Rudolphono
Hi.
After I last paid 8 for a medium-format black-and-white "SPECIAL" development
Renate
Hi Ralph,
The HC110 is exactly the opposite of what you’re looking for. The grain becomes clearly visible and the developer produces sharp results. The same applies to Rodinal, the second extremely stable developer.
For your purposes, I can recommend the A49. The grain is barely visible, there are many finely graded grey tones and the sharpness isn’t particularly good. The stability is so-so. The prepared solution keeps for 6 months to a maximum of 1 year in a full bottle. Covered with Protectan, the solution keeps for only a few weeks. The major drawback is that you have to mix the developer from powder. This is also its advantage, as this quality is only achievable in powder form. It is my current go-to developer alongside HC110 and Rodinal.
I really like Fomapan, and in A49 it produces negatives that enlarge well. It’s an uncomplicated all-rounder. However, I’ve never used the 200, only the 100 and the 400. I don’t like the T-emulsions.
Good luck
Renate
Rudolphono
That sounds pretty good.
I’ve put together a list of bits and pieces.
It would be great if someone could have a look over it to see if everything’s right, or if there’s anything to add, correct or improve.
ADOLUX ATM 49 2x1 litre
ADOSTOP stop bath
Adofix fixer 1 litre
ADOX Adoflo 1 litre
Paterson film clips 2 pairs
Black and white thermometer
Wide-neck bottle 1000 ml 2 pcs
1x for stop bath and 1x for fixer
Spiral 1500 35mm / 6x6
Tank 1520 2x35mm
Measuring cylinder 100 ml
for preparing stop bath and fixer
Paterson measuring jug 2000 ml 1 pc
for preparing developer, stop bath and fixer
Then there are a few more canisters for old developer and fixer and a dark glass bottle with glass marbles for the fresh developer on the shopping list.
Regards, Ralph
Schwedenstahl
Hi, you’re right about the grain, but it wouldn’t really become noticeable until you’re using 35mm film; with 6×6 or even 6×7, it certainly isn’t that obvious.
What’s the largest enlargement you’re planning to go for?
Best regards,
Marwan
Rudolphono
So at the moment, I’m just scanning the photos.
But in future, I definitely want to enlarge one or two of them.
I’d say A4 size should be possible with KB.
Richard
Then there are a few more containers for old developer and fixer, and a dark glass bottle with glass marbles for the fresh developer on the shopping list.
A bottle with marbles is a nice theory. Just not really practical. Starting with the quantity of marbles, through the possible packing density, right up to the problems when pouring out the developer and cleaning the marbles.
Much better: Aponorm bottles from the chemist’s. Divide the batch into sensible sizes (100 or 200 ml portions) and forget the problems. The bottles aren’t expensive and you significantly reduce the headspace above the developer. Plus, the portions stay sealed until use :mrgreen:
Don’t forget to use your brain when choosing the portion sizes :mrgreen:
Rudolphono
That’s a clever idea, of course.
As for the containers for old developer and fixer… does it matter what I use for them?
I’ve got a few old metal containers.
They used to contain cleaner.
cfb_de
Tinplate isn’t cool. It corrodes away when exposed to developer (alkaline and complexing agent). With fixer, it gets thinner, but the inside gets silver-plated (it’s not worth dismantling it; the puddle in the basement causes more problems, and iron thiosulphate doesn’t need to go in the hazardous waste bin).
Use containers from the DIY store, plastic petrol cans, old Aqua-Dest containers or whatever else you can find.
Or (the easy solution!): Have a look around here in the forum using the search function to find out what private users do with old developer and what you can do with old fixer. You can take eco-fascism a bit too far, after all :-)
As for fixers, I hinted at a solution quite clearly between the lines above.
Best regards,
Franz
P.S. And used containers are cleaned thoroughly beforehand anyway. What does the environment make of this unnecessary ‘cleaner’ entry? What sort of ‘cleaner’ is it anyway?
leoz
So for Fomapan, I’d definitely go for Rodinal; Fomapan 100 in a 1:25 Rodinal solution (I’m talking about the medium-format version of the film) gives me really lovely results, and the grain stays very well under control; I scan all my negatives as well.
And a bottle of Rodinal lasts an age, both in terms of the amount of developer and the expiry date.
I’ve still got mine from when I first started with B&W photography – that was two years ago. Then I took a break, and now I’m back at it, but this time in medium format. And the Rodinal bottle is still at least half full, if not three-quarters full.
I hope you have a great time.
Rudolphono
Thanks for the suggestions – I’ve ordered the ATM 49 and, with the measurements and everything else, I’ve got everything I could possibly want.
I’ve ordered some small brown glass bottles for 150ml.
From one litre of stock solution, I get 6 portions of 166.6ml each; if I perform a 1+2 dilution on these samples, I have exactly 500ml. That fills the Jobo Uni Tank nicely.
If the 166.6ml doesn’t fit into the jars, I’ll just have to make the stock solution a bit thicker – that shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll just have to dilute it 1+2.2. <_<
Once again, huge praise to the team at FOTOIMPEX.
The email order was processed straight away and the order confirmation was very informative.
I also find browsing the PDF catalogue much nicer than an online shop.
It’s really fun spending money here. :)
cfb_de
And where’s your old fixer?
Best regards,
Franz
Rudolphono
And where’s your old fixer?
Best regards,
Franz
That’s for the mother-in-law.
Nah... I don’t even have a mother-in-law.
It’ll be stashed away in a big 10-litre plastic container for now.
cfb_de
And then what? Carted off to the hazardous waste collection point, perhaps?
We can do without this ridiculous transport of water, followed by the wasteful burning of fossil fuels (aka the “incineration of hazardous waste” consisting of 98% water).
Key terms include “steel wool” (disgusting stuff), “dithionite”, “electrolysis”. This is used to fill the silver, and the residue can be poured down the drain or, in the case of electrolytic silver filling, even reused after regeneration. You then only need to take a few grams of residue to the hazardous waste collection point.
Best regards,
Franz
Rudolphono
So how do I go about using the steel wool?
I understand the chemistry behind it.
Do I just throw a bit of steel wool into my used fixer and filter it after a while?
Let the sludge dry and take it to the recycling centre?
Regards, Ralph
cfb_de
Yes. Add steel wool (note: steel wool from a lathe won’t work!), leave it for a few days (though it works better if stirred), filter it and discard the residue.
Best regards,
Franz
Rudolphono
I’m not familiar with the term ‘iron wool’.
Does that refer to the steel wool used for polishing in workshops?
Or is there a special type of ‘iron wool’ with a different alloy composition designed for specific applications?
cfb_de
I’m not familiar with the term ‘iron wool’.
Does this refer to the steel wool used for polishing in workshops?
Or is there a special type of ‘iron wool’ with a lower or different alloy content designed for specific applications?
The steel wool most commonly used for cleaning is too highly alloyed (and therefore electrochemically too noble) to be used for silver plating.
You need low-alloy steel wool, preferably without chromium and nickel. So just iron and a few per cent carbon. Hence the name “iron wool”. This is produced as a waste product during the metalworking of inexpensive workpieces.
Either you source the right stuff from a metalworking shop or you buy it from a chemical supplier (though in that case, the dithionite solution will work out cheaper).
Best regards,
Franz
Rudolphono
Well, I don’t have a suitable place for dithionite.
Structural steel would be suitable, but that would only produce swarf when drilled.
I’ve got a source for aluminium swarf. Aluminium is also much lower down the electrochemical series than silver.
Can I use that as well? It’s just relatively large. But I’ve got a 10-litre container and plenty of time.
Regards, Ralph
cfb_de
Aluminium fits the electrochemical series, but it still won’t work: that’s because it becomes passivated.
Best regards,
Franz
Rudolphono
That's right.
I really should have thought of that myself.
So where can I get hold of this steel wool?
Or are there any other alternatives?
