Hi Pere,
You've mis-read and misunderstood Ilford's literature.
Read carefully:
It's okay - you wouldn't be the first student of photography to do so.
Ilford advise against pre-soaking in relation to rotary processors, which are continuously moving and increasing adsorption. This advice pertains to rotary processors.
Gabriel is not using a rotary processor.
The principles and reasoning given regarding surfactants on the emulsion as a rationale, also does not wash. Ilford's own literature states no such rationale, which goes against the principles of basic adsorption of a liquid onto a surface. If the surfactant is not removed from the surface of the film, it will never develop correctly.This is because pre-soaking removes "in emulsion" surfactants that can be important.
Anyway a lot of people use pre-soaking without problems and (IMHO) also without any benefit. What is said to bring on problems is using a too short pre-soaking. So if you pre-soak then do it long enough.
...
I don't use presoaking..
RJ
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