I feel like a newbie

Asha

Asha

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Asha
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Having used nothing more than LF sheet film for some time now, I have come to realise that my roll film processing knowledge has gone away on permanent holiday!

So I have a roll of FP4 , 120 format , exposed at 125 iso to develop in HC-110 solution B

According to the MDC, the duration at 20C is 9 minutes.

Now this seems somewhat long to me as I soup the same in sheet film format for 7mins 30 seconds.

Don’t ask how or where I got that timing from as I have no recollection but for 5x4 and larger it works fine.

Anyway I ask you guys for advice given that you shoot roll film much more frequently than I.

Am I correct in 30 secs agitation then a few inversions each minute thereafter?

All advice greatly appreciated before I soup (or should that say stuff!!) this roll.
 
I give it 10 seconds agitation to start with and then 10 secs every minute. That usually means 3 inversions for me. Would your sheet film time be for continuous agitation in the Orbital, since 15% off the 9 mins would be just about 7.5 mins? (actually 7.65, but near enough)
 
Well, it's been a while since I developed any roll film. My best guess is that the shorter time for sheet film derives from your processing, which is continuous agitation and therefore has a reduced time.

The 30 secs at the start - to remove air bubbles as much as anything - and then a couple of inversions at intervals. Using rodinal, it's a three minute interval on a 16 min developing time.
 
I always go with what MDC suggests and it seems to work fine. I use the MDC app which gives continuous agitation for the first minute and then 10 seconds every minute which is usually around 4 inversions for me.
 
The Ilford info confirms 9 mins in HC-110 Dil B https://www.ilfordphoto.com/amfile/file/download/file/1919/product/688/ and also suggests the following for agitation:
Agitation
Intermittent agitation is recommended for use in spiral tanks and deep tanks. With spiral tanks, invert the tank
four times during the first 10 seconds, then invert the tank four times again during the first 10 seconds of each
further minute. Otherwise, follow the recommendations given by the processing equipment manufacturer.
For sheet film, continuous agitation is recommended in dishes/trays by rocking the dish/tray.
Click to expand...
 
sirch said:
I always go with what MDC suggests and it seems to work fine. I use the MDC app which gives continuous agitation for the first minute and then 10 seconds every minute which is usually around 4 inversions for me.
Click to expand...
This is how I work. Never had a problem even when MDC times seem strange.
 
Peter B said:
I give it 10 seconds agitation to start with and then 10 secs every minute. That usually means 3 inversions for me. Would your sheet film time be for continuous agitation in the Orbital, since 15% off the 9 mins would be just about 7.5 mins? (actually 7.65, but near enough)
Click to expand...
Peter you’re a genius .
I was thinking that perhaps the MDC of 9 mins related purely to roll film or that for some obscure reason they had changed the timing but I think you are right about the continual agitation .
I’ll check MDC against my times for other brands of sheet film that I use to clarify.
 
sirch said:
I always go with what MDC suggests and it seems to work fine. I use the MDC app which gives continuous agitation for the first minute and then 10 seconds every minute which is usually around 4 inversions for me.
Click to expand...

That's bang on what I do. Only caveat being that I start the timer before I pour in the developer so, by the time that's done, it's more like 45 seconds of inversions to take me to the top of the first minute.
 
Asha said:
According to the MDC, the duration at 20C is 9 minutes.

Now this seems somewhat long to me as I soup the same in sheet film format for 7mins 30 seconds.
Click to expand...
Just had another thought but if you browse the MDC website, you should be able to get a feel for what the difference is between the time (in terms of stops). It's likely it's at most just a stop so you're unlikely to ruin the film, but (at worst) it might be a bit over exposed. Is that a terrible thing?
 
Harlequin565 said:
Just had another thought but if you browse the MDC website, you should be able to get a feel for what the difference is between the time (in terms of stops). It's likely it's at most just a stop so you're unlikely to ruin the film, but (at worst) it might be a bit over exposed. Is that a terrible thing?
Click to expand...
Obviously the film latitude would accept the difference no probs and tbh a tad extra exposure would probably be of benefit .
 
FishyFish said:
That's bang on what I do. Only caveat being that I start the timer before I pour in the developer so, by the time that's done, it's more like 45 seconds of inversions to take me to the top of the first minute.
Click to expand...
And I start the timer after I have poured in the developer, I think it just shows that 10 or 15 seconds out of around 500 seconds isn't really a bit deal.
 
Ok guys, thank you for the help.
With a bit of luck I’ll have a dozen hipster negs to show tomorrow.
Now then @Peter B , seeing as you have a better memory than I, where have i stashed the Paterson tank and spirals :thinking::LOL::LOL:
 
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Peter B said:
They're always in the last place you look. :exit:
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Sat here jotting down locations of where to search .

Tomorrow I’ll commence at the bottom of the list.

No doubt I’ll find the tank in the first location that I would have gone to had i ignored your ´advice ´ :facepalm:
 
Asha said:
Sat here jotting down locations of where to search .

Tomorrow I’ll commence at the bottom of the list.

No doubt I’ll find the tank in the first location that I would have gone to had i ignored your ´advice ´ :facepalm:
Click to expand...
They're always in the last place you look because you stop looking when you find them. ;)
 
Mine are usually under the cat, so that might be a good place to start.
 
Asha said:
Now then @Peter B , seeing as you have a better memory than I, where have i stashed the Paterson tank and spirals :thinking::LOL::LOL:
Click to expand...
Only here to add that no one has asked you where the last place was that you had them!
 
Harlequin565 said:
Only here to add that no one has asked you where the last place was that you had them!
Click to expand...
The last time I remember souping roll film was in 2019 upon my return from the uk where I borrowed an slr.
That was before I moved home last year so who knows where the tank might be :runaway:
 
sirch said:
I don't know but if you can tell me where my glasses are I'll help you look
Click to expand...

Top of head is a good place to start looking... After balanced on nose!
 
Found the tank, with a mod 54 insert in it.
Found a second tank …..with another mod 54 insert inside it.
Grovelled around in the depths and came across a tiny single spiral tank with a spiral in it but only for 35mm film!
Jobo tank and LF spirals located , then hallelujah, a tank system four withfive suitable spirals hidden inside .

Loading , even with the film corners cut and working on the bench worktop in the darkroom didn’t initially look promising with the film jamming and trying to crease.
My initial comments after b*ll*x were , ´I wonder if this isn’t why I gave up on roll film ‘ lol
A deep breath , a pause and more patience got the film to play ball.

So to the wet side
A half liter of chems seemed like a huge amount compared to typicallyusing a fifth of that!

Similarly 9 mins and agitating by hand felt somewhat strange ( with the orbital I have a motorised base), however, I have 12 decent looking negatives , one or two perhaps a tad overexposed but having looked at the yellow filter, it only requires a third stop compensation, (out of habit I allowed a full stop.)

The spacing appears to be ok , as does the focusing and there’s no indication of light leakage so overall an excellent result and confirmation that thé yashica functions just fine.

It’ll be interesting to see how I get on with thr roll of 35mm through it that is ready to be loaded once I figure out how to install the adapter kit. ( instruction manual to hand.)

410D0E10-9BCC-47F3-B816-2D62F3327519.jpeg
 
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