Re: HC110 - Lith

[Zev Schmitz <zeesme@gmail.com>]

What temperature are you using dilutions E & F at? Also what method of  
B&W positives are you using? Kodak Reversal? Great to hear back,  
thanks so much all! (and yes, digital negs have sounded really amazing  
in recent days, I too am trying to fight the urge, especially with a  
large stock of APHS)

On Mar 27, 2008, at 8:02 PM, david drake wrote:

> I've been using HC-110 for processing APHS film for years now. I  
> decided on it because it's know to work well with long developing  
> times at low dilutions .
> First off, I'm making enlarged negatives directly from B&W  
> positives, so it's quite different from the inter-positive process.  
> It's also much harder to control contrast. However, I have found  
> that using between dilution E and F (around 1:14 stock) works well  
> for me, with the time around 10 minutes. The thing with APHS lith is  
> that you need to give it constant VERY subtle agitation (this is  
> vital) and development just long enough so that the highlights just  
> fill in- time and temperature are everything!  You also need to make  
> sure that you're using enough stock per sheet of film you're putting  
> through the developer- I think that it's around 1.3 fluid ounces of  
> stock per 8x10 sheet of film.
> LC-1 is different in that you are in better control of the  
> developer's activity level (pH) whereas highly diluting a developer  
> is merely holding back development in the highlights through  
> developer exhaustion. So far, I'm having much better results with  
> the LC-1: more consistent tonal blocks and better control over  
> highlights. However, the LC-1 is also slower working, with longer  
> development times.
> But, believe me, there has been plenty of times when I've almost  
> given up and gone digital negs. I guess I'm just plain stubborn.
>
> cheers
> david
>
>
> On 27-Mar-08, at 5:51 PM, Zev Schmitz wrote:
> > Good afternoon all!
> >
> > Ive been using dektol 1:10 for my Arista APHS film for years now  
> > (if its not broke dont fix it right?) but have finally been  
> > convinced to try a developer with a slower development to help with  
> > extending my tones (I wish to move to palladium soon). I had  
> > several recommendations for HC110 and as it comes in liquid form, I  
> > thought it would be easy enough for a quick go. Ive been working  
> > with it all week and have yet to be satisfied with my results, I  
> > cant calm the contrast.... The recipe I was highly recommended to  
> > use was (from concentrate) 1:40 @ 68F for 7 Minutes. Ive also been  
> > told to use  "Dilution B" but that just seemed even more contrasty.  
> > Does anyone have any hints for this stuff? A better developer  
> > perhaps? Ive been following the talk of LC-1 but I'm not allowed to  
> > use such chemistry in my institution.
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > -Zev
> david drake photography
> www.daviddrakephotography.com