[alt-photo] Re: Development By Inspection Methods

[Francesco Fragomeni]

Yes, that is my understanding as well. I'm hoping some list-members here
can talk a bit about their use of the method and hopefully other methods
too!

-Francesco

On Wed, Mar 7, 2012 at 6:21 PM, Paul Viapiano <viapiano at pacbell.net> wrote:

> I have no exp with DBI but I understand that the green filter method is a
> common one.
>
>
>
> On Mar 7, 2012, at 5:12 PM, Francesco Fragomeni <fdfragomeni at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> > Hi all,
> >
> > I've been working on a set up in my darkroom which uses IR illuminators
> and
> > IR goggles to develop film by inspection. The primary purpose for this
> was
> > to visually learn exactly how film develops and eliminate the mystery
> built
> > into traditional time and temperature development methods. The IR
> > illuminator runs at 940nm which is out of the sensitivity range of most
> > panchromatic 100 ISO or slower films and the system works great with TMAX
> > 100 and Delta 100 which are my primary 100 speed films. However, I do a
> lot
> > of shooting using Tri-X 400 and Delta 400 and today I've found that the
> > film is fogging (FBF is way denser then it should be) and the only cause
> > can be that it is sensitive to the wavelength of IR light produced by the
> > illuminator. Unfortunate because watching the film develop under IR is
> > really quite fun and mesmerizing aside from the obvious advantages or
> > perfectly developed film all of the time.
> >
> > Anyway, I am very curious about other DBI methods but I've been unable to
> > find much information on the web and in the forums. I know that there are
> > still some people who DBI using a dark green Wratten safelight. Michael
> A.
> > Smith discusses this in brief in one of his articles on his website. I'll
> > be having dinner with Michael and Paula tomorrow night so I'll pick their
> > brains about this particular method. Another method involves the use of a
> > desensitizing agent, typically either Pinacryptol Yellow or Pinacryptol
> > Green, which allows a red or green safelight (depending on desensitizer)
> to
> > be left on during development. Apparently both Pinacryptol Yellow and
> > Pinacryptol Green have become very difficult to get and there isn't much
> > information about them on the web. Formulary may have some Pinacryptol
> > Yellow left but I don't know if they still have an active source for it.
> > I've also read about people using Safranin T dye, used to stain
> microscopy
> > specimens, but that it can be difficult to remove the stain from the film
> > after development.
> >
> > Is there anyone here who has experience with any of the above alternative
> > methods or something that I haven't listed here? I've seen the benefits
> of
> > DBI and I would like to continue to use it even if the IR system doesn't
> > end up working out.
> >
> > Thanks in advance!
> >
> > -Francesco Fragomeni
> > www.francescofragomeni.com
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