Caffenol-C-H works

[bobby_novatron]

Ezzie -- thank you for your comments. I am glad to hear that Tmax is a suitable film for Caffenol ... I have 100 feet of it in my bulk loader!

I am going to try another roll in the next few days.

 

[Ezzie]

Third effort with TMAX100 120 film. This time the Caffenol.blogspot.com C-C-H recipe has been slightly modified, the amount of Potassium Bromide has been cut down to 0.5g/l. According the Reinhold, it can be left out altogether, making the recipe C-C-M. We will see.

Anyhow, this time @20C/68F as ever, but for 16 minutes. 1min water stop bath, 5min fix, 20min wash.

Caffenol is now officially my developer of choice, for TMAX at least. My Caffenol set on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ezzie0304/sets/72157625081279605/

 

[bobby_novatron]

Great results with the Kowa 6x6 and the Tmax / caffenol! Very inspiring.

Sharp images and nice contrast. Congratulations!

 

[Ezzie]

Thank you Bobby. Like yours too. I been looking through your flickr 😉

 

[Ezzie]

Tested a roll of TMAX400 (TMY-2) the other day. Caffenol-C-H for 15 min @20C/68F. I bracketed the shots a great deal to get an idea as to if the development time was more or less in the right ballpark. I´m familiar with a lot of people rating TMY-2 to EI 320, but pushed the film by 1 and 2 stops none the less. Not sure what I found out, but one of the motifs at least had some visual impact. The other two not so much.

I think the next TMY-2 roll will be exposed at EI 320, and developed for the same length of time.

TMY-2/EI 800 in Caffenol-C-H:

 

[SimonSawSunlight]

Third effort with TMAX100 120 film. This time the Caffenol.blogspot.com C-C-H recipe has been slightly modified, the amount of Potassium Bromide has been cut down to 0.5g/l. According the Reinhold, it can be left out altogether, making the recipe C-C-M. We will see.

Anyhow, this time @20C/68F as ever, but for 16 minutes. 1min water stop bath, 5min fix, 20min wash.

Caffenol is now officially my developer of choice, for TMAX at least. My Caffenol set on flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ezzie0304/sets/72157625081279605/

oh yes, these are smooth!

 

[Ezzie]

Thanks Simon. Very, very happy with that roll. Trying my hand with TMAX400 at the moment, but not looking as good. Will give that another go, but it rather looks like TMAX100 and Caffenol really agree with each other. Much prefer the look you see here, than what TMAX developer has been giving me.

 

[paulfish4570]

Eirik, wonderful 3D effect with your Kowa kit and the caffenol. This may be something I try if/when I start shooting more 120 with my Yashica A.

 

[Ezzie]

Hi Paul. Thank you. Funny you should mention the 3D effect. I've noticed it myself. Never quite seen it with any other setup. And to think its been accomplished with a 150mm?!?

 

[Ezzie]

Second roll of TMAX400. This time upped the potassium bromide to the Caffenol.blogspot.com recommended base level. TMAX100 seems to require no bromide at all to keep the haze in check, TMAX400 however is another matter. Even with 1g/l this second go wasn´t without quite a bit of haze, though better than the first effort. Made for an easier time in post-processing. When I next get hold of TMAX400, I´ll be upping the bromide a bit more, and adding somewhat to the development times as it to a certain degree arrests development.

Autumn at its dreariest does have its own allure. Kowa Super 66 w/85mmf2.8, TMAX400 EI 320, Caffenol-C-H @ 13m45s 20C:

 

[Thomas-Paris]

Does this change Sodium Bicarbonate into Sodium Carbonate..? I've been looking for a consistent source of washing soda to try some caffenol dev.

Yes, you can dehydrate sodium bicarbonate by heating it to 200 C, or more slowly in solution by dissolving it in water, heating to just below a boil, and waiting. Over time the pH will rise as the bicarbonate is converted to carbonate.

 

[Ezzie]

Sodium Carbonate is evidently more difficult to get hold of in the States and in Canada than where I live. Over here it may not be available in all grocery stores, but well stocked stores do have it, as well as hardware stores. Used as a general purpose washing agent. I´ve heard that a certain pool additive is mostly sodium carbonate, used to regulate the pH of swimming pools, which is more readily available in the Americas, can be used.

And if all else fails, drying out sodium bicarbonate will work.

 

[scottyb70]

You should not have a problem getting Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda in the USA.

Ezzie I just received my Potassium Bromide and will be doing 4x5 TmaX 400, what would you recommend the PB per grams a liter?

 

[Ezzie]

Hi Scotty. I´ve not concluded my tests with TMAX400 just yet. I´ve done just the two rolls of 120 as yet. If you are going to scan the negatives, I´d say 1g per litre will be fine. Haze, yes. But not too bad. The scanning process will handle it. If you are going to do wet prints I´d think 1.5g per litre would be a good starting point. For agitated development and C-C-H I´d start with the recommended 15min at 68F/20C. 10-15 agitations initially, then 3 every minutes. Slow and meticulous.

Are you going to stand develop them, or tank and agitated development? C-C-L or C-C-H? If with a tank, I´d make sure that you fill her up as much as can be done, and still have room for sloshing the developer around when agitating. The reason being the coffee foams somewhat, and its a good idea to keep the foam above the top edge of the film in between agitations. I will be adjusting the amount of developer up from 500ml to 530ml in my Paterson tank to see if I can rid myself of some uneven development at the very top of the film. Its not been much of an issue, as only a few mm´s have been afflicted, and then on only a handful of frames, but when one is in the process of trying to perfect this method, one has to persevere. 😉

 

[Ezzie]

Another thing. I´ve found that good contrast subject material does help. Caffenol is very good at compensating highlights, so I tend to try and expose for the shadows, rather than the highlights. Contrary to others who find that pushing TMAX400 by a stop is the preferred method. I´ve found this works too, but we are entitled to have our own preferences.

Read these postings to the Caffenol blogspot for more on TMAX400 in Caffenol-C-L (for stand development mind you): http://caffenol.blogspot.com/search/label/TMax400

 

[scottyb70]

I am going to be using a 4x5 stainless steel nikkor tank in a jobo tpe2 water bath kit. I am going to follow your notes and agitate develop for 15 mins with 1.5 grams/liter. Kind of hazy out today so I don't know if I will be shooting or not. I have a perkeo loading with tmax 100 but will be using the Photographers Formulary reversal process kit on the tmax 100

 

[Ezzie]

Nice Scotty

With TMAX100 I´ve used two different development times, depending on the subject contrast levels. 16 minutes for medium contrast, and 18 minutes for low contrast. I found out more or less by accident, but adding to development times to increase contrast is as far as I can see supported by accepted theory. TMAX400 requires less development, but due to the need for more PB, I´d say 15 minutes is not a bad starting point. Its Reinhold´s (Caffenol Blogspot) recommendation too. I agree that you should wait for better conditions, because if something goes astray, you´ll be better equipped to find the underlying reason.

Hope you have fun. I´ll be looking forward to your results.

 

[Ezzie]

TMAX100 developed with my now standard solution and timing regime. C-C-H with 0.4g/l of potassium bromide, 16 minutes @ 20C/68F, standard agitation.

Rather different conditions on one roll didn´t seem to ruffle C-C-H´s feathers.

Afternoon, low light, low contrast:

Night shots, high contrast:

 

[Jack Conrad]

I never even saw this thread...

Eirik, thanks for sharing your experience.

I'm almost out of D-76 and now seems like a good time to find the ingredients for some home made Caffenol soup.

 

[paulfish4570]

How much additional overall time does it take you, Ezzie, to develop a roll with caffenol than with Tmax, from start to hanging the negatives to dry?