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Thread: Boosting contrast with extended development, your choice of film.

  1. #1

    Boosting contrast with extended development, your choice of film.

    Which 4x5 sheet film works well in low contrast light. I am considering doing a little project making photographs of tree roots. In the poor light I will have scenes with a subject brightness range of 3 or 4 stops. I can extend development to increase the contrast with any film, but which films give good separation in the mid-tones at box speed/with 40-50% extra development?
    I guess what I am asking is, what 4x5 film can match Ilford panf+50 asa for contrast.

  2. #2

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    Re: Boosting contrast with extended development, your choice of film.

    I've had great luck with FP-4...boosting subject brightness range simply by virtue of reciprocity failure - and then ignoring the recommended pull back of development time...but instead either processing "normally" or adding up to 50% to my "normal" developing times. Works like a charm...assuming that "poor" light allows exposure times in the 30 second (with a bit of plus development) to three minute (with normal development) range.

    Here are a couple of photos taken in fading light (carbonate forms, Death Valley)...each a three minute exposure (based on original reading indicating one minute) on FP-4, observed SBR of around three stops, but expanded by a combination of reciprocity failure, extended (compensating) exposure, and "normal" development:

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Click image for larger version. 

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  3. #3

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    Re: Boosting contrast with extended development, your choice of film.

    How about Kodak's TMax films? Easy contrast manipulation.

  4. #4
    Eric Woodbury
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    Re: Boosting contrast with extended development, your choice of film.

    In order of the amount of contrast you can build: Ilford FP4, Ilford Ortho, Kodak Tech Pan (obsolete).

    Use Wimberley's WD2H+ developer for FP4. Normal Plus 4 development is available with this combo. Lots of shadow contrast, more than any other developer I've tested.

  5. #5

    Re: Boosting contrast with extended development, your choice of film.

    Quote Originally Posted by Eric Woodbury View Post
    In order of the amount of contrast you can build: Ilford FP4, Ilford Ortho, Kodak Tech Pan (obsolete).

    Use Wimberley's WD2H+ developer for FP4. Normal Plus 4 development is available with this combo. Lots of shadow contrast, more than any other developer I've tested.
    Thank you for the heads up on wd2h+ I found the formula for wd2h, has the WD2H + formula ever been published?

  6. #6

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    Re: Boosting contrast with extended development, your choice of film.

    Kodak T-Max 100 has excellent reciprocity characteristics and with managed development you can work the contrast all over the place. Low light images and large format lenses might force you into choosing the film for its reciprocity.
    ” Never attribute to inspiration that which can be adequately explained by delusion”.

  7. #7

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    Re: Boosting contrast with extended development, your choice of film.

    I use HP5+ with D76, and I seem to do OK with expansions that I use. But, there might well be a better combination.

    As a comment, if one's extending contrast by increasing development time, then one needs to expose for the shadows, versus using an overall meter reading. This will help achieve the needed (expanded) contrast with the least increase in development time.

    Operationally, this means selecting a shadow area where detail is needed, meter that area, and then decrease the exposure read on the meter by two stops.

  8. #8
    Eric Woodbury
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    Re: Boosting contrast with extended development, your choice of film.

    Formula for WD2H+ is in the 3rd Ed. of Darkroom Cookbook. Not sure if there is a difference between 'plus' and 'non-plus'.

    EDIT: My copy of DR Cookbook forgot 60 gr pyro. Verify.
    Last edited by Eric Woodbury; 10-Jan-2021 at 22:36. Reason: DR Cookbook has omission.

  9. #9

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    Re: Boosting contrast with extended development, your choice of film.

    This is 35mm but I am sure the TMAX-100 sheet film behaves the same way. Your straight line section is so clean at every contrast level, that you just need to expose enough to get up on the line, then develop as long as you want for the contrast you need.

    http://beefalobill.com/images/tmxfamily.jpg

  10. #10
    Vaughn's Avatar
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    Re: Boosting contrast with extended development, your choice of film.

    I'll second using RF to increase contrast -- which rules out TMax, etc.

    And I have given well-exposed negatives a slight bleach to deepen the shadows followed by selenium toning to boost the highlights. Perhaps something like that would come in useful if you have a neg or two that end up a little shy on contrast.
    "Landscapes exist in the material world yet soar in the realms of the spirit..." Tsung Ping, 5th Century China

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