xtol
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CaeSiuM said:Don't think it's available in Singapore right? Has the same "everything good" reputation as DD-X but have never tried it. If you're getting some from overseas, can I "tompang"?
Try Rodinal with sodium ascorbate added for a substitute if you can't get Xtol.
DD-X gives you fine pleasing grain even if you push the film hard... have printed 12x16 for 35mm Neopan pushed to ISO 2400, very nice tonality still w/o that 'pushed' look considering the print size!
DD-X is like my Martell Blue Label and is freaking expensive ($28 per 1-lit bottle, 1+4 mix, 1 shot, can you beat that?). Only use it for 120 film or personal work.
Where to find sodium ascorbate?
canturn said:
Agrees with you about DD-X. I use it extensively with Neopan 400 and I used to hate the looks but further experimentation proved fruitful. Neopan 400 shot at 250 in DD-X 1+9 looks very very pleasing especially for human subject.
Back to your question about sodium ascorbate. You can get it off pharmacies IIRC. I got mine in powder through a friend working in a pharmaceutical lab. It's a form of Vitamin-C actually. The common ones are sodium ascorbate and calcium ascorbate.
You can find the mixing ratio at unblinkingeye
developer affects the grain look,Tmax developer are fine grain developer,but dun leave them on the shelf after opening for too long.
my default developer is HC-110,like the grain and contrast it gives the film.
agfa rodinal will have a grainy and edgy look..
Like wad canturn says,Ilford DDX is the martell cordon bleu..produce very nice fine grain negatives,at a "premium" if u compare with other developer..
Temperature also another factor that will affect the grain look,try to keep the fixer at 20deg as well.
my default developer is HC-110,like the grain and contrast it gives the film.
agfa rodinal will have a grainy and edgy look..
Like wad canturn says,Ilford DDX is the martell cordon bleu..produce very nice fine grain negatives,at a "premium" if u compare with other developer..
Temperature also another factor that will affect the grain look,try to keep the fixer at 20deg as well.
Let me quote from Bruce Barnbaum "The Art of Photography" 3 edition
" If sharpness or smooth grain are prime considerations, then it is best to recognise that the slower speed films have finer grain and generally better sharpness than faster films. But how do the various developers affect their images? My experience indicates that the film itself, along with the length of development, but not the developer per se, determines the final outcome to the greatest extent.
... it would be difficult to show that grain or sharpness varied significantly from one developer to another....
There are people who claims that certain combinations are clearly superior to others, but even after examining the "evidence carefully, I remain unimpressed.
The difference ranged from extreme subtlety to nonexistence, and are of marginal importance."
" If sharpness or smooth grain are prime considerations, then it is best to recognise that the slower speed films have finer grain and generally better sharpness than faster films. But how do the various developers affect their images? My experience indicates that the film itself, along with the length of development, but not the developer per se, determines the final outcome to the greatest extent.
... it would be difficult to show that grain or sharpness varied significantly from one developer to another....
There are people who claims that certain combinations are clearly superior to others, but even after examining the "evidence carefully, I remain unimpressed.
The difference ranged from extreme subtlety to nonexistence, and are of marginal importance."
i would suggest printing 8R from 35mm film from diff developer and judge for ur self.
i find scanning it and blowing 100% almost always look grainy..
i get very nice result doing 5R from 35mm and 8R from 120..
the key word to developing is Constant..Do everything the same way..so that u can get the same result over and over again..
more violent agitation = more grain..
i find scanning it and blowing 100% almost always look grainy..
i get very nice result doing 5R from 35mm and 8R from 120..
the key word to developing is Constant..Do everything the same way..so that u can get the same result over and over again..
more violent agitation = more grain..
He!he!.......what is so low about developing films myself?......even Andre Kertezs did it himself in the early days.......I am not secretive, I am just forgetful, all my film developing times are not the same........leading to thicker negs these days.....and my downstair neighbour complaining about too much nightly noise in my bedroom....but they don't know I am all alone!kahheng said:
Hong Sien
icarus said:
Wah, bartendering your film during the developing process, you'll blow the contrast man...
You want super duper grain? Just develop it at 30 degree-c :devil: (don't try)
Agree with HS, the banging is important to dislodge the air bubbles, else you get underdeveloped rings on the negs.
Of course, if you can afford those Jobo drum developer with the motor to agitate for you, you'll get very consistant results.
If you like accentuated grain structure, go for Rodinal. I like that developer for 3 good reasons: Economical (1+25, 1+50...compared to 1+4), Very sharp results, Very good tonality. It doesn't get more grainy, but grains are more accentuated. This is assuming you don't push your film coz Rodinal's not exactly recommended for pushing.
icarus
Senior Member
wow, there so much information flowing around here
ok from what i gather... my agitation is not too good.
1) i need to do 2 inversions in a 'sweeping' motion
2) no bartending
3) no earthquakes
4) bang the tank to dislodge air bubbles after every 2 inversions
Violent bartending = violent grain!
Am i right?
ok from what i gather... my agitation is not too good.
1) i need to do 2 inversions in a 'sweeping' motion
2) no bartending
3) no earthquakes
4) bang the tank to dislodge air bubbles after every 2 inversions
Violent bartending = violent grain!
Am i right?
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