Clean my developer?

[zachary]

Should I clean my Diafine? Will it render better images if I do? Id say its less than a year old, but my last batch of film came out quite muddy, but I think it may have been the exposure and not the film?

Im about to shoot a friends engagement pictures on 120 (will be using Ilford hp5) and wondering if I should go ahead and get new developer instead of risking it.

If so, what developer works best with HP5?

[venchka]

In my experience...HP5+ exposed @ 250. Develop in Xtol 1:3. 10 minutes @ 68F in the winter. Continuous agitation. Consult the Ilford time/temp. conversion chart for summer. Last Sunday I was able to hold 75F for 9 minutes. The Tmax 400 was spot on. The HP5+ was over developed but scanned just fine. The chart converted 10 minutes @ 68 to 7 minutes @ 75F.

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/...0208211880.pdf

Camera Co-op has Xtol.

120 HP5+. Xtol 1:3.

[zachary]

Xtol? I dont know. What about just plain ol' D76. How hard is D76 to work with?

[wclavey]

Because you keep the Diafine for a long time, and because the ambient temps here in TX are fairly high, I filter my solutions periodically... I use a coffee filter in a large plastic funnel... while it is filtering, I wash out the storage containers in hot soapy water, rinse well, and then rinse with distilled water.

I have found small mold balls growing in it before... but it did not seem to matter much. And, since I made it in the gallon sizes, every 9-12 months or so (sooner if I was developing a lot of film and the Solution A was going down quickly), I would make a quart size batch of each and add some of the old, filtered solution to it to bring it up to a gallon and then toss the rest.

[venchka]

Originally Posted by zachary

Xtol? I dont know. What about just plain ol' D76. How hard is D76 to work with?

D76 works. Xtol works better. IMHO.

If you don't like the answer, don't ask the question.

Westley confirmed my suspicions about filtering & replenishing.

You didn't ask, but..........

I wouldn't shoot engagements with a single film. I'm also not sure that HP5+ would be my first choice for engagements. I love what HP5+ does with old wood, stone, etc. I think there are better choices for people. Portra, any flavor, for sure. BW400CN is fantastic with people. Tmax 100 & 400 could work too. Now if you want grit, HP5+ in Rodinal will give you lovely grain, even in 120.

[zachary]

I have a box of Fuji 400H (from images ive seen it struck me as the poor mans portra) for most of the shots but they wanted some gritty old-style pictures as well. Thus the high-dollar (in my case anyway as I usually shoot with crappy film for my own fun) Ilford film.

If im wrong on the Fuji 400H call, please let me know.

[venchka]

No clue about Fuji 400H. I have used the 160 versions. Very nice.
You want grit? Delta 3200 will give you grit. I can't find any grain in HP5+. Bummer, hey?

[venchka]

You could pick up everything you need at HEB after work...........

Digitaltruth Photo

[zachary]

It'll be gritty enough. I want them to be able to make out who's in the picture.

[venchka]

Like I said, 120 film, for the most part, doesn't do grit. 16x20s from HP5+ developed in Xtol don't display any grain.

[The Philos]

Push Efke 100 3 stops bathe in Rodinal; GRIT?

[venchka]

Originally Posted by zachary

It'll be gritty enough. I want them to be able to make out who's in the picture.

120 film doesn't get that much grain. Even Delta 3200 in Rodinal with too much agitation only begins to show a hint of grain.

Like this. Click this image for a larger view.



Conversely, HP5+ will be smooth as a baby's bottom.

"That is called grain. It is supposed to be there." 35mm Tmax p3200 in Rodinal with abundant agitation looks like this........

[zachary]

I clearly shouldnt have used the word "grit" as ive obviously gotten you all excited. :)

[wclavey]

Originally Posted by venchka

Conversely, HP5+ will be smooth as a baby's bottom.

...a baby's bottom, slathered with mineral oil and dipped in kitty litter...

Can you tell I don't like HP5 and the boulders (...not grain...) it brings with it... LOL!

[venchka]

Westley,
I don't doubt your results. My results are vastly different.