Too hot to process!

[Tim Meisburger]

I did a lot of research about tropical developing when I first started out here in Bangkok, and eventually learned that if you are using modern film there is really no need. Older films had a softer emulsion that was negatively affected by heat unless special hardeners were used, but for modern film that is not a problem. I process at 80 degrees or more all the time (in Bangkok we set our AC to 80), and all the high temps mean is shorter development times, which is actually a benefit, not a hardship. Just use a temp conversion chart to figure out development times and have at it!

[Jess C]

Film processing pretty much comes to a halt for me during the summer around here where, unless you have a water chiller, the tap water comes out at 95 degrees farenheit.

[Maris Rusis]

My standard development for Fomapan 200 sheet film 8x10 format is 3 minutes with constant agitation in Xtol at 90F. Remember the E6 process runs at 100.4F! Modern film can be developed at remarkably high temperatures provided the tender emulsion touches nothing but liquid and air.

My all time hottest development was Tmax 400 at 113F in Tmax RS. This was in the town of Blackall in Queensland where the water supply is an artesian bore that comes out of the ground at 180F. The coldest tap water I could find was that 113F. Results? Negs were a bit grainy and contrasty but useable.

Don't give up just because 68F is unavailable.

[steven_e007]

It's been around 28 degrees C in the UK for the last week or so... (sorry, don't know what that is in F. Not very hot by Bangkok standards, I'm sure!)

That means mid 30s in my darkroom (in the roofspace). That's too hot to process for me...

You can still process film and paper at those temperatures if you use the development time adjustment charts, no problem at all.

...It's ME that can't stand it!!!

[IanG]

It was 28ºC (82.4ºF) just before I returned from the UK last month, it's a very different heat in terms of it's high humidity than the 37ºC I'm sat outside in now, which while warm isn't unpleasant.

BTW I use a free Timer utility on the PC Wlab/Dlab, has C to F conversions, Dev time adjustments etc very useful.

Personally I can't understand why anyone wants to mess about with cooling systems when it's easier & quicker to just work at a higher temperature.

Ian

[ki6mf]

I would take old plastic or glass soda bottles, wash them, fill them, freeze them, and use them to control temperature of a water bath to the temperature you want to develop at. I also do mark them for Developer, Stop, Fix and wash the outside before and after use. I do put the bottles directly in the solution. I find that an immersion in 2/3 of my solution for 10 minutes cools the liquid down to about 60 degrees F. I them SLOWLY mix the cold with the 1/3 warm solution to bring the temp up to 68 degrees. For fine tuning I have something like the Icy Cools mentioned above.

[EdWorkman]

My cold water will be in the high 70s in a month or two, maybe more in a hot year. my standard practice has been to fill a Rubbermaid container and add ice to a convenient temp between 68 and 72. In the winter I do a similar thing adding hot water to get it above the low 60s. Saves water too account I can't just let tap water run for washing, and in summer the washwater goes via bucket onto the plants outside. The Rubbermaid holds several gallons and that's enough mass to keep temp drift low in ambient temperatures that may be several degress off the target.

[Tim Meisburger]

I'm with Ian on this one. The warmer it is, the quicker the process. If my tap water were 68, I'd be sorely tempted to put it on the stove and warm it to 80 to shift development times from 9 minutes to 5...

But I'm lazy and easily bored, and my development system requires constant agitation by hand.

Cheers, from hot, hot, hot (but not as hot as New York) Bangkok

[Wade D]

According to my uncle who was a Photographers Mate in WW2 the tropical developers were made for use in the Pacific theater. High temperatures during the island hopping that was prevalent, with the film of the time, made it necessary. I still might try mixing some just to see how it works with a non essential roll. I really like D-76 1:1 as my standard developer.

[Brian C. Miller]

When it gets hot, I feed my Jobo CPP2 with a bucket of ice water, with frozen gel packs in it. A little aquarium pump is enough to provide pressure up to the Jobo intake, and everything works fine.

When I am not using the Jobo I just adjust for the ambient temp, if it isn't outrageous. If the temp gets too high, I'll start keeping my chemicals in the fridge.