Agitation Technique with Tanks/Hangers

[jnantz]

hi steve
i haven't used hangers and tanks in ages
but i remember lowering the film+hangers in slowly at an angle
so i wouldn't get surge marks,
then the 45º to the right and left 8 times ( 2 pairs )
then 1once left+1once right each minute

one of the great things about using a deep tank is always having about 1/3 tank of
seasoned developer in the tank to mellow out the rest ... can't say how many times
i heard how contrasty and terrible dk50 was .. with a seasoned tank it was anything but ..

[Alan9940]

Thanks Greg, I saw your video already. Nice job, but my current agitation technique is the same as what you show in the video. However, I get a small bit of mottling in areas such as clear blue sky. I'm sure no one would even notice in high frequency image areas, but those smooth grays are tough!

[LabRat]

Try a different developer, as some types work better/worse in some development tanks, so maybe a difference...


Steve K

[Alan9940]

Try a different developer, as some types work better/worse in some development tanks, so maybe a difference...


Steve K

I have used Pyrocat-HD and a minimal agitation technique with success...I may just relegate the tank/hanger setup for that process only. Thanks everyone for all the suggestions.

[consummate_fritterer]

It's been a million years since I've developed sheet film but my method was almost identical to the OP's. However, I didn't agitate continuously the first minute, I didn't keep the film out of the developer for more than a second or two each direction, agitation cycles were every sixty seconds, I used fairly dilute Rodinal, and when development time exceeded ten minutes I decreased agitation frequency to every one hundred twenty seconds, after the first five minutes.