the staining / tanning effects. If a divided process is using concentrations at 5 times the usual then I will not be able to use it I'm afraid for the cost factor.
However, it has been a useful discussion.
Re: Why use divided development?
swmcl,
If I may interject, some time ago I did a fairly extensive study of divided (true divided and not true divided) developers. I can support what Sandy King has said regarding curve shape. Rather than introduce an earlier, more gradual shoulder (which is what "compensating" development tends to do), this process tends to give a long, straight line with little shoulder or toe, high emulsion speed, and an essentially normal gradient.
Whether or not the final print appears "flat" or not has to do with tone reproduction, and the negative is only part of the total system so it can't be considered in isolation without knowing more about the subject, scanning vs darkroom printing (and the type of paper).
Re: Why use divided development?
To resurrect this post, I am experimenting with SLIMT plus 2-bath Pyrocat. First test I must have done something wrong. It worked but didn't. Very uneven development and thin negatives however, I n the a r was of the negative it appears to work, it worked well.
I don't see a reason it shouldn't work. I am looking for a way to get a very extreme zonal range with detail such that I could have a 15 stop difference or more between my darkest shadows and brightest highlights. Trying to get the best of both worlds in one shot. Maybe it won't work ever, but never got anywhere without a trip to get there.
Has anyone ever tried this? Or similar? I assume SLIMT would work in a regular Pyrocat HD development process (A+B) if so, should work as divided. Unless the chemicals are incompatible.
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Re: Why use divided development?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Steven Ruttenberg
To resurrect this post, I am experimenting with SLIMT plus 2-bath Pyrocat. First test I must have done something wrong. It worked but didn't. Very uneven development and thin negatives however, I n the a r was of the negative it appears to work, it worked well.
I don't see a reason it shouldn't work. I am looking for a way to get a very extreme zonal range with detail such that I could have a 15 stop difference or more between my darkest shadows and brightest highlights. Trying to get the best of both worlds in one shot. Maybe it won't work ever, but never got anywhere without a trip to get there.
Has anyone ever tried this? Or similar? I assume SLIMT would work in a regular Pyrocat HD development process (A+B) if so, should work as divided. Unless the chemicals are incompatible.
Steven, if you want to go to advanced development techniques I'd read:
Attachment 184446
... to have the right weapons.
While Photochemistry is a complicated discipline, that book contains selected knowledge for those wanting to experiment beyond regular procedures.
Film can do amazing things, in this shot I darkened the landscape for aesthetics, it was not as underexposed as it looks, but see the sun disc...
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8613/1...7035fe00_b.jpg
I think the solar disc is darker than the crown because "Solarization". Beyond the saturation limit sensitivity has a reversed slope, because this the solar crown is visible, I guess.
Re: Why use divided development?
Nice image. i am reading and will check out the book you reference. I like to think there is always something more we can achieve than what has already been done. Especially if you cannot put your finger on exactly what it is you hope to achieve. The fact that you have the idea is enough and when you realize what you are after you may find it is 180 degrees from where you thought you wanted to be.
I need to make about 1/2 to a dozen of the exact same image to do the experiments with SLIMT and 2-bath. I think part of what I ran into was a set of severely underexposed negatives. Had a red#25,f/16, and a polarizer. I may have miscalculated my exposure times. The brighter objects are okay, the darker are essentially unexposed.
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Re: Why use divided development?
I spent a couple of years building a pyro developer specifically to do divided development. I wanted maximum activity, good contrast, fine grain and longer lasting in solution. What I have works for me with results beyond what I expected. My drive was from the fact that there was nothing out there that I liked.
My A solution will last well over 6 months (catechol / metal based). My B is lye based from a stock 10% solution. The final is a one shot.
With all of this, I would never resort to a bleach as a matter of proceedure. If you keep building negs you don't like, I would rather fix that instead.
Attachment 184451
Re: Why use divided development?
Just experimenting at this point to see what is possible or not. Main goal is to develop a method gives me what I want regardless of process.
Re: Why use divided development?
Divided for me, with a tanning and staining agent, gives me negs that are the most perfect I have ever made. I've been shooting since the mid-70s.
Bleaches to me seem like fixing a problem with a crowbar.
Another advantage not mentioned here with divided is it is very efficient when developing large format in mostly empty tanks. Very little goes down the drain.
Re: Why use divided development?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
mrred
In theory divided development is intended for compensation, I don't see that effect in your sample image, I'd ask you why and how you use it.
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Re: Why use divided development?
Here is a better example for what you said. It uses hypercat diivided, before I had worked out my own formula.
Attachment 184458
This was a super bright sunny day and I shot at least 1 stop over, but developed normally. The highlights and details look remarkable.
As far as my choice for divided is more than just the compensation. For example I really don't like diafine beceause of the pothole grain and the speed changes in most films. With Catechol based developers you get the fine grain, tanning and compensation. I use my dived beceause it just works better.