Hello, after spending a few hours in the darkroom, I would like to share an observation I made with Fomapan 100 in Kodak HC110-H 1+63.
Normally, people say you have to expose and develop Fomapan 100 with an effective ISO of 50 or less. This works good with R09, 1+100. But I wanted to make some experiments.
With HC110-H, I have got an S-shaped increase in density. This shows among other things the reciprocity characteristics of the film. The shadows get a too low density, while the lights get too dense.
If one now further reduces the effective ISO, one gets into the range of 1/2s exposure for zone V, which means that for zone I, an adequate exposure of 4s would be necessary. For 4s, however, a compensated exposure time of, let's say, 21s would be needed due to the reciprocity ... So zone I will be 2 stops too dark?
Consequently, the lower the effective ISO, which is supposed to compensate for this, the thinner the shadows will be.
That's my consideration. Am I wrong? Is this the reason why HC110 is not recommended for Fomapan 100? Especially since the development time for HC110-H (1+63) is less than 10 minutes?
What would be the consequences? On the one hand, one would have to aim for an effective ISO of 100, the nominal sensitivity, in order to avoid longer exposure times than 1/30s, so that the shadows don't turn out too thin. Therefore, one has to find a developer who really produces these shadow drawings. Ansel Adams recommended a moderate movement rhythm for the HC110G, so that the shadows still have density.
On the other hand, this developer would have to hold back in the lights (or rather use up quickly). Maybe one should take care to use HC110-H or HC110-G only in smaller tanks with the minimum amount of concentrate needed for this dilution, i.e. 2ml per sheet 4x5. Accordingly, the development time will be long, which is probably about 20 minutes.
Has anyone had any experience with this?
Regards
fotografie.ist ...
Daniel, it sounds like you're in the process of finding out why Fomapan films are just not a very easy choice for low light situations. As you indicated, at some point you get stuck in an endless loop of increasing exposure and reducing development to combat the increasing contrast resulting from the film's reciprocity behavior.
However, in practical terms, my experience is that exposures up to a few minutes (let's say 2-3 minutes) work quite OK at an effective EI of something like 25 and a compensating developer such as pyrocat. HC110 would give fairly similar results I suppose, but I haven't used it. No need to overthink things unnecessarily.
Oh, and under no condition I have seen Fomapan 100 give optimal results when exposed at box speed. Not even in xtol.
Maybe that's why the film is called "Arista Edu" in the USA - it's an educational film ...
fotografie.ist ...
4x5
Foma 200@160
Kodak hc110 1+47, 24C, 9:45min
Terrific work! What an interesting place.
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― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know
Thanks
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Seconded. Lovely cool places
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