Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/02/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Chris wrote >I'm getting what appears to be fogged film with lines emanating from sprocklet holes. Or, could it be underdevelopment? I'm using what I think is fresh Ilford HC, but it is very thick--pours like glycerin. It's the first time I've used this developer, so I have no idea if this its normal consistency. Is it?< Ilford HC? Or do you mean Kodak HC-110? If you do, then I really don't advise the use of the high-concentrate stuff (which pours like glycerine) for small batches. It does not pour well, is a SOB to measure, is unforgiving, and in any case HC-110 comes in a low-concentrate version which is a _lot_ easier to deal with. (But just as ugly.) If you mean Ilford Ilfotec-HC, then the same comments apply, except I don't know if you can get it in a lower concentration stock. A few years ago my then assistant and I did a series of tests on a range of developers, and we found that these high-concentrate devs were more trouble than they were worth. They are designed for machine processing in commercial labs where high batch-to-batch consistency is required and storage is an issue. The only high-concentration dev we got along with was Agfa Rodinal, which at least flows well and is therefore easier to measure in small doses, but even that has a quality which I dislike. All of these developers seem to have very little or no compensating action. (I have since learned that adding sulfite to Rodinal helps here.) It's a pity that Ansel Adams went on so much about HC-110 in his work- it might be fine for a perfectly controlled Zone system negative, but its lack of compensation makes it a poor choice for mere mortals, and particularly when you're using roll film rather than sheet. I think there are probably legions out there who have read his work, tried HC-110, and decided to give up! My advice is to stop using the concentrated devs and go to a conventional fine-grain compensating developer like D76/ID11. (Alternatively Kodak Xtol has a great following; I can't recommend it because I have not tried it yet- I'll correct that soon.) You will have to make up larger batches, but the stuff is so cheap, you just chuck what's left after the recommended storage period, which is 3-6 months. (Longer for Xtol.) As to your precise symptoms, the streaks leading from the sprocket holes usually mean insufficient agitation, and it will be worse with HC-110 or Ilfotec because of their lack of compensation. Without seeing the negs and your technique it's hard to be chapter-and-verse, but I think you're using the wrong dev, the solution is way too concentrated and this has all been compounded by the agitation regime. It's in line with the kind of hassles my assistant had when we did those tests. If you want to know more than you thought you ever could about darkroom technique, hang around the following newsgroup for a few weeks. I assure you there are people there who are very much more knowledgeable than this simple smudger! rec.photo.darkroom Hope this helps Rod