Does the development time listed in product specifications for film/developers include the time needed to pour the developer in and out of the tank and pour the stop bath in.

Somewhere I read that you should subtract 30 seconds to allow for this.

Thanks Peter Schauss

-- Peter Schauss (schauss@worldnet.att.net), December 20, 2001

Answers

Peter,

I've heard many different stories as to what to do. Some say to start counting as soon as you start pouring. Some say wait until it is all there. Some pour out early in order to keep the developing time exact. Agitation can have the same confusion. At the top of the minute or the last few seconds?

The important thing is to decide your method for yourself and stick to it. Consistancy is the key here. It is more important to be consistant than to worry about being 10 seconds under or over.

Best regards,

-- Johnny Motown (johnny.motown+bwworld@att.net), December 20, 2001.

I agree with Johnny. Consistency is all that matters. I don't start the clock until all my developer is in, but I start pouring the developer out 15 seconds before the time is up, so I can start putting a water rinse in when the bell rings.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), December 20, 2001.

There is a basic misunderstanding implicit in the question; namely, the assumption that development times given by the manufacturer (or other source) is the "correct" development time for you. Manufacturers in particular tend to extend the recommended development time to ensure that you don't loose the image (by underdevelopment) because of their recommendations.

Each photographer should experiment to come up with their own correct development time that will be influenced by many factors such as: agitation technique, type of enlargement light source (dichro, diffusion, cold-light, condenser, etc.), amount of solution per roll of film in your tank, etc. How you account for pour-in and pour-out time is just another one of these variables that is specific to your own technique. As mentioned in the responses above, consistency in all these factors is essential in coming up with a development time that is correct for you.

There are techniques for using the Zone System to methodically determine the correct development time for you (other just than looking at the negatives and judging that they look "good"). These are explained in various books, many of which are available in your library or bookstore.

-- Michael Feldman (mfeldman@qwest.net), December 20, 2001.

Michael in on the money. Everyone needs to determine their personel film speed and development time for each film/camera combination. The film manufacturer's ISO and development times are starting points only.

-- r (ricardospanks1@yahoo.com), December 21, 2001.

Of course. You should find the right dev. time suited for your personal needs. I start counting time from the moment I think that the developer has covered the top of my film...

-- George Papantoniou (papanton@hol.gr), December 21, 2001.