Hi all A few days ago the was a thread on this list about Ilford film and developing. I suggested that if development were interrupted by a waterbath, the negs would turn out softer/come out with less contrast. I promised to do some tests. I have done just that. I shot 24 frames (of white cups, backlit), exposing an Ilford FP4+ at 125 ASA by 1/180 sec./F8. I developed in ID11 1+1 for 7 minutes, 21 degrees Celsius. I cut the film in half. One half was developed normally. The development of other half was interupted after 4 minutes by a 3 minute waterbath, then developed again for the last 3 minutes. I have made prints, made exactly the same way. Difference? Very small! Almost zero! The normal negs have a little more density in the highlights (which was expected). By measuring the exact same place (darksest part of neg), I found that the exposure value (time) was 10% larger for the "normal" neg. In the brightest part of the negs, the exposure value was the same (naturally, since the film have no tone in the brightest parts). So, even though the "normal" negs were developed shorter time (no 3 minute waterbath/very, very thin solution), the density in the highlights is higher. So it seems like the waterbath works. But the difference is very small. Measurable? Yes! Visible?Hardly! (I guess developing in stock solution will show a larger difference). To reduce contrast, I think it's more effecient to over expose and under develop. To control the hightlights, as someone put it, we should not over develop (and perhaps don't use stock solution), and of course not over agitate. Best Regards, Jens - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
