Testing Arista EDU 200 in HC 110-question

[Bob Wagner]

I am doing the exposure and development testing outlined in the View Camera article.
I found my min time to max black (f22 at 12 seconds), determined film speed to be 200

Arista EDU 200
Jobo unit with lift
HC 110 1:50 dilution
68 deg for 7 min
Enlarger is D2 condenser standard head
Ilford #3 contrast filter
Arista EDU paper
My problem/question: So far I have tried these development times:
5 min 15 sec
7 minutes
8 min 45 sec
Can't get any difference between paper white and zone 8 to show up at any of these times.
What would you recommend I do, am I correct in assuming I need less development?Should I go to #2 filter?

[Gene McCluney]

Are you talking about Arista.edu which was made by Forte and is discontinued, or Arista.edu.ultra which is made by Foma and is a current film? They have radically different developing times and techniques to get best results.

For Arista.edu.ultra I use HC-110 dilution "E" and develop for about 4 minutes at 68f., otherwise I get negatives that are way too dense in the highlights. HC-110 is not a recommended developer, but it can work just fine if you can deal with the short development times.

[Bob Wagner]

It is Ultra, sorry. I guess I am over-developing?

[Don Dudenbostel]

I get excellent results with Arista Ultra exposing at ISO 160 and processing in 1:47 /HC or HC110 @68f 5-6 minutes @ minimum rotation speed in my Jobo using the expert sheet film tubes. I print on both a D5 Omega with an Ilforg MG head or a Durst 5x7 enlarger with a condensor head. My MG diffusion head is a half grade contrastier than my Durst and use a #1.5 with the D5 MG combo and a#2 Ilford filter for the same net with the Durst. My standard paper is Ilford Warmtone FB glossy processed in LPD 1:2 for 2-4 minutes depending on the desired look. I then do an archival selenium tone. 5 minutes processing gives a very normal neg under average conditions. Ofcouse I alter processing for different subjects and conditions.

I think we all have different ideas of the ideal neg and print. Everyone will come up with different results using the same combo of film, dev, paper and enlarger but for my style of shooting and my look this works extremely well for me. I like this look so well that this is what I shoot in sheet film 70% of the time.

Remember this is a visual. Process so don't get too hung up on the zone system until you find your style and what you want in your print. Its a visual process not an engineering project. Adjust results to please your eye not numbers written in a book.

Good luck!

[Bob Wagner]

Good advice, thanks Don. I just want to get a good baseline and be done with the testing for a while. LF seems to have a never ending learning curve

[Don Dudenbostel]

Bob my dad taught my to process and print fifty on years ago and Ive made my living as a commercial photog for forty two years and still continue to learn and refine my technique. This is part of the fun for me. I love learning and love the process.