Stand developing - the good and bad

[ColSebastianMoran]

Let me try to summarize:
- The idea is to produce a compensating effect to limit the development of highlights so they are not blown; that is, it's a certain flavor of lowering contrast
- To do it, dilute the developer, use a longer time, and less agitation
- The down side is uneven development which is solved by more agitation.

 

[Ronald M]

photograph a grey board and include that frame in the next test. If you have streaks from bromide drag, they will appear on critical picture areas like the sky. If you have have a a subject as shown, streaks are less likely to be seen.

It is a bad risk. I have always got streaks on the film leader .

 

[Calzone]

Let me try to summarize:
- The idea is to produce a compensating effect to limit the development of highlights so they are not blown; that is, it's a certain flavor of lowering contrast
- To do it, dilute the developer, use a longer time, and less agitation
- The down side is uneven development which is solved by more agitation.

What you say is true for stand development with Rodinal, and uneven development can be conquered by just a little aggitaion.

With Diafine, that I mentioned earlier in the thread, the compensating effect also results in a shift in contrast that I call enhanced, in that there is more shadow detail and midtones become signifigantly enhanced with the resulting negative being very easy to straight print in a wet darkroom, but this is a two part developer with short times.

I also mentioned using Microphen full strength, but the development time is extended only due to the minimization of aggitation in this solvent developer. Even at ISO 3200 Tri-X displays a nice midrange if you get the exposure right.

What I really learned is that minimizing aggitation often gives me the more detailed and easy to print negative.

Cal

 

[charjohncarter]

Let me try to summarize:
- The idea is to produce a compensating effect to limit the development of highlights so they are not blown; that is, it's a certain flavor of lowering contrast
- To do it, dilute the developer, use a longer time, and less agitation
- The down side is uneven development which is solved by more agitation.

Right, you are lowering contrast, but only by not allowing the highlights to go to far. The midtones and shadows still get complete development. The other way of lowering contrast is by cutting the normal development time. This also reduces the global contrast not just the local contrast of the highlights. Or something like that.