Development to exhaustion, HC 110

[HartleyFalbaum]

I have been developing film and using 4x5 for about 40 years. I have not tried stand or semi-stand. I want to give it a try, but have a question. I use a Yankee 12 sheet tank that I have used for 30 years. Tray developed before that. That tank holds about 55 oz or about 1600 ml. I've read that for HC110, 6 ml of syrup is required for 4 sheets of 4x5. So, if I want to develop 4 sheets I need 6 ml syrup (at least) and 1600 ml of water. That seems very dilute to me! If I use semi-stand it seems that the film would only see local concentration and not total volume. So-how should I dilute to get the mid-range to go to exhaustion? Using Tri-X film.
I have a Jobo 2500 tank on order, but it is not here yet. Somewhat smaller volume. but same question.
Thanks in advance
Hartley

[Steve Sherman]

I have been developing film and using 4x5 for about 40 years. I have not tried stand or semi-stand. I want to give it a try, but have a question. I use a Yankee 12 sheet tank that I have used for 30 years. Tray developed before that. That tank holds about 55 oz or about 1600 ml. I've read that for HC110, 6 ml of syrup is required for 4 sheets of 4x5. So, if I want to develop 4 sheets I need 6 ml syrup (at least) and 1600 ml of water. That seems very dilute to me! If I use semi-stand it seems that the film would only see local concentration and not total volume. So-how should I dilute to get the mid-range to go to exhaustion? Using Tri-X film.
I have a Jobo 2500 tank on order, but it is not here yet. Somewhat smaller volume. but same question.
Thanks in advance
Hartley

Greetings, Stand and Semi-Stand methods of film processing by design are going to extend considerably the length of time in solution. With Non Pyro developers there is usually a Sodium Sulfite component of the developer to act as a preservative. Unfortunately, Sodium Sulfite promotes Silver Migration which essentially chips away the edges of the Silver Halides, naturally the more time in solution the greater the degradation of the general acutance of the film. Whereas Pyro based developers harden the film's emulsion in the first few minutes of development and thereby eliminating any chance of loss of acutance due to processing time. Just another look at your question.

[Randy]

I have never done stand or simi stand, so my question may (will) reveal my ignorance, but shouldn't it be done with the film in the developer laying flat, like in a tray? If the film was in a tank like the Yankee, held vertically, wouldn't there be bromide drag...or what ever it's called...?

[esearing]

I tried it a few times at 1:100 (16/1600) and used linear time + 10% with 1minute initial agitation then 5 minute agitation points thereafter and got printable negatives. So if your normal time is 6mins for 1:31 then you are likely around 20-25 minutes or longer depending on how often you want to agitate.

If your target is midrange densities then I would test with a step wedge. With multiple sheets you can pull one sheet of film at different intervals (20,23,26,30 minutes) and stop/fix in trays to see how density changes.

As others have said Pyro developers work better for semistand/minimal agitation. I had a hard time with Delta 100 using HC110 being too contrasty, and once I switched to Pyrocat-HD I was able to get better results.

[HartleyFalbaum]

Thanks for the suggestions.
I have shot 3 different scenes, 2 shots each. I'll order some Pyrocat HD and develop one set with HC110, One set with Pyrocat HD. Well see what happens.

[Steve Sherman]

I have never done stand or simi stand, so my question may (will) reveal my ignorance, but shouldn't it be done with the film in the developer laying flat, like in a tray? If the film was in a tank like the Yankee, held vertically, wouldn't there be bromide drag...or what ever it's called...?
Hello Randy, I've done a lot of this type development, in fact Minimal Agitation is the only way I have processed personal film since 2003. I worked thru a lot of ups and downs and found the initial agitation cycle to be extremely important to the final results. Initial agitation should be vigorous and at least 1 - 1.5 minutes in length or longer depending on the original contrast in the scene. Since that correction I have not seen any problems in even toned areas when processing single sheets of film in a vertical orientation.