Search found 43 matches

by tim.bowman
Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:34 am
Forum: Paper Negatives
Topic: PND, A Divided Developer for Paper Negatives
Replies: 0
Views: 297

PND, A Divided Developer for Paper Negatives

Hello folks. I recently typed up my developer for paper negatives: https://hellothisistim.com/blog/pnd-paper-negative-divided-developer/ The process has two goals: control contrast, and maximize acutance. I'm getting paper negs that print nicely with a grade 2 filter. It was a long path to get here,...
by tim.bowman
Tue Feb 27, 2024 11:00 am
Forum: Black & White Film Development
Topic: X Ray FIlm Questions
Replies: 1
Views: 237

Re: X Ray FIlm Questions

I haven't shot any xray film, but I've shot a lot of paper negatives and litho film. I believe the density problem is similar. I'd look to more dilution on the developer before I'd start trying fiddly stuff like cold or restrainers. For litho film, I'm using a developer (Bill Troop's TDLC-103) that'...
by tim.bowman
Fri Sep 01, 2023 10:46 am
Forum: Darkroom Equipment
Topic: Beseler 45MCRX tear in lower bellows
Replies: 6
Views: 13150

Re: Beseler 45MCRX tear in lower bellows

Re: On the subject of bellows Does anyone know where one can get bellows replaced or how make a bellows. I have a Super Chromega D, Dichroic enlarger that needs a new bellows. Thanks for any info, Constantine JB Harlan (I believe this is the same JB Harlan that was posting above, yes?) has these be...
by tim.bowman
Fri Sep 01, 2023 6:44 am
Forum: Black & White Film Development
Topic: Figuring out developing times
Replies: 1
Views: 4074

Re: Figuring out developing times

Lots of folks like the Massive Dev Chart for this. But I actually prefer trial and error. Take your best guess, make a print, and see how it goes. If you're struggling with shadows, give the film more exposure next time. If it's too contrasty, develop less. If it's too flat, develop for longer.
by tim.bowman
Fri Jan 14, 2022 3:19 pm
Forum: Black & White Film Development
Topic: Recipe concentration
Replies: 1
Views: 1724

Re: Recipe concentration

Yes, the developer recipes are all to make a stock solution, which is often diluted for use.
by tim.bowman
Wed Jan 27, 2021 8:42 am
Forum: Gum Printing
Topic: Exposure times for gum vs. cyanotype
Replies: 5
Views: 15946

Re: Exposure times for gum vs. cyanotype

Thanks for the recommendation. I do have that book. It's a great resource. I still make terrible gums. Maybe my magic chicken bone needs a recharge.
by tim.bowman
Mon Jan 25, 2021 3:46 pm
Forum: Gum Printing
Topic: Exposure times for gum vs. cyanotype
Replies: 5
Views: 15946

Re: Exposure times for gum vs. cyanotype

Thank you very much Mr. Anchell, and please pass my thanks along to Ms. Enfield. I think hers is the only book on alt process that I haven't read yet. By this metric I'm massively overexposing my gums. Am currently struggling with the gum just dissolving off the paper during a 15 minute face-down so...
by tim.bowman
Thu Jan 21, 2021 5:28 pm
Forum: Gum Printing
Topic: Exposure times for gum vs. cyanotype
Replies: 5
Views: 15946

Exposure times for gum vs. cyanotype

Hi folks. Can anyone offer an approximation of how their gum exposure times relate to the exposure times for cyanotype with the same UV source? Same? Half? Double?
by tim.bowman
Fri Oct 02, 2020 5:19 pm
Forum: Black & White Film Development
Topic: Developers for Document Films?
Replies: 2
Views: 4111

Re: Developers for Document Films?

Richard, I've had good results with Troops TDLC-103 from page 133 of the FDC, 2nd ed. I'm using half a gram of metol and getting good results with Arista litho film. Troop recommends minimal agitation on page 133 and I agree.
by tim.bowman
Thu Oct 01, 2020 5:03 pm
Forum: Toning
Topic: Bleach question
Replies: 0
Views: 10402

Bleach question

Actually, two bleach questions. I'm using the rehalogenating bleach from p332 of the Cookbook 4th ed. with thiocarbamide toner and loving the splits I see using short bleach times. I've been pouring it back in the bottle and keeping it for the next session. It seems to be working fine. Does the blea...
by tim.bowman
Tue Jul 28, 2020 10:02 am
Forum: Black & White Film Development
Topic: Film Development time for scanning?
Replies: 2
Views: 4046

Re: Film Development time for scanning?

Hi Richard,

I think that you'll find scanning is much more flexible than the photo papers that were available when that book was published. Either of those targets should work. As long as the scanner can get light through the brightest bits, you're good to go.
by tim.bowman
Thu Jun 18, 2020 8:08 am
Forum: Black & White Printing (formerly Enlarging & Printing)
Topic: Aristo cold light head
Replies: 6
Views: 10774

Re: Aristo cold light head

I won't pretend to be an expert here, but I have used a cold-light adapted Omega D2 for a while. I never owned a stabilizer and didn't see a need for one in my printing. I have used both graded paper and variable-contrast and both work fine. My thermo unit switch doesn't have an indicator light on i...
by tim.bowman
Tue May 12, 2020 11:49 am
Forum: Open Discussion
Topic: A simplified zone system table for field use
Replies: 1
Views: 11825

Re: A simplified zone system table for field use

Thank you so much for sharing this. It takes all the mental gymnastics out of being zone-y!
by tim.bowman
Thu Apr 02, 2020 4:33 pm
Forum: Black & White Film Development
Topic: Minimum Developer per 80 sq. in. of film - clarification
Replies: 5
Views: 6312

Re: Minimum Developer per 80 sq. in. of film - clarification

Todd, it should be option B. He's recommending the total volume of the diluted developer, not the amount of stock.
by tim.bowman
Thu Apr 02, 2020 4:31 pm
Forum: Black & White Film Development
Topic: Latent image fading
Replies: 3
Views: 5193

Re: Latent image fading

Thanks Steve. There's so much completely wrong information about film photography in the internet. It makes me wonder how many people who post have actually done any darkroom work. By the way, thank you once more for the Darkroom Cookbook. This week, I rescued a box of lightly fogged paper by adding...
by tim.bowman
Mon Mar 30, 2020 10:36 am
Forum: Black & White Film Development
Topic: Latent image fading
Replies: 3
Views: 5193

Latent image fading

Does anyone here have any data (or can point to any research) about latent image fading? I read somewhere on the internet (APUG, perhaps, can't remember) that latent images on film/paper fade over time if you wait to process them. I convinced myself that I saw latent image fading in my larger format...
by tim.bowman
Thu Feb 13, 2020 12:56 pm
Forum: Black & White Film Development
Topic: divided developers
Replies: 4
Views: 5664

Re: divided developers

Thank you! The Darkroom Cookbook has been an amazing reference. Thanks for all the work you do to make the book happen.
by tim.bowman
Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:02 am
Forum: Black & White Film Development
Topic: divided developers
Replies: 4
Views: 5664

Re: divided developers

It's not quite the same application, but I'm using a homebrew divided MQ developer with paper negatives and litho film. I started dividing the developer looking for a way to limit the paper neg contrast and get some compensating action. Modern developer-incorporated paper emulsions make that tricky ...
by tim.bowman
Tue Sep 03, 2019 4:48 am
Forum: Member Announcements
Topic: The Film Developing Cookbook 2nd ed.
Replies: 9
Views: 24758

Re: The Film Developing Cookbook 2nd ed.

Congratulations to both of you! We're looking forward to reading it.
by tim.bowman
Mon Aug 05, 2019 12:15 pm
Forum: Fixers
Topic: washing time with alkaline fixing
Replies: 5
Views: 8641

Re: washing time with alkaline fixing

That makes a lot of sense. Thank you for breaking it down for me!

-t
by tim.bowman
Thu Aug 01, 2019 9:38 am
Forum: Fixers
Topic: washing time with alkaline fixing
Replies: 5
Views: 8641

Re: washing time with alkaline fixing

sanchell wrote: Sat Jun 08, 2019 11:53 am Prints should be kept with their backs facing backs and emulsion facing emulsion. Never wash prints with the emulsion facing the back of another print.
I read this everywhere, but I've never seen anyone explain why. What's so bad about having prints back to front?
by tim.bowman
Mon Jun 24, 2019 6:12 am
Forum: Black & White Film Development
Topic: Can Boric acid be used for Borax?
Replies: 3
Views: 6214

Re: Can Boric acid be used for Borax?

Bill Troop and I are including several formulas in the 2nd Edition of the Film Developing Cookbook, which is within a few weeks of going to the publisher.
Very glad to hear that little tidbit!
by tim.bowman
Tue Nov 21, 2017 11:38 am
Forum: Toning
Topic: So, polysulfide toner does... nothing?
Replies: 4
Views: 6200

Re: So, polysulfide toner does... nothing?

I suppose it makes sense that manufacturers are coating the same emulsion on both RC and FB. I hadn't made the connection myself. I love this forum for the collection of first-hand knowledge in all of your heads. Seems like every other place for chemical photography on the web is a collection of fol...
by tim.bowman
Mon Nov 20, 2017 6:17 am
Forum: Toning
Topic: So, polysulfide toner does... nothing?
Replies: 4
Views: 6200

Re: So, polysulfide toner does... nothing?

Ah, so I'm not losing my mind! Why on earth would anyone want to machine process fiber-based paper?! I have a 5-pack of Adox MCC 110, I'll give that a try. I've been curious about Opie's silver mirroring technique, but it's completely invisible in online photos of her work. Maybe one day I'll run in...
by tim.bowman
Fri Nov 17, 2017 10:59 am
Forum: Toning
Topic: So, polysulfide toner does... nothing?
Replies: 4
Views: 6200

So, polysulfide toner does... nothing?

I've tried Formulary's polysulfide toner twice now on Fomatone, with no change in image tone. Well, that's not precisely true. The first time I saw, or thought I saw, a nearly impreceptible move toward red compared to the untoned print. The second time, I got an ever-so-slight-but-possibly-imaginary...