diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index 59dc122..21cce45 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -196,11 +196,12 @@ * Using specialty tubes made of PVC plumber's pipe to hold the negative during standing * Using minimal contact hangers to hold the film during standing -Formally and properly, stand development should be done with the +~~Formally and properly, stand development should be done with the negatives laying flat in a tray or the equivalent. They should *stand -laying down* not hanging vertically in a tank. My testing suggests -that this is not absolutely necessary and at least one other approach -will work. +laying down* not hanging vertically in a tank.~~ + +(This turns out to not be such a great idea. See [Updates](#updates) +section at the end of this document for more commentary on tray processing.) It's also worth noting that the photographers who pioneered this approach a hundred plus years ago were using very different films and @@ -545,6 +546,50 @@ be fun to try super dilute D-76 some time. +### Update 1-9-2022: What About Tray Processing? + +When I first started on this journey, the common wisdom was that +laying sheets of film flat in a tray was one of the preferred ways to +do low agitation development. + +After extensive fiddling around and some limited attempts at doing +tray processing, I recommend NOT doing this for several reasons: + +* It is very difficult to tray process multiple sheets without + scratching them. + +* Practially speaking, you cannot stack negatives in a tray for low + agitation. Each sheet's emulsion needs to be in full contact with + the developer for the shadows to fully develop. + +* My testing strongly suggests that gravity plays a significant role + in draining away development byproducts. I've not tested this, but + I question whether laying a sheet of film face down will have enough + gravitational effect to pull the byproducts to the bottom of the + tray. Perhaps this would work with a deep tray and lots of + developer, but this seems like a clumsy way to deal with the issue. + +In short, tray stand processing may work, but it's clumsy and +unnecessary. For best results, just use minimal suspension to hang +the film vertically well above the bottom of the tank. + + +### Update 1-9-2022: More On The Use Of Reels + +Per the previous update, there is (at least in my experience) +compelling evidence that you reduce the risk of bromide drag when you +let gravity pull away the development artifacts from the film. With +reels, this means suspending them off the bottom of the tank a bit. + +I've been using the faucet adapter that comes with the Kodak Tray +Siphon to do this. I stick the narrow end into the bottom of the reel +and slide the lift rod through it. This raises the reel off the tank +floor about 1 1/2 inches or so. You could also probably use a small +inverted funnel to do this. Another possibility would be to get an +appropriate sized rubber stopper and drill a hole through it to make +room for the lift rod. + + ## Copyright And Use All content here is Copyright (c) 2021 TundraWare Inc., Des Plaines, IL USA