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Nice shots I too am working with xray film and my biggest hurdle is the light leaks on my Kodak 2D 8x10Quote:
Originally Posted by ImSoNegative
sadly I am becoming quite an expert at this issue, hence my suggestion that the bench and depot shot may be a light leak rather than fixer.
So for what it is worth the sky and slightly darker section have very similar look as the sides are also light
leaks so worth checking.
Bazz8
I just took delivery of Vinny's 2000 ml developing tanks (Very well made - thanks Vinny) for processing my 8X10 X-ray film. I have been using trays for a couple years now (no uneven development problems) and have had good luck avoiding scratches occasionally but most of the time they persist.
I processed 4 sheets last night - two runs, as in my tanks I am limited to 2 sheets at a time - I am using Kodak 8X10 film hangers. My developer was Arista Premium Dev. diluted 1:18 @ 68 deg. for 9.5 minutes. I pre-soaked for a couple minutes then into the dev. I agitate about every 90 seconds by very slowly (about 6-8 seconds) raising the hangers all the way out of the dev, tilt to one side, then very slowly lower hangers back into the tank, then kind of rap them sharply to make sure any air bubbles shake loose. I alternate the tilt every agitation.
Anyway, I have uneven development all over the neg and evidence of over processing at the film edge due to dev. rushing through the hanger holes. I can live with the edge over processing if I have to, as I can just make sure to crop, but why am I getting uneven development? Not enough agitation?
One other wrench - I do use a safe-light, very dim red about 6 feet behind me, so dim that after 6-8 minutes in the dark I can still barely see the holders as I agitate. I have not had a problem with fogging when tray developing, but when tray developing the film gets much less exposure to the safe light. Could this uneven development actually be fogging from each time I pull the holders out of the dev?
Any recommendations?
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/.../tanktest1.jpg
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/.../tanktest2.jpg
Kodak has instructions for developing sheet film in hangers in a tank. Try finding those. I bet Vinny has some suggestions as well.
We had this discussion at Chicago's LFPF meeting last month.
You are following the suggested method.
Try way less agitation. I don't lift more than than an inch and never get the film out of the fluid.
I don't presoak. I rap once. I don't swish the film around.
Get rid of the unsafe light, unless it's X-Ray.
Pretty sure all the old guys cropped way more than we do these days.
Get a box of X-ray and practice. A lot. Use up 100 sheets of X-Ray that costs only $35. As we always say, YMMV.
Try different dilutions and developers.
Thanks Randy
I will give this a tryQuote:
Originally Posted by Randy Moe
I presoaked when using trays with no problem...but will try not with tank.Quote:
I don't presoak. I rap once. I don't swish the film around.
It is X-ray.Quote:
Get rid of the unsafe light, unless it's X-Ray.
What direction is best for combating uneven development - shorter or longer development times (stronger or more dilute developer)?Quote:
Try different dilutions and developers.
Sorry! I forget we were talking X-Ray. In that case move the safe light closer! :)
Some of us like weak solutions. I use Rodinal of any type available, at 1/100 and 1/50, but some even go to 1/200. But always at least 10 ml per 80 sq". Again some use less...
Try stand development, which I have not, I just got four up 4x5 hangers for tanks and will get to that.
That said, I usually do 8X10 and larger in trays. I use hangers and tanks for 4X5 and smaller, lately a lot of 3x4.
I also use 3 tanks. First the developer, then a water stop tank no movement stand for 1 minute, then a fix and while fixing I wash out my #2 tank and use it for a wash with a submerged hose at trickle. Less pouring of chems than with a one tank system.
I don't think the safelight is the problem. I think the problem is in the agitation. Try Randy's technique. I never let the film come out of the developer, myself. I develop in trays with very gentle agitation. Try a dilute one shot developer. I use Rodinal 1-100. Then into a water bath with no agitation for about 2 minutes. This helps shadow detail somewhat.Quote:
Originally Posted by Randy Moe
When I tray developed 8X10 X-ray film I have always used HC-110 1:63 with good results...except for the scratches. When I trayed Arista premium, 1:18 gave similar density to the HC-110 dilution at a similar dev time. Both I use as one-shot. For the tank development, following advice for agitation, would cutting my dev strength by say 50% and adding 50% to the dev time be a good place to start?
Hangers can be a PITA. If you don't agitate enough, you end up with mottling like in your example. If you agitate too much/too vigorously, you end up with developer surge marks. The only way I could make it work is if I used a much more dilute developer (pyrocat-hd 30ml each solution to 6 litres water), agitate for first minute, then up/down twice every twenty minutes. With this method (semi-stand) I have gotten very even development and very sharp negatives.
I rarely use the hangers and much prefer flat-bottomed trays. I have never gotten scratches in trays.
I use double-side green as well as kodak single-sided, preferring the former for it's smoother rendition of tones.
I processed a negative using semi-stand earlier today. When it's dry I'll post it here.
Andrew, do you process one sheet at a time when you process in trays?