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Thread: Procedure/s for establishing the correct developing time?

  1. #1

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    Procedure/s for establishing the correct developing time?

    What is the procedure for establishing the correct developing time using a particular film with a particular developer/diluted developer?

  2. #2

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    Re: Procedure/s for establishing the correct developing time?

    1. Expose several pieces/strips of film to a known amount of light. A sensitometer is an excellent tool for the purpose. 2. Develop the different pieces/strips for different amounts of time, keeping all the other variables as consistent as possible. 3. Measure the results. A transmission densitometer is an excellent tool for the purpose. If you use Pyro, choose a compatible densitometer. 4. Interpret the results. These forums are an excellent tool for the purpose.

  3. #3
    Cordless Bungee Jumper Sirius Glass's Avatar
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    Re: Procedure/s for establishing the correct developing time?

    Or follow the manufacturer instructions and deviate if you do not like the results.

    Life is too short to get into the endless testing of everything in every possible permutation. Better to spend your time on photography.

    Steve
    Nothing beats a great piece of glass!

    I leave the digital work for the urologists and proctologists.

  4. #4

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    Re: Procedure/s for establishing the correct developing time?

    You might find this short article to be helpful.

  5. #5
    hacker extraordinaire
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    Re: Procedure/s for establishing the correct developing time?

    1. Swag
    2. Look at your pictures. If you like them, you are finished!
    3. If you want more contrast develop longer. If you want less, develop less
    4. Jump to 1
    Science is what we understand well enough to explain to a computer. Art is everything else we do.
    --A=B by Petkovšek et. al.

  6. #6
    ic-racer's Avatar
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    Re: Procedure/s for establishing the correct developing time?

    Many ways to do it. Some not mentioned yet:

    1) Develop so that a Zone VIII frame prints as just "off white" when exposed for minimum exposure to obtain maximum black on film base plus fog.

    2) Develop a control strip of the 'unknown film' so that it has a gamma around 0.7 (this is how I do it currently)

  7. #7

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    Re: Procedure/s for establishing the correct developing time?

    I'd suggest that you go here: http://www.viewcamerastore.com and click on the "testing films and paper" link on the upper left side of the page. Let them do the testing for you. They'll provide more and better information than you'll get doing it yourself for a very reasonable cost ($45).

    But I'd also suggest that rather than just taking their information and blindly following it you also do some reading just to understand what's going on when you develop film and what the tests are designed to show you. If you have access to Ansel Adams' book "The Negative" that would tell you all you need to know. Another good source but harder to find is Fred Picker's book "Zone VI Workshop." Or you can do an all-words Google search using "film" "test" "development" and "time" as the words and find a wealth of information about testing for film speed and development time.

    You'll see that there are various method for doing the tests and they range in complexity from the simple to more sophisticated tests that require use of a transmission densitometer. If you want to do the testing yourself pick one that looks feasible for you given the equipment you have and the time you have available and have at it. Doing even the most rudimentary testing is going to give you more consistent and better negatives than you'll get if you just "look at your pictures" or "follow the manufacturer's instructions and deviate if you do not like the results," two suggestions that I think are singularly useless.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  8. #8
    M
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    Re: Procedure/s for establishing the correct developing time?

    If you do not have a great amount of time to devote to testing there is a lot of literature
    regarding various film/paper and developer combinations.

    Not just "manufacture's instructions" texts etc. but professionals who have published
    test results and preferences and will provide you with enough info for a decent start.

    To the books mentioned I can add Practical Zone System and Way Beyond Monochrome.

    Have fun,
    M

  9. #9
    Cor's Avatar
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    Re: Procedure/s for establishing the correct developing time?

    I like this article (an pdf I found some time ago):

    Use Your Eyes!
    Zone System Testing Without a Densitometer
    by Paul Wainwright

    Can't find it back on his web site though, haven't tried it myself yet, but I will soon..

    Best,

    Cor

  10. #10
    ki6mf's Avatar
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    Re: Procedure/s for establishing the correct developing time?

    A good step by step process is located at this web site. Jerry walks you through all aspects of the process with test equipment, without test equipment and using Wild Ass Guess method!

    Zone system Development Test
    http://www.jerryo.com/teaching.htm
    Wally Brooks

    Everything is Analog!
    Any Fool Can Shoot Digital!
    Any Coward can shoot a zoom! Use primes and get closer.

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