FP100C really muddy...

[rdenney]

I ordered and yesterday received a Fuji PA-45 holder and a pack of FP-100C. I had only a few minutes to play, and my concentration was marred by a cloud of humidity-borne insects, but I was less than impressed with my results.

The blacks seem black enough, and the whites are white, and indeed the scene was pretty flat. But the colors have an overall muddiness that looks to me like either not enough or too much development.

I'm not sure what the temperature of the material actually was--it had been in and out of air-conditioned environments all day. Outdoors was 85 degrees and about 1000% relative humidity. (Okay, maybe 80 or 90.) I developed the first print for 30 seconds, and the second for 45. Lighting was dusk.

I exposed at ISO100, and all the scene samples were in the range of Zone III to Zone VIII, which resulted in 2-4 seconds of exposure at f/22. The range was fairly flat, but the tonal separation across the middle was poor and the microcontrast nonexistent. The basic exposure, however, seems about what I measured.

Is that the way FP-100 normally is? Was I on the wrong planet in terms of ISO or development time?

Rick "who hasn't shot color instant film in decades and not sure what to expect" Denney

[Gene McCluney]

I normally develop FP100c for 1.5 minutes. (90 seconds) Try this, I think you will find it better.

[vinny]

go to fujifilm.com and get the pdf for this film which includes reciprocity info. Each exposure also has the development time on it but I'm guessing you didn't read it since your development time is way off.

[rdenney]

Well, that's embarrassing. I was working too fast and did read the box, but I read 30 seconds corresponding to 86 degrees. Sheesh. That's 30 degrees C corresponding to 86 degrees F, and the development time was below that--90 seconds.

Rick "feeling like an idiot, but relieved nonetheless" Denney