Re: developing film negatives

This seem like a few basic questions but here goes. I recently just
processed my first 8x10 and 4x5 film in trays in total darkness because I
was worried about the light from the Gralab. Will the classic Gralab 300 fog
film? It seems so bright. Is there a timer that functions like a metronome
in that it beeps/buzzes every 30 seconds/minutes/etc. Also I would welcome
any tips on handling and processing the film. The rotation from top to
bottom was okay but I scratched the emulsion on a couple of sheets of the
8x10. This feels like orders of magnitude in complexity from my days 35mm
and 120 days.
Another question is how do other people keep their chemistry at a constant
temp. I ask this because my darkroom is in the basement and if the outside
temp is below 32 degrees Fahrenheit or 0 Celsius my darkroom is about 55-60
degrees Fahrenheit or about 15 degrees Celsius (pardon my rough conversion).
Needless to say processing film at that temp is painfully slow but some of
my first sheets of film were thin from underdevelopment because the
chemistry had cooled off from 75 degrees to about 62 degrees in 10 minutes.
Now that I've made some big film negs I am hooked. It's really amazing. I
contact printed the thin negs anyway and it was a pleasure looking at the
detail, despite the mud. Any practical tips would be appreciated.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Gordon J. Holtslander" <holtsg@duke.usask.ca>
To: <pinhole-discussion@spitbite.org>
Sent: Sunday, March 28, 2004 12:05 AM
Subject: RE: [pinhole-discussion] developing film negatives

Hi:

People have used opaque tubes - ABS plastic
http://remarque.org/~tox/photography/juryrig/filmtubes.htm

 or commercially made btzs tubes
http://www.viewcamerastore.com/product_info.php?cPath=27_74&products_id=36
http://www.viewcamerastore.com/files/film_tubes.pdf

 or
even jobo processors for sheet film.
http://www.jobo-usa.com/products.htm

I used to shoot lots of 4x5 film with lens cameras (I confess). It is
not difficult to tray process a number of sheets at one time. This is the
cheapest way to process sheet film.

Its done in total darkness. You have to carefully lay everything out so
you can find things in the dark.

You need a timer with an audible alarm that can easily be turned on in the
dark. I usually used a gralab timer with a flourescent dial - nice to
know that the timer is working.

I usually used three trays, one for developer, one for stop and one for
fixer.

In the dark the film is pulled out of the holders and stacked so a single
sheet can easily be grabbed. One by one the sheets are placed in the
developer tray. Once all the sheets are in, the sheet on the bottom is
carfully pulled out and placed on the top of the stack and immersed. This
is repeated for the duration of development. Its necessary in order to
provide each sheet of film a fresh dose of unexpired developer.

This has to be done slowly and carefully - but its not difficult.

When the buzzer goes on the timer the stack is moved to the stop tray and
shuffled - and then to the fixer tray and shuffled again.

It sounds a little tedious, but I've developed 100's of sheet of 4x5 film
this way. Its a matter of having an appropriate timer, trays and
patience, to sit in the dark for 15 of 20 minutes. A counter top and stool
to sit on are essential. A radio helps - but one without any lights.

For pinhole cameras I use large format ortho film and tray process one
sheet at a time under safelight. If I could get cheap larger format
panchromatic film I'd use it with pinhole cameras.

Gord

On Wed, 24 Mar 2004, I Zarkov wrote:

> Brad,
> I've been doing pinhole camera photography for about 12 years now shooting
> 4x5" sheet film which I load into a Doran DayLight Sheet film developing
> tank. You can slip a dozen sheets into slots that can be adjusted down
from
> 4x5" to smaller sheet film sizes. It has a light baffle so that once the
> film is loaded into it and the 2 part lid in place all processing can be
> done in roomlight. It's the best! No standing in the dark, no floating
lids,
> just very convenient.
> Adorama has them for $25.95, their product description..."Made of Bakelite
> plastic. Accepts cut film sizes from 35mm to 4x5". Accommodates 12 sheets
at
> one time. Comes complete with individual sheet film loader. Also accepts
> film packs from 2 1/4x 3 1/4" to 4x5". I use 2 of them when I'm doing
batch
> processing. Couldn't work without them. Highly recommeded.
> Peter
> 'No commercial interest, yadda-yadda-yadda..." Premier also used to carry
> them.
>
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---------------------------------------------------------
Gordon J. Holtslander Dept. of Biology
holtsg@duke.usask.ca 112 Science Place
http://duke.usask.ca/~holtsg University of Saskatchewan
Tel (306) 966-4433 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Fax (306) 966-4461 Canada S7N 5E2
---------------------------------------------------------
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Received on Sun Mar 28 14:17:03 2004