High dilution 1+100

[Katastrofo]

Using HC-110, 1+100 which is only 3ml to 300 ml water. Constant agitation
for first minute then one inversion every 3 minutes. Dev time was 28 minutes.
Not bad, but maybe better results if I'd used more developer and
shorter times. Arista Premium 400, Canon A-1 with Series I 70-210 zoom:







I kept the temp at 20C, curious to hear what you think. The developer was my last small 120ml bottle that I purchased a year ago, but there
were no red strings of oxidation in it, looked as new.

[ludoo]

Lots of grain, or is this an effect of scanning it? Detail in the shadows seem to be there, but the highlights seem a bit burned out.

I have nothing to compare it to as I never shot the same film, but as hc-110 is my main (currently only) developer I'm interested in this.

[LucisPictor]

I really need to set-up my darkroom in our guest bathroom again!
(But not tonight since there will be an international friendly : Germany vs. Sweden.)

[F16SUNSHINE]

My first impression is they look very good.
One thing to try would be fewer inversions and longer time
The highlights take less time to develop and use up the developer more quickly than shadow details.
Experiment and see. Another thing I find is to "hold back" faster films when using diluted or spent developer.
For example I like to shoot tmax400 as 100 and then "stand" develop in old or paper developer. Looks great for portraits.
It's not really stand as I give some inverts but not Many.

[Katastrofo]

Thanks for your comment, fellas!

Andy, I used Massive Dev chart for this, but the times they gave was
27-30 mins. If I had cut inversions down to 30sec initially and one inversion
say every 5 minutes, might have gotten better results, will see next time.

Thanks for the gouge on TMAX 400!

[martinsmith99]

Tones and sharpness look fine to me, but I don't get that much grain from 1:50 Rodinal & HP5/Tri-X.

What did the negs look like and did you boost the contrast when scanning?

[Orio]

It would be interesting to see two rolls with the same subjects and (if possible) taken in the same moments, one developed normally, the other with the 1+100 technique. And see the differences.

[F16SUNSHINE]

After looking again I think these are great. The slightly burned highlight on the nose in the first one is unavoidable without burying shadow detail with our Epson scanners.
It's likely not the neg but the scanner.
A bit of highlight flter in LR or Aperture and this should tune up just fine.
If you wet printed printed these you could split up the exposure with a different contrast filters and VC paper for a very tonally full print.
The grain looks kick ass! I'm surprised there is so much with this weak developer.
You have me thinking Bill. Thanks!

[Katastrofo]

Martin, I scan negs with no boost to anything, and all settings are off. I did
apply a little contrast in PP. The negs look like the others I did with more
developer in less time, look normal, no fog, etc.

Orio, good idea, may be tough to execute successfully, but worth a try.

Andy, I like HC-110, a lot. That and my Thornton's is all I use. I think high
dilution might be more successful with 120 and larger. I only used a water
stop with this, the thinking was the development was pretty much shot at
28 mins anyway. Then of course used fixer/water bath/clearing.

I don't have LR or a Mac for Aperture, but am thinking about upgrading
my software.

Doing wet prints at home is something I hope to be doing by next spring.
And oh gosh a whole new learning curve!

[marty]

These look good to me. The point of using higher dilutions is to handle high contrast scenes (obtaining a compensating effect that is), since this is the case I'd consider the experiment successful. The grain looks not too much, nor in an objective way neither to my taste. If I remember well Arista 400 is basically Tri-X, so no wonder to me it exhibits a certain amount of grain. That said I think the grain can be evaluated properly only looking it on a print, looking at a scan has never been discriminant in this regard to me that is.

Cheers, M.

[Katastrofo]

Marty, thanks for your thoughts, will do more experimenting.

[fish4570]

They look good to me, Bill, but D76 at a normal time have done about the same, maybe with shadows a little more open. Of course, I have experience only with D76 and Tmax ...

[Katastrofo]

Thanks, Paul, I'm trying to arrive at the best way to develop Arista Premium
and my Thornton's isn't, but does well with medium format (and those that
use it for LF film). Another from the same roll, same result: