Intermittent agitation?

[macandal]

Can someone explain intermittent agitation please? I'm getting ready to use Ilford Delta 100 (4x5) and intermittent agitation is recommended (http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/201062894918374.pdf). I'm either using a Nikor tank or a Yankee 4x5 tank.

Also, Ilford doesn't recommend a pre-soak for Delta. Others who have more experience with Delta 100 (4x5), do you agree with Ilford's recommendation?

Any other pointers about this particular film will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Heroique]

You're probably referring to page 3 in your link, where Ilford is vague indeed about what degree of agitation is meant by "intermittent."

Things get a little more specific on page five:


Agitation
Intermittent agitation is recommended for use in spiral tanks and deep tanks. Continuous agitation is recommended in dishes/trays by rocking the dish/tray. With spiral tanks, invert the tank four times during the first 10 seconds, then invert the tank four times again during the first 10 seconds of each further minute. Otherwise, follow the recommendations given by the processing equipment manufacturer.

[Pawlowski6132]

Intermittent means not constant. So, don't just sit there and shake your development tank the whole time.

[Mark Stahlke]

I follow Ilford's recommendation and don't pre-soak Delta 100. I have never had any development issues.

[Leigh]

You're probably referring to page 3 in your link, where Ilford is vague indeed about what degree of agitation is meant by "intermittent."
The amount of agitation varies somewhat with the developer. Some want more than others.

- Leigh

[Rafal Lukawiecki]

Ultimately, you'd test for a development time that gives you the desired contrast while using the agitation approach that works best for your tank, evenness, and a myriad of somewhat personal preferences people seem to have.

I do not pre-soak.

When I develop Delta 100 4x5 using HP CombiPlan tank, I agitate for the first 30 seconds constantly, by making a full upside-down inversion with a concurrent 90 degree twist in the horizontal plane, at the speed of about 20 inversions in those 30 seconds, so almost 1 per second. Then I give 3 such inversions at the start of each 30 s interval. You can see my contrast/curves, using DDX developer at 1+4, here: http://www.apug.org/forums/forum37/122474-delta-100-ddx-1-4-film-test-curves.html

[ShannonG]

I dont pre-soak. I use deep tanks with the film hangers.For the best contrast for my style of metering I agitate (dip and dunk method)for the first min,then for 10 sec.every 45 sec.This works well for my style of contrast,i have adjusted this over the years when using different developers. I do a few test sheets with different agitations once in awhile to make sure im still getting the most i can (for my style)out of this film.
Shannon