Temperature of Fim Developer

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I am new at this project and have set up my darkroom in my garage. Keep in mind I live in Texas. Specifically, when I'm ready to process my film, as a result of the containers being kept in the garage it's takes for every using water and ice to acquire 68 degrees. Any suggestion on an easy and quick process to obtain 68 degrees. Assistance please.

-- Y. Hafiz (Hafizdesigns@yahoo.com), June 06, 1999

Answers

Since I live in sunny (usually) California, I have the same problem. Thats why I dilute the developer 1:1 with water. If you need 16 oz. of developer, start with 8 oz. of straight developer and take the temp. Since it will probably be over 68 degrees you then add about 7 oz. of water thats just over 68 degrees. Then add ice and stir while. taking the temperature. The temp should come down to 68 as the ice is melting. Pour a little more water in until the level is 16 oz. and remove the ice just as it reaches 68 deg. This is a lot faster than putting your canister of developer in ice water. You can do the same thing with the rest of your chemicals to get them all the same temp during the entire process. Good luck.

-- Greg (wca@idt.net), June 06, 1999.

Why in the world do you guys need 68F? Most modern films are prehardened and will easily withstand 80F+.

-- John Hicks / John's Camera Shop (jbh@magicnet.net), June 07, 1999.

I live in Texas too, and I routinely process films at temperatures between 75 and 80 degrees. If my water is hotter than that, I simply add a little refrigerated water to get it below 80. I try to make sure my pre-soak water is at the same temperature as the developer.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edbuffaloe@earthlink.net), June 07, 1999.

because John while reticulation isn't problem anymore, 80 deg does play hell with grain (kinda makes it look like amoebas).

-- trib (linhof6@hotmail.com), June 07, 1999.

> 80 deg does play hell with grain

Have you ever directly compared them?

-- John Hicks / John's Camera Shop (jbh@magicnet.net), June 07, 1999.



Besides, my tap water is only around 74 degrees. I'd rather cool it off a few degrees than warm it up. Adding ice gives me better control than trying to add hot tap water. At 80 deg. isn't the dev. time too short to maintain accuracy with push/pull processing?

-- Greg (wca@idt.net), June 08, 1999.

Check out Diafine for film development. It is insenstive to temperture between 70 and 85, time and agitation.

-- Gene Crumpler (nikonguy@worldnet.att.net), June 08, 1999.

I can certainly relate to the frustrations of temperature and development times-- temperatures outside the ranges provided in Kodak's table for development in XTOL. But because temperature vs. development appears to be a logarithmic function, I did a little math and statisitics to solve my problems.

I did so by first finding the logarithm of the development times provided by Kodak (Pub. J-107), thereby making temperature (Celsius) vs. logTime a linear relationship. Then I did a linear regression analysis to determine the equation of the line. And while the coorelation coeffecient (R^2) is not as strong as one might like (r^2 for HP5+, EI800 in XTOL 1:3=0.99787), the whole concept has worked well thus far.

As an example, the equation for HP5+, EI800 in 1:3 XTOL is: logTime= (-0.04485)(Temp C)+ 2.25152. Simply insert the developer temp (Celsius) and solve; remembering to take the antilog of the answer.

Alternatively, one might alson consider visiting the Ilford website (http://www.ilford.com/html/us_english/bw_chart.html#tempconv) and downloading their temperature conversion graph.

Finally, I should add a few disclaimers: (1) I am an amateur, so my present goal is good composition, (2) I also do mostly medium format so grain is less of an issue, (3) I've applied this method to XTOL only, and (4) the most extreme temperatures I've developed at are 61F and 87F.

Should all of this be clear as mud, email me and I'll try to expound

-- Wes (sechlerw@missouri.edu), June 15, 1999.


Two thoughts on the matter: First, anybody out there remember Panathermic-X? A liquid film developer great for any temperature. To get even results you simply adjusted time to their chart. Second, I've used condoms filled with ice cubes useful to lower temp w/out diluting. Works just fine. Two or three of them stuck in a graduate of developer for a couple of minutes reduces the temperature quite quickly.

-- Standish Lawder (sdl@sni.net), June 24, 1999.

PMK is said to respond nearly linearly to temperature changes in the range of 70-80F. For each degree above 70F you decrease your nominal time by 4%. So one way to deal with temperature variation is accept the temperatures that Mother Nature gives you that day and adjust the time.

Myself, I persist in messing around with water baths and ice cubes to get everything to be 70F. Old habits die hard, I guess.

-- Don Karon (karon@ibm.net), June 26, 1999.



Temp. of film developer

When I first began developing my own films, (in the 1960's), I found that the beakers measuring devices sold in camera stores were not tempered and would break when put over burners on a stove. (I developed color slide, also, and had to get the chemicals' temperatures to 100 degrees +/- 1/2 a degree) I began buying Pyres 32 oz. measuring cups and found that I could take them from the burner on a stove and put them in a refrigerator without worrying about them breaking. Now, when I have developer that is over 75 degress, I put it in a Pyrex measuring cup, (along with my stop bath, fixer, orbit bath and photo flow, and put them in the refrigerator with a thermometer in each, and monitor the temperatures until they reach that which I will use for the day. Normally about 72 to 75 degrees. I have never developed at more than 76 degrees, but believe it should be possible. Why not keep a used refrigerator and Pyrex measuring cups in your garage, and try this. Hope this helps. David Huffman

-- H. David Huffman (craptalk@ix.netcom.com), July 07, 1999.

I live in Ottawa, Ontario, and I have the opposite problem.

Try keeping your chemicals in a deep tray of water at approximately 68:F. Ditto for your developing tank, and you should be able to maintain the chosen temperature.

When I work in an unheated basement, where the air temperature is 5:C (41:F), I use a water bath of TWO degrees Farenheit ABOVE the temperature I want to maintain. Since your problem is the opposite of mine, you may want to try a water bath of two degrees LESS.

The way to test is to get your developer to exactly 68:F, and pour it into the developing tank. When development is done, catch the developer as you pour it out of the tank and check the temperature. I was starting with 68:F developer going into the tank and getting 66:F when I was done developing, hence my recommendation of two degrees more.

I can only fantasize about a darkroom which is too HOT; try dragging a 4X5 view camera, camera bag and accessories on a toboggan while you attempt to walk over the snow (but mostly through it) when the temperature is -25:C (-13:F)!

-- Terrence Brennan (tbrennan@hotmail.com), September 20, 1999.


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