Developing Help Needed

[sooner]

Hi All,

After taking two darkroom classes at my local art center, I have decided to develop my own b&w film at home for scanning and printing. I bought a "kit" with single-reel developing kit and HC-110 (dilution B so far), along with rapid fixer etc. I just use running water rather than a stop bath. Finished my second roll last night, and I have two questions:

-- with a single-reel tank that came with a central spool to twist for agitation, is it better to twist agitate or flip upside down? If twisting, is it still 5 seconds out of every 30?

-- if part of the roll is very dark but other parts are okay, should I assume the problem was my overexposure rather than some faulty technique during developing?

Didn't think I had overexposed so badly on last night's FP4, but other parts of the roll came out right or even underexposed, so I'm wondering if it's me exposing incorrectly or me developing incorrectly. Unfortunately, either way it's me, but I'm having fun learning!

Thanks. --John/Sooner

 

[kaiyen]

Welcome to the world of home film development...

-- with a single-reel tank that came with a central spool to twist for agitation, is it better to twist agitate or flip upside down? If twisting, is it still 5 seconds out of every 30?

In most cases it won't matter, as long as your consistent. However, you have a small chance of poor flow when you only twist, and actually if you only invert. I do both. I put my right hand on top and my left hand on the bottom of the tank. As Invert, I turn my thumb towards me, rotating the tank, then I return to upright. I then invert, turning my thumb away from me, rotating the tank in the other direction. When I bang the tank back down to dislodge air bells, I then rotate it about 1/4 turn to make that a bit more random, too.

re: the 5 seconds - again, just be consistent. You can adjust times later as per your technique.

-- if part of the roll is very dark but other parts are okay, should I assume the problem was my overexposure rather than some faulty technique during developing?

Depends. Which parts of the roll? Beginning vs. end of roll? Or top half vs. bottom half of each frame? are entire frames too dark in comparison to other, entire frames? Or like half of a frame is too dark?

Negatives being too dark (too dense) means that the highlights have been overdeveloped. However, adjusting your dev time to control them is suspect until you've got your metering and exposure techniques down pat, first.

However, if the issue is a half frame being too dark and the other being too light, it's another issue. Please elaborate.

allan

 

[mongo141]

well in answer to the first question, I have always found that inversions seem to work the best just make sure the lid doesn't come off. As for the second, all the exposures on the same strip will be developed to the same degree if the correct procedure is used so it sounds like your exposures were off. I did my first roll in about 1965 so you can be sure I have made a mess out of a lot of film since then. Its all a learning process so have fun. Dave

 

[beethamd]

Are the frames of over and under exposure together? Spinning every few seconds, and inverting every thirty is what I do. Give the tank a good tap on your desk too every now and then to move air bubbles off the film.

Do you see anything on the negs that might suggest why the metering was off (bright skies etc) - and have you compared the meter with a handheld meter or another trusted camera?

 

[r-brian]

John

For years I twisted for agitation. Lately I twist and invert. I'll twist the first time and invert the next time. I also only agitate every minute instead of 30 sec. I was taught 30 sec. years ago but went to every minute or even longer (long development times with Rodinal I'll go 3 minutes between agitation). The reason for agitation is to get fresh developer to the film. The highlights develop faster than the shadow areas so extending the time between agitation allows for less highlight development.

Developing will affect the whole film the same. If you are getting uneven exposure frame to frame, then it's your exposure not the developing. Your in-camera meter will expose for the highlights, which is fine for color film. For B&W, you may need to give more exposure for the shadow areas. That's one reason most people rate their film at a slower EI than the manufacturer. Try setting your meter for 80 EI for the FP4+, then develop normally.

Hope the Nikkor zoom arrived OK. If you're using the 8008s, the meter system should give you very good results.

Brian

 

[sooner]

Thanks for the comments. Allan, to answer your question, the individual frames all came out the same, meaning developed evenly across the entire frame. The first eight or so pictures on the roll came out light (but uniformly so, if that makes sense), and the remaining shots were very dark, including one that was pitch black.

I just checked the camera (a Konica S2) and realized the shutter seems to be sticking again, which reminded me that I did notice a couple of shots sticking (I had taken the pictures some time ago and forgotten about that). Guess that would explain the gross overexposure. Sorry for leading you astray, but thanks for the advice and encouragement. I'll try my next roll tonight, which was taken with a more reliable camera!

Brian, the zoom hasn't arrived yet, but I look forward to planting it on my 8008s when the metering has to be precise. --John