• 1173: Great Smokey Mountains National Park (13 Mar 2020) / Parker (15 Mar 2020). Fuji Velvia @ box speed.
  • 1162: Cats. (HP5+ @ EI 800).

Taking a shot at developing E-6 in B/W chemistry because hey, apparently I have to try everything once. Keeping temperature down again to try to minimize grain, but also trying out additional overdevelopment this time, even beyond what was used in batches 1136-1137. There’s also a standard B/W roll of HP5+ shot at EI 800, which needs to be pushed at least one stop (and I suspect two will be better). Both are on 35mm rolls in the 120 tank.

Mixed 750mL Caffenol C-L because I’m using the leftover for batches 1065 et al., which will be developing concurrently in the five-reel tank. Put the beaker holding the developer in water at 62 degrees at the bottom of the picnic cooler to bring the developer temperature down. Allowed to cool to 62 degrees. I want to run the risk of too much development here, rather than not enough, so I’m leaving the tank in for three hours. I’ll be agitating every fifteen minutes (except at the beginnng—40x over the first minute—and there was a standard-length agitation at 7:30). I’m not extendending the agitation interval along with the development time, even though I’m developing at a lower temperature.

Composition for this 750mL of Caffenol C-L: 12g washing soda, 8g ascorbic acid powder, 8g iodized table salt, 30g Kroger instant coffee. Pre-wet film ~2 hours at room temperature, changing water every fifteen to thirty minutes until it poured out clear. (Jesus, that E-6 roll poured out water that was electric purple the first few times I poured it out.) Poured out water, then poured in developer; agitated 40x over first minute, then 10x over 15 seconds at 7:30 and at 15:00, then 10x over 15 seconds every fifteen thereafter, to a total developing time of 180 minutes. Kept the cannister in the same water bath in the cooler during the cycle, trying to maintain 62 degree temperature by periodically adding ice. Temperature never rose as high as 64 degrees, though it dropped to 61 at one point. Alternated orientation of tank at each agitation to avoid uneven development.

While that was going on, mixed up a new batch of Ilford Rapid Fixer 1+4. Batches 1165 et al. got fixed first, despite starting development later, because they’re only standing for one hour, not three. Clearing test: one film leader from a roll of Panf+ cleared in 35 seconds; three leaders from FP4+ cleared in 50 seconds, plus or minus five seconds. Did not think to perform a clearing test on the roll of Velvia, alas.

After 180 minutes, disposed of developer, rinsed in 68 degree water, filling and emptying the tank until the water rinsed completely clear, then four more times. Fixed in Ilford Rapid Fixer 1+4 for 3 minutes (that’s now 7 rolls from this batch of fixer), turning 10x over 15 seconds at the top of every minute. Recaptured fixer and rinsed for ten minutes, then emptied tank, added a few drops of Photo-Flo, filled tank again and agitated 20x, and hung negatives vertically to dry.

Photos Posted

Roll 1173