Harman Direct Positive Images

[John Olsen]

Developing in diafine reduces film speed instead of increasing it (getting a decent exposure in diafine requires ISO ~1), etc.

Does the Diafine extend the dynamic range? I saw an earlier post that used HC-110 "H" for the Harman. All along I've been using Dektol: What's best?

[John Olsen]

Here's another from Ft. Casey - lots of photogenic concrete there.

[MAubrey]

Does the Diafine extend the dynamic range? I saw an earlier post that used HC-110 "H" for the Harman. All along I've been using Dektol: What's best?

A bit, yeah, but the overall tonality gets kind of weird, too. I should go back and try it again just to remind myself . I need to find some nice concrete in Bellingham like what you're doing over on Whidbey.

[locutus]

Would something like compensated stand development in Rodinal be an idea to extend dynamic range?

The part I am unsure about here is the dilution, for film you would do 1:100 @ 1 hour, for this paper maybe 1:25 for an hour? Ideas? :-)

[John Olsen]

Would something like compensated stand development in Rodinal be an idea to extend dynamic range?

The part I am unsure about here is the dilution, for film you would do 1:100 @ 1 hour, for this paper maybe 1:25 for an hour? Ideas? :-)

Second try at this post: hope I'm not being annoying.
Way back at Post #19 in this thread JoeV warned about problems with weak shadows in partially exhausted developer. So, I tend to use fresh, or fresh-ish, developer, avoiding any experiments with stand or exhausted developers. I think that I've observed some weakening in shadows after just 20% of the use that I would normally expect from my Dektol. Maybe there is a magic method out there awaiting some major testing effort to uncover it, but I shot my last sheet yesterday.

[John Olsen]

I need to find some nice concrete in Bellingham like what you're doing over on Whidbey.

Barns? I know you've got lots of barns up there:

[Peakbagger]

Maybe there is a magic method out there awaiting some major testing effort to uncover it, but I shot my last sheet yesterday.

Have you been able to locate more? I managed to order 2 boxes of 4x5 from freestyle a few weeks ago but a quick check shows that they are on backorder now. B&H and Adorama are still on backorder too. I'm also seeing that 8x10 is discontinued??

[Peakbagger]

I use a Pentax spot meter. The problem is the narrow dynamic range, I think. I place the brightest tone that I hope to retain in detail in Zone VI and hope that the preflash will help the shadows record. The usual method of exposing for the shadows doesn't work for me.

My problem is that the shadows are completely dark and devoid of any detail. Maybe I'm exposing for the wrong highlights! I'm loathe to experiment now, with this stuff so difficult to obtain for me, so I treat each one like it was my last. Every bad shot makes me twice as gunshy on the shutter.

[John Olsen]

My problem is that the shadows are completely dark and devoid of any detail. Maybe I'm exposing for the wrong highlights! I'm loathe to experiment now, with this stuff so difficult to obtain for me, so I treat each one like it was my last. Every bad shot makes me twice as gunshy on the shutter.

You have my sympathy on this. I confined myself to low contrast scenes without any critical highlight areas. Some attempts were just no good; some were good enough that I thought I'd finally figured it out. Hah!
Here's my last 8x10 sheet, under heavy overcast. The boards under the door were the lightest area I hoped to retain and I placed them at Zone VI. The rest fell in pretty well, although the foreground grass is washed out.
Good luck,

[Peakbagger]

Well, I am ready to start shooting again with the Harman - has anyone worked with the RC product though? I saw some gorgeous work done with RC. One photographer I corresponded with and whose work I admired said he *never* preflashed, and he used and preferred RC. Is there a difference in tonality and usage Harman DPP RC vs FB?

I understand RC is no longer produced.