From: Carl Weese (cweese@earthlink.net)
Date: 11/25/01-03:21:31 PM Z
Jeff,
A bit of a puzzle. I expose FP4 quite generously, develop it for a bit
longer than you in PMK, and my exposures with a standard UV source tend to
be in the 7-15 minute range. Seven for low contrast scenes, 15 for very high
contrast, long scale scenes exposed for the shadows. My densest negatives
(foggy films like HP5 and BPF 200 developed in ABC+ pyro) only take 20-30
minutes at most.
Biggest likelihood is excessive overall stain acting as a neutral density
filter, or just plain fogged film. FP4+ should have very thin fb+f levels.
It should look almost like saran wrap with a really pale yellow green tint.
You should be getting good black through the film edge in 4-5 minutes
printing exposure. If not, if the film edge shows a lot of either silver or
stain density, then you've got a problem with fog or overall stain.---Carl
--
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>From: Jeff Buckels <jeffbuck@swcp.com>
>To: alt-photo-process-l@usask.ca
>Subject: Dense or Density
>Date: Sun, Nov 25, 2001, 1:04 PM
>
> Hello from Albuquerque NM. This is my first posting to this fine
> list....
>
> I've started doing platinum/palladium. Have done two sessions in my
> newly up and running home rig. I'm excited by the results I'm getting
> but am plagued by preposterously long exposures. Here's what I do: I'm
> shooting FP4+ (5x7 and 8x10) @ EI 64, erring on the side of
> over-exposure. Nothing fancy as to reading; for the time being, to keep
> it simple, I'm just doing split readings (mostly between the darkest and
> lightest readings on the palm of my hand), leaving any particular
> contrast control to the printing stage. I'm developing the film in PMK
> for 12 minutes at 70F. All exposures, regardless. The printing is on
> Platine. I've done a couple prints with pure palladium, a couple with
> about 55/45 Pt to Pd, adding some contrast on one occasion with a small
> amount of sodium dichromate in the pot/oxalate developer. The color and
> contrast need tweaking but I'm happy with both. The exposure times are
> an outrage: From 20 to 80 minutes. I can live with 20, and I
> understand there's only 2 stops difference between that and 80, but most
> the exposures are over 50. The light source is a new "oven" from
> Edwards, which I feel is working correctly. Can anyone tell me if
> anything jumps out of the above procedure as the likely repeat cause of
> these pokey exposures?? I'd sure like to stick with Pyro and know that
> that is the principal culprit. But, you know, if I could just get to
> 15-20 minute exposures, I'd be satisfied.... Thank you.
>
> jeff buckels (albuquerque nm)
>
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