Toned print developers.

Print developers add another layer of creativity to the analogue experience. Most of us start out using the manufactures suggested developers and do not move on from this but there is life beyond this with a whole range of cool and warm tone developers to enthrall the eye. You don't have to use these developers with the respective papers but they do add warmth to a cool paper and vices versa.

 

Please don't get me wrong! I started my printing journey with Ilfords Multigrade developer, it still has a well earned place on my print developer shelf. It sits along side a number of other manufacturers toning developers. You need not stop here, for there is a range of powdered developers to consider as well. The choice can be mind boggling so it is a case of picking one that catches your eye and giving it a try.

 

I did this with Moersch 6 blue and it has become a favorite. It has been used with warm, natural and cool tone papers. It produces rich blacks and the highlights have a hint of blueness to them. That's the thing with toning developers they are subtle in their colour. It opens up another way of communicating with the viewer. The thing with these types of developer is the more tone you want the longer the development time and the weaker the mix needs to be. The type of paper being used also influences what sort of tone is produced.

 

Technical data:

All the pictures here were made with medium format film, FP4+ and Foma 100 from a 6x6 negative printed on Silverproof matt paper.

Increasing depth of field (DOF)

Hyperfocal distance is not something that trips off the tongue in this modern age of auto focus. In fact digital camera lenses do not have the facility to take advantage of this compositional tool. You just have to compare today’s lens with yesterdays they don't have aperture settings and therefore you can not play with hyperfocal distance settings.

So what is Hyperfocal distance?

When a lens is set to infinity, the depth of field (D.O.F) closest to the camera is known as the Hyperfocal distance for that aperture. If you have an older lens its barrel will be marked with these distances.

How to change the Hyperfocal distance.

Set the lens focus to infinity, and then read the lower mark for whatever aperture you have set. If you then refocus the lens to the lower mark known as the optimum distance you will increase your depth of field by fifty per cent of the optimum.

For example:

This was made using a
 telephoto lens at close distance.
 The use of hyperfocal distance has
 pulled the area of sharp focus
to the front of the ball.

I have used an old 50mm Nikon lens (pictured) to show how it works. I have set the focus to infinity and the aperture to F16. The good thing about this lens is that it shows the upper and lower limits of each aperture with lines on the lens barrel. Looking to the right (marked A) you can see that the last line on the lens barrel is opposite the five meter mark (about fifteen feet). By resetting the focus to optimum in this case five (A). Then look at the lower limit (marked B) for F16, it is about two and a half meters (eight and half feet). The resetting will extend the overall sharpness of the picture by an extra two and a half meters which is 50 percent of the optimum.

The longer the lens the greater the increase is. For argument, an 80 mm lens with an aperture of F22 set, would have a depth of field from 2.8 meters all the way to infinity when optimum focus is used. Instead of 5.6 meters to infinity.

If  hyperfocal distance had been
used with this picture the
 front post would be sharp.
 

In some cases where you do not have aperture lines on the barrel of the lens some cameras and lenses have a shut down button. This allows you to see before you press the shutter where the hyperfocal distance ends. So you can adjust it if needs be.

Being able to increase the depth of field (D.O.F) can be very useful when using medium and long telephoto lenses for subjects close to the lens, allowing narrow fields of sharpness to be moved. This makes sure the front of the item is in focus.

Street Photography part 3

 

It was a wise decision to use the look down viewfinder. It has aloud me
to make some extreme angle and candid images without to much fuss. If
someone catches my eye after making an image of them I always offer a card
so they can get in touch if they would like a copy of the image.

You get some looks when people suddenly realized that you may have included
them in a picture and or have a camera in your hand. You become a demon
that needs a scowl to keep you at bay so they can carry on their way with
there soul intact . I'm pleased to say there are others only to happy to chat.
But here is the rub I do not always print my images to include all the detail and
therefore they may only be a shadow.

 

I have found that the longevety of a project can be dependent on the kit you
use. Which bring me onto the camera system this can help or hinder the
possiblities in some cases. I know some people think I'm cracked to be lugging
a round a Bronica SQAi and that it is film based. You have to remember that it
is a pro set up meaning by changing the viewfinder I have a new angle of view
and therefore a different composition with the same lens, film combination. By
doing this it keeps the possibilities fresh. Likewise a change of lens would do
the same along with a change of film format from 120 to say 35mm.

 

The Bronicas look down viewfinder shows the picture back to front where left is
right, right is left. This can change the look of the compostion making it or
bracking it. It can also be frustrating when it comes to dealing with a fast moving
street scene. This is where familatery with the way the camera works comes
into play.

 There are no rules to street photograph you do not have to use the same kit all
the time as hinted at above it is good to mix it up by doing so it keeps it fresh.
Oh! And Keep an open mind.

 

 Time moves on and so do I with camera in hand scouting for the next picture.

 

 

 

Techinal Data:

Monochrome images scanned from prints using flat bed scanner.  Ilford multigrade RC paper.

Pictures and article are the copyright of Mitch Fusco 2023.

Here are links to Previous posts  on Street photography project if you have missed them.

Street part 2 

Street part 1 

 

The soviets answer to the panaramic camera.

I used to have a twitter feed, Photomi7ch, during the middle part of the other year. I
started to see references in my feed to a camera call FT2. My first thought was
they were talking about Nikon's Nikkormat FT2 as it was the only camera I knew of by this designation but the tweets did not make sense. I had some
how missed part of the plot.

 It was a wired sensation to note that the internet search suggested what I
stated above. In among all the Nikon references was a single mention of a
Russian camera call the FT2 panoramic things were starting to make sense.

On further investigation there is a whole world of soviet cameras that I was not
aware of. Obviously I knew that the eastern block produced cameras but not
such a plethora, the most well known being Zenit, Zorky and Prakticar The
dismissive way people treat these cameras from the soviet era in general is
unfounded. They are well made in what could be called an agricultural way and
do the job simply in comparison to the finesse of western offerings. I think
we spend to much time comparing and not enough time using them to there
best. It is a hang up of an art form that requires tech to produce the art work.
Loosing sight of what is important. The photograph.

The FT2 was produced between 1958 and 65 producing 16,000 of them during
that time. They made two main models series 1 and 2 the difference between
them was a leaver on the base plate that allow you to adjust a spring that
calibrated the shutter speed.

 The FT2 is a swing lens panorama camera with a fixed length 50mm f/5
industar. The turret moves from right to left traversing the image across a
curved film plan. The shutter speeds are set by the positioning of two brake
leavers on the top of the body. This allows the lens to swing at 1/60,
1/100,1/200 and 1/400 of a second. These are set independently of the film
advance. Uses 35mm film set for use with 36 exposure canister's. This gives
the user twelve exposures of 110 mm long.

 

Now we know what the box does, what is it like? It has a substantial feel to it
weighing in at 643 grams empty. It is a flattened cube measuring approx.
120mm long, 85mm wide and 50mm deep with a simple fold up view finder.
When you are looking down at the top of the camera in both hands it reminds
me of those wind up cine cameras . A definite feel of purpose when being used.

The camera has been sitting around for sometime waiting for me to come up
with a plan of action. It is not straight forward to use film wise. It comes with
four special film containers that you have to load with film. That cannot be
loaded from a bulk film loader. As the canisters have a different wind on
connection.

 

 

I decided to play it safe and unreel a loaded film. I say safe it was a very out
dated roll of Agfa APX 100. I came at it from the point of view that if I balls it
up completely it would not matter so much as if it had been fresh film stock. In
a blacked out darkroom I transferred the film into the FT2 film canister's. It

went surprisingly well including the loading of them into the camera still in
complete black out. By doing this you don't not loose a frame to daylight which
would suggest thirteen frames instead of twelve.

With the camera challenge fast approaching I was ready to take part camera
check, black and white film check, topic season.
It was a bright early morning with the sun not that high off the top of the ridge
at south common with some wonderful mottle cloud against a blue sky. As
suggested I used the camera hand held, pointed it in the direction of scene I
wanted to capture and pressed the shutter button. In the blink of an eye the
lens had traversed a 120 degrees of view clonk I don't know what I was
expecting but was a little disappointed with the action.

It takes three and a half turns of the winder to pull the next frame into place. I
noticed straight away that it felt like the film was slipping, that maybe the spool
was not holding the film firmly enough? Now't I can do so carried on.

 
Before I new it the film was finished.

To the darkroom, it was a little bit of a struggle to relice the back from the
body of the camera. Apart from that the rest went smoothly. Three quatres of an hour later the wet film was hanging up drying.

 I had nine good looking negatives I think that maybe the three and a half turns
was to much and the slipping did not help. Next time I will allow for it. Under
the circumstances it was a good result.

 I have always enjoyed the panoramic format of image making. It is more in
tune with the way we see the world but more detailed.

 

Techinal data:

Agfa APX 100 developed at box speed in HC110 for 6 mins 1+37. 

Pictures and article are the Copyright Mitch Fusco 2023 

 

 

 
 

 

Picture post, Personaly processed slide film.

 Developed using the Fuji Hunt chrome 6 kit.

 

 

These were scanned using a flat bed scanner.

All the slide film used is Fuji Provia, RMS 120

Cameras used Bronica SQAi 6x6 negatives, Zero Pinhole multi format 6x9, Praktica MTL3.

 

All images are the copyright of Mitch Fusco 2022

E6 processing? youve got to be cracked!

Processed using Fuji Hunt chrome 6

 

Who's idea was it to process E6 film? I think the COVID 19 vaccine and lock down has addled my brain. Before we were trounced by COVID a friend had a stash of out dated slide film that he wanted to off load for a consideration. I considered, the films became mine. 

Fuji Hunt chrome 6, out of the box.

It was a mix of Fujichrome Sensia 100 35mm and MS 100/1000, some Provia 100f in120 format all from the early years of the millennium. He stated he did not know if they were any good because they had not been kept in a fridge. I told him no worries. 

 

I thought I would have some fun with this film because of the dubious nature of the storage. With no particular plan or theme I went a snapping before I new it I had used nearly a dozen rolls mainly 120 format. Some with my Pinhole camera but mainly the Bronica SQAi. 

 

Some of the film to be developed.

After a little research I found that there were a number of E6 processing kits the trouble was the one I would have liked to use was out of stock at a number of suppliers due to the lock down. I settled on the Fuji hunt Chrome 6X processing kit, I say settled did not have much choice. With hind sight this may have been a good choice. 

 

 

I received it really quickly from AG Photographic thanks guys. I opened the box to be presented with seven bottles of chemicals in different sizes and 7 pages of instructions I was not expecting that. It deflated my enthusiasm some what.

 

New bottles for litre dilution.

 

I should own up to the fact that I have never been that interested in developing my own slide film hence my comments at the beginning with the kit sitting in front of me I suppose I better get to grips with it. I read the instructions a couple of times chucked them back in the box and kicked it in to the darkroom. 

 

Some many month later I pulled the instruction out of the box again this time with a determination to get some film processed, about time! The first thing to note is once the bottles have been opened the first developer, reversal bath, pre bleach 2, colour developer last a max of six weeks. Which is a bit of a bummer what is also a bummer is this kit will make 5 litres of each chemical that is 35 litres in total, with a darkroom as small as mine that is a none starter I do not have the space to store it. you guessed it kicked back into the darkroom. If this carries on for to much longer maybe I should take up football instead. 

Instructions.

A few more month later I have got to grips with the instructions found a man on the bay that has supplied me with eight individual litre bottles and caps for roughly the same in pounds. I have also recalculated the chemical quantities to make a litre of each. I’m dancing in the rain now. 

 

Having watched E6 processing on the tube you are lead to assume that it will be straight forward the truth is that approaching this for the first time there are a whole load of pit falls that can beset this notion. Without mentioning some of these you cannot be prepared for them. For example: chemicals that started out at the right temperature are not when you come to use them, you cannot get the Dev tank lid sit properly allowing it to leak, you forget what comes next. 

 

 

What follows is the methodology and ideas to negate some of the pit falls during the procedure. 

 

Hot water holding tray.

You can but it is not necessary to have a water heater or some form of temperature control unit. I maintained the required levels by using boiling, hot and cold water. You will need about an hour and a half to process the film [s] if using hot/boiling water method. 

 

There are nine steps in the processing of slide film, two lots of temperature and two sets of agitation with total darkness and daylight sections Ooooh! my head is spinning just writing this. To keep things straight and more free flowing I produced an idiot list for reference. Numbering each step with the corresponding number on the bottle for easy recognition. 

 

Hot water tempering bowl with boiling water jug.

OK! let the fun begin, Just so you know I processed all the film at box speed. The first part of the development should be done in total darkness when I read this I though you must be having a giraffe can you imagine all the trouble you can get yourself into bearing in mind there are four steps to this bit alone two of which are washes. Needless to say I took a punt and did it all in daylight this turned out to be a very shroud move. 

 

I had three baths of water, two hot, one to initially heat all the chemicals bring them almost to temp and the other as a tempering bath where I put the developing tank, jug of hot water and the bottles of chemicals I was about to use to bring them up to using temperature if need be. Checked with a thermometer. The cold water bath was for those that exceeded the needed heat. 

Fuji Provia

The [1] first developer gurgled into the developing tank at 38 degrees I filled it until I could see the liquid in the center hole put the lid on, tapped the tank several times to remove any air bubbles, inverted it 8 times in the first 15 secs putting it back in the tempering tank then inverting twice every 30 seconds. For the 7 minute Dev time.

 

When the time was up I poured the Dev back in the tank. There followed two, minute washes now this is where the jug of hot water in the tempering bowl comes into play. They have the same agitation as the developer. Once you have used the water it is a good idea to refill the jug with boiling to help keep the water of the tempering bowl stable. At the same time this is happening the [2] Reversal 2 bath needs to be brought up to temperature which should be between 33 to 39 degrees. 

 

Pinhole double exposures Fuji Prova

The reversal bath went in for 2 mins tap the tank with one inversion at the start. Trouble struck, I could not get the lid to seal while mucking about, I forgot to put the [3] Colour developer in the tempering bath to bring it up to 38 degrees. It is important to get this spot on. There was a 2 minute delay in pouring in the developer it takes roughly 1 min per degree for the boiling water to bring a litre up to temperature.

What seemed like a weeks wait the colour developer went in for 6 mins, tap the tank several times to remove air bubbles from the film invert 7 to 8 times in the first 15 seconds and then twice every 30 secs. Placing it back in the tempering bath.

 

While we wait for the developer to do its trick I should mention safety. I found this processes a lot messier than black and white developing. It is a good idea to wear gloves and a plastic pinny which turned out to be a good call on my part as I spilled some of it down me. The room needs to be well ventilated although the chemicals are not that pungent they give off a lot of vapor due to the heat. 

 

Fuji Provia showing light damage

[4]Pre-Bleach 2 went in for 2 mins at 33-39 degrees, it was about in the middle temp wise, several tank taps, invert once and back into tempering tank.

Another glitch again I forgot to put the Bleach into the tempering tank fortunately I only needed to raise the temperature to 33 degrees plus just a short delay.

With the [5] Bleach at 35 degrees it was poured in for 7 mins tank tapped to clear bubbles, inverted 8 times in first 15 sec and the twice every 30 sec. 

 

 

This is turning into an epic, I understand why people batch develop their slide film it is a long haul to what I’m used to. I keep forgetting but you can fit two rolls of 120 film on the same reel and with a tank that can take two reels at once this is a big saving in time.

Now it is time to [6] Fix for 4 mins at 33-39 degrees, tap tank, invert 8 times in the first 15 seconds and then twice every 30 secs. This time I had remembered to put the fix in the tempering tank so when it was poured in it was about 37 degrees. A quick word about contamination it is inevitable as you go a long the process that the dregs of the previous stage will adulterate what come next it is only a problem if it go’s against the flow e.g. fix into bleach. 

Fuji Provia a frame from damaged film

Finally the Wash, it is for me as I do not use wash aid it is suggested that you wash in running water for 6 mins I chose to to use six changes of water with twenty four inversion with a minute stand between each. By using this method I saved 5 liters of water that I could reuse to flush the bog. I’m pleased that is over I felt like I have been on a marathon and I’ve only got ten more to do. It has got to be time for a cup of tea before I share the results.

Ah! just what the doc ordered. with all that has gone on with getting the film processed, you would think that the results would be a total shambles. I’m astonished at how good they are, colour saturation is spot on with no over development.

 

 

The results:

Eight rolls of slide film were developed it took over all about five hours over three days. All of them were spot on with the development. Of the three rolls of 35mm one roll had nowt on it half of it being clear the other black I think this is a camera fault and not processing as the other two roll were perfect. The rolls of 120 were all developed correctly with good colour saturation but suffered from camera problems in being over and under exposed and One of the film back had a light leak.

My initial thoughts on this process is never again it took a lot longer than I would have liked. Now that sometime has passed my thoughts have moved on to never say never. 

 

 For more slide pictures click this link Picture post personally processed 

All words and images in this article are the copyright of Mitch Fusco 2022