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View Full Version : Anyone using or considering using FX1?



Robert Poll
2-Nov-2005, 15:24
Hi,

Dev times for FX1 seem to be difficult to come by (to say the least) - I have to wonder whether anyone is using it, and if they aren't then why. Still, I'm planning on giving it a shot so I've resigned myself to having to do some testing, but was wondering whether anyone else has either done any testing or would be interested in collaborating. I've started looking at Delta 100 (and APX as I do some 35mm also) - the delta results look reasonable although the dev times are significantly longer than the 'use 12-14 min as a starting point' that's generally published. The curves for APX are very whacky, and the dev times are over 30 mins.

Anyway, if you have any info or experience to share please let me know. Failing that, if you're interested in the results let me know.

clay harmon
2-Nov-2005, 16:14
Talk to Bobby Sandstrom over at APUG. He is using the stuff and really loves it.

Bobby Sandstrom
2-Nov-2005, 22:10
Hello Robert. With FX-1 you can expect to gain 2/3 to 1 full stop of true film speed. Here's the way I use it. 1:1:8 with distilled water at 68F. 1 liter of solution per 8x10 sheet. So, that's 100ml A, 100ml B , and 800ml water. Look at 15 minutes as a rough starting point for normal development. With tray processing I agitate every two minutes by removing the film and letting it drain then gently placing back in. This procedure takes approx 12 seconds. (I do that for the first 40 seconds of development then start my 2min cycle at 2:40 into development.)

here is a blurb from APUG that I recently posted.

I use FP-4 shot at 200 with FX-1 developer 1:1:8 (just mixed up a gallon of stock solution yesterday) I process at 68F. I contact print 8x10 and soon 14x17 and the images are spectacular with regards to clarity/sharpness/edge effects. Now, I'm not talking about the kind of edge effects you get with an overly sharpened image either wet or photoshop. I'm talking smooth tonality with extreme clarity like I've seen with no other combo. Here are some specifics

N-2 -- 9:12 g .33 ******
N-1 -- 10:54 -- g .39 ******
N -- 15:09 -- g .49 ******
N+1 -- 21:43 -- g .64

Hope this helps!

Bob

Michael Gudzinowicz
3-Nov-2005, 01:42
Robert,

Years ago I did a very careful comparison of FX-1 with a "speed" developer, undiluted Ilford Microphen. A series of identical 4x5 negatives were developed to the same contrast The two developers were indistinguishable after examination of the negs under high magnification, of 8x10 and 16x20 prints, and of contacts. I had expected that FX-1 would provide an edge in acutance, but it did not.

I'm not suggesting that FX-1 is a run of the mill developer, but rather, Microphen is somewhat unique. For decades, it has been used as a pushing developer for 35mm films like HP5+, however it also is an excellent developer for medium and large format films, especially when N+ development and reasonable development times are required.

http://www.ilford.com/html/us_english/pdf/powder_dev.pdf#search='ilford%20microphen'

Mike

Robert Poll
6-Nov-2005, 15:22
Thanks guys.

Bobby, just one question, 15:09 means 15 mins 9 secs, right?

Bobby Sandstrom
6-Nov-2005, 17:39
Yes that means 15 mins 9 secs.