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Bracketing is sure a lot of fun, Michael, just like lugging around an 8x10 pack all day long on a steep hill with double or triple the number of holders, just for the privilege of bracketing. Of...

Well, John, yeah, it's all been done. I've accidentally dunked my light meter in mountain streams a couple of times, and came back with even my color chrome sheets all correctly exposed. But that was...

Alan - Transmission densitometers measure the density of film (the developed negative itself) in log units according to the amount of light which comes through that density at a given point aligned...

Steel wool? Why not something modern instead, that doesn't leave behind fragments susceptible to rust, like Scotchbrite pads? They come in quite a range, and are even available in disc fashion for...

Oh, using a darkslide test-strip style, John ... I never thought of that. But in that case, one should be confident they have an even field of illumination to begin with, or the middle portion will...

Just bracket, bracket, bracket? For heaven's sake, this is a large format forum. Is everybody here rich enough for that volume of sheet film? Sounds like a snipe hunt; and at least some form of map...

Yes and No. ... I would never want to go through that AGAIN.

Hi, Daniel. Yes, that all works in terms of Zone System theory on the subject end. But how do you read specific densities in small areas of a real world final negative, and not just bracketed test...

Even true spotmeters are no substitute for a densitometer; and in-camera spotmeter functions are nowhere near same league as spot meters per se. How ya gonna selectively read some little spot on a...

It's a valid start. With most films and developers, you want the darkest evident shadow texture or differentiation (Zone II) to correspond to around .15 density on the step wedge. But there are...

I had a jug of that Ilford Rapid Fix on hand, and no, it did not work as well for my PMK pyro purposes as TF4. Gordon Hutchings got it right, and certainly was the father of the current popularity...

There's also the old do-it-yourself "visual densitometry method". Take some black card stock and punch two holes in it several inches apart. Put your film on a light box along with an adjacent...

TF info is straightforward, namely, with capacities intended for one-shot use, not re-use. Since they sell it as an "archival fixer", optimum permanence is the only game in town. It's not sold as a...

At one point, Glass Key in SF had E100 8x10 in stock. You might call them. Otherwise, get onto Keith Canham's list or else wait for B&H to restock it (they often temporarily de-list things they don't...

I got once taken to task on that point, John. And it seems all an alkaline afterbath does for PMK is increase an fbf effect of overall stain, and not differential stain, especially with semi-thick...

Alan - I know perfectly well what scanning does and how curve adjustments and so forth work. I've had my share of high end drum scanning done for commercial assignments involving publications or...

Neither you nor I have any idea of what those chromes actually look like prior to digital tweaking. Besides, the web is fairly worthless for making such assessments. E6 is a standardized process - or...

Find someone else who can do the processing and take the readings for you, as well as explain how to take relevant test shots with a good gray scale or gray card target. If you shoot roll film, you...

Thanks Michael, that's what I thought you meant. But your added "Bogus" ain't a bonus at all. It's what I'm specifically interested in finding out; and you're clearly not one who has the answer....

Thomas - Sorry, but Grant Lake always makes me laugh. We don't bother with cable TV here. But during a little downtime relaxing after a snorkel in Maui I was watching one of those ridiculous History...

NO. Alan. Altitude does not affect film speed. No way it could morph into 80 or 64 unless that metering adjustment includes some FILTER FACTOR (mild skylight and warming filters do have about a third...

Michael - Please clarify your statement. Don't tell me NEITHER will have an effect on residual image stain (referring to remaining anti-halation DYE rather than pyro stain, if that is in fact what...

Why color sheet film instead of digital, Bernice? - A far richer image in terms of enlargement capacity, while still allowing use of extant view cameras, their advantages in terms of movements, and...

I can't answer your question, but would myself be a candidate for the answer. I use TF4 for both film and paper. But so far, I see no reason to switch. Its alkalinity seems to help residual dye...

Is that one of the June Lks, Thomas? I'm not used to seeing the water so low; but it sure looks like Carson Pk in the background. I haven't been up behind that in a long time, when I took a shortcut...

The quality control of Ektachrome in recent years is so good that there's no need for corrective CC filters per batch. And E100 is very precisely balanced for official 5500K daylight; so if you want...

With all the defects I encountered with Foma/Arista 200 sheets, it wasn't cheap at all - only about a 50% keeper rate at best. Shoot the same shot twice and hope that one of the sheets isn't...

Optically coated acrylic is the ideal choice, but it's ridiculously expensive for routine use. I don't use any kind of tinted allegedly UV-protective plastics. For one reason, their pinkish or...

Now they're fighting the fire in that same steep gulch where the lost couple was found dead due to heat last year.

Feed n' Wax : an old school oil & wax finish similar to that found on antique furniture and old wooden cameras, but different from shellac.

Aluminum can be obtained in a very smooth variety, but is highly thermally conductive, so might be the worst thing unless well insulated from behind. That's the first thing I ask if a print...

Yep. That 7X Peak is my favorite GG loupe. It was also sold re-branded under Horseman and Nikon labels.

Silicone is a one-way street. Nothing is meant to stick to it; and it's not meant to be removed.

There are just so many damned variables, Pieter. What works acceptably in one climate might not in another, or what is OK in a certain diurnal AC & heating display fluctuation cycle versus another....

I can't even present my 8X10 contact prints on MGWT without drymounting them. I love that paper; but it sure curls with humidity changes!

303 is a more affordable option to 316 for many applications. Hopefully, no enlarger will be in direct contact with corrosive liquids. I once set up a big designer plumbing showroom back when people...

As far a T-Max goes, I use PMK pyro for the TMY 400-speed product. Tonality-wise, that works great for TMX 100 too. But the problem with TMX 100 is its poor edge acutance; so due to that, I switched...

After allowing the prints to dry face-up on the fiberglass screen, they get weighted down under a big sheet of plate glass to get them nice and flat. But I can't imagine displaying glossy fiber-based...

A number of the popular brews like PMK are now commercially available as A&B liquid concentrates, alleviating the risk of working with the powder yourself. And when developing, I wear nitrile gloves...

Greg - vinyl deck coatings are pretty short-lived in terms of expansion-contraction survivability, are apt to have some texture, making them hard to clean, stain like heck, and can't tolerate any...