zack kl
9-Sep-2008, 11:04
In my research on using Fomapan 100(4"x5") with HC110 dilution H (1 pt. concentrate to 63 pt. water) I came up with times ranging from 6 seconds to 9 seconds at 68F. So I shot 4 of the same photos with a grey card in the picture and developed them at 6, 7, 8 and 9 seconds. Now I need to contact print them. I will be using a light bulb (40 watts ???) and small bathroom technology with Dektol as recommended (1pt stock solution to two parts water for two minutes at 68F on Ilfobrom #2). My question is - how to come up with an exposure time that will allow me to figure out development time for the Fomapan?
The only way I can think of is to expose a test strip of paper at 1, 2, 3, etc. seconds, develop as recommended and use the exposure in which the first true black appears. Then take that exposure time and print out all four negatives and find the one where the grey card in the picture matches the real card to come up with a development time for the Fomapan.
Does anyone have a better plan. A couple of things I know I did wrong already was to shoot the Fomapan at 100 instead of 50 or 80 as everyone has recommended and that if I do the above exposure test it probably should be done using an unexposed but developed negative to get the density of the film into the equation, all of which I will do once I start to get to know the ballpark for all these variables.
These where the first four sheets of film I ever developed, they all look good but I don't have the experience to know by looking which is the proper one to try and print, so am I way off base ???????? As you can imagine-- thanks!!
Lost in the world of variables Zack
The only way I can think of is to expose a test strip of paper at 1, 2, 3, etc. seconds, develop as recommended and use the exposure in which the first true black appears. Then take that exposure time and print out all four negatives and find the one where the grey card in the picture matches the real card to come up with a development time for the Fomapan.
Does anyone have a better plan. A couple of things I know I did wrong already was to shoot the Fomapan at 100 instead of 50 or 80 as everyone has recommended and that if I do the above exposure test it probably should be done using an unexposed but developed negative to get the density of the film into the equation, all of which I will do once I start to get to know the ballpark for all these variables.
These where the first four sheets of film I ever developed, they all look good but I don't have the experience to know by looking which is the proper one to try and print, so am I way off base ???????? As you can imagine-- thanks!!
Lost in the world of variables Zack