feenej
Well-known
Tri-X, Dunkin' Doughnuts Original Blend, 4 tsp A&H washing soda, 45 minutes.
Cafenol; What Went Wrong, Part Deux
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crawdiddy
qu'est-ce que c'est?
Tri-X, Dunkin' Doughnuts Original Blend, 4 tsp A&H washing soda, 45 minutes.
Wow! This is a beautiful portrait.
feenej
Well-known
Thanks Dan.
Ezzie
E. D. Russell Roberts
My two cents.
1. For consistent results, dispense with the tea and tablespoons. Measure with a weight.
2. Ascorbic acid. The results improve radically if you add 100% quality acid, not a crushed C-vitamin pill or two.
3. For most films Caffenol will increase the speed of the film. I.e. you may need to decrease development or expose your 100 ISO at EI 200 or even 400
And, if you want to clear fogging, and to better stand development, add Potassium Bromide as a restrainer. It will even out development, and lighten your negs somewhat, lessening the risk of over-developing the film. Too much and you get blank negs.
This guy has got it down to an art. Three different recipes, with slightly different strengths and weaknesses (read: different applications): http://http://caffenol.blogspot.com/ Recipes half-way down the page.
I hope to try this out later this autumn, if it works I'll post results
1. For consistent results, dispense with the tea and tablespoons. Measure with a weight.
2. Ascorbic acid. The results improve radically if you add 100% quality acid, not a crushed C-vitamin pill or two.
3. For most films Caffenol will increase the speed of the film. I.e. you may need to decrease development or expose your 100 ISO at EI 200 or even 400
And, if you want to clear fogging, and to better stand development, add Potassium Bromide as a restrainer. It will even out development, and lighten your negs somewhat, lessening the risk of over-developing the film. Too much and you get blank negs.
This guy has got it down to an art. Three different recipes, with slightly different strengths and weaknesses (read: different applications): http://http://caffenol.blogspot.com/ Recipes half-way down the page.
I hope to try this out later this autumn, if it works I'll post results
Last edited:
Pirate
Guitar playing Fotografer
Ezzie, thanks, I was just about to mention the blogspot link as I hadn't seen it yet. There's a lot of good info on that site. I'll be trying the caffenol myself soon.
tammons
Established
8, 4, 2, 1 is the best formula
8, 4, 2, 1 is the best formula
8, 4, 2, 1 is the best formula I have found.
IE
8 oz distilled h20 (especially if you have a lot of iron in your water)
4 round tsp folgers instant coffee
2 level tsp washing soda
1 gram vitamin C (1000 mg tablet)
I do a 30 sec prewash, timed on a uniroller, 8 rinse stop, 5 min fix, 8 rinse, then a photoflow final rinse (or soap)
I have been developing with caffenol for years off and on
and for normal film that is the best formula IMO.
The key is the way you mix it. Start with the water and add the washing soda first and shake until dissolved. You have to let it stand until the micro bubbles clear. That is very important.
After that add the coffee and shake.
Grind the vit C with a mortar and pestle and mix it in.
Shake again and let it sit for about 15 minutes or so.
If you get too many C particles floating around strain it through a coffee filter.
You should use it immediately.
Average dev times for the 8,4,2,1 mix, normal ISO 100 film are about 12 minutes for a start. That is on a uniroller at 74dF, IE I work at room temperature.
For a low contrast developer like for bluefire microfilm or Rollei ATP expose those two films at about iso 32.
Use a low contrast 8,4,2 or 8,3,2 or 8,2,2 mix, IE less the vit C.
Typical times for the no C - 8, 4, 2 mix and ISO 100 films is about 25 minutes for a test roll.
Even lower contrast works too, IE 8, 3, 2 or 8, 2, 2 for special slow mixes.
Note I usually mix double batches unless I am testing partial rolls
Development times can be long for those low contrast mixes, like 45-50 minutes.
If you want to look around my Pbase site I have some caffenol developed film here and there.
These are 35mm tri-x 400 pushed to 3200 developed in 8,4,2,1 at 20 min.
http://www.pbase.com/tammons/trix_400_at_3200
These are all in 8,4,2,1 caffenol.
All 4x5 HP5, tmax, 400, and tri-X 320.
Test shots.
http://www.pbase.com/tammons/trix__hp5__tmax_400
This is bluefire exposed at ISO 32 in 8,2,2 caffenol for 45 min
http://www.pbase.com/tammons/image/122587996
4x5 in caffenol. I think these are Efke 100 if I remember right in 8,4,2,1
http://www.pbase.com/tammons/westville
Delta 3200 in 8,4,2,1
http://www.pbase.com/tammons/image/70393844
8, 4, 2, 1 is the best formula
8, 4, 2, 1 is the best formula I have found.
IE
8 oz distilled h20 (especially if you have a lot of iron in your water)
4 round tsp folgers instant coffee
2 level tsp washing soda
1 gram vitamin C (1000 mg tablet)
I do a 30 sec prewash, timed on a uniroller, 8 rinse stop, 5 min fix, 8 rinse, then a photoflow final rinse (or soap)
I have been developing with caffenol for years off and on
and for normal film that is the best formula IMO.
The key is the way you mix it. Start with the water and add the washing soda first and shake until dissolved. You have to let it stand until the micro bubbles clear. That is very important.
After that add the coffee and shake.
Grind the vit C with a mortar and pestle and mix it in.
Shake again and let it sit for about 15 minutes or so.
If you get too many C particles floating around strain it through a coffee filter.
You should use it immediately.
Average dev times for the 8,4,2,1 mix, normal ISO 100 film are about 12 minutes for a start. That is on a uniroller at 74dF, IE I work at room temperature.
For a low contrast developer like for bluefire microfilm or Rollei ATP expose those two films at about iso 32.
Use a low contrast 8,4,2 or 8,3,2 or 8,2,2 mix, IE less the vit C.
Typical times for the no C - 8, 4, 2 mix and ISO 100 films is about 25 minutes for a test roll.
Even lower contrast works too, IE 8, 3, 2 or 8, 2, 2 for special slow mixes.
Note I usually mix double batches unless I am testing partial rolls
Development times can be long for those low contrast mixes, like 45-50 minutes.
If you want to look around my Pbase site I have some caffenol developed film here and there.
These are 35mm tri-x 400 pushed to 3200 developed in 8,4,2,1 at 20 min.
http://www.pbase.com/tammons/trix_400_at_3200
These are all in 8,4,2,1 caffenol.
All 4x5 HP5, tmax, 400, and tri-X 320.
Test shots.
http://www.pbase.com/tammons/trix__hp5__tmax_400
This is bluefire exposed at ISO 32 in 8,2,2 caffenol for 45 min
http://www.pbase.com/tammons/image/122587996
4x5 in caffenol. I think these are Efke 100 if I remember right in 8,4,2,1
http://www.pbase.com/tammons/westville
Delta 3200 in 8,4,2,1
http://www.pbase.com/tammons/image/70393844
Last edited:
ampguy
Veteran
interesting, I'd like to try this coffee, vit c, only recipe.
Here is some stuff with dissolved instant coffee, but 1:1 with d76, water stop, regular fixer (not rapid):
http://matsumura.smugmug.com/Photography/Hexar-AF-D76-11-with-coffee/6032262_S6JKy#377599732_u2mbG
Here is some stuff with dissolved instant coffee, but 1:1 with d76, water stop, regular fixer (not rapid):
http://matsumura.smugmug.com/Photography/Hexar-AF-D76-11-with-coffee/6032262_S6JKy#377599732_u2mbG
Pirate
Guitar playing Fotografer
Wonder if back in the old days, they were using coffee and that's what gave those old photos a sepia tint??
tammons
Established
I did read of rumors that the airforce used to use Coffee to develop their high altitude microfilm photos.
No idea if its true or not.
No idea if its true or not.