Fuji Acros in FA-1027

[tcartpilot]

I am looking for anyone that is using Photographers Formulary FA-1027 developer with Fuji Acros in 35mm or 120.

Would like to have a starting point for development times. I tried contacting Photographers Formulary and they directed my to the Digital Truth website but they don't list this combination. Their other suggestion led me here!

Any help greatly appreciated.

Eric
Philomath,OR

[Thomas Bertilsson]

I am looking for anyone that is using Photographers Formulary FA-1027 developer with Fuji Acros in 35mm or 120.

Would like to have a starting point for development times. I tried contacting Photographers Formulary and they directed my to the Digital Truth website but they don't list this combination. Their other suggestion led me here!

Any help greatly appreciated.

Eric
Philomath,OR

I think you're out of luck. FA-1027 is a very rare developer that not many use, which is why you don't see developing times anywhere with Acros.
Either way, you should test it yourself to make sure that you get good results, so get on with it and let us know how it went!

Shoot a roll in normal contrast lighting, and bracket exposures: EI 50, 64, 80, 100, 125, and 160. Develop for 9 minutes at 1+14 dilution. Now make a contact sheet of your negatives and look only at the shadow detail to determine what film speed is good for you. Do not look at anything else.
Now shoot an entire roll in similar contrast lighting, but at the speed you selected the first time. Cut the roll in thirds and develop one third at a time. If 9 minutes gives you too much contrast, develop for less time. If it gives too little contrast, develop longer. Adjust until you have average negatives that make decent proof prints without any darkroom gymnastics.

Whether you get hold of somebody else's developing times or not, this is a good thing to do, because everybody's situation is different. Shutter speeds that are not accurate, meters of varying accuracy, lighting conditions that change wildly, metering technique, water quality, developer thermometer calibration, etc etc etc, not even getting into what paper you print on and what develop you use. All these variances mean that a developing time that works for somebody else will not necessarily work for you.

[Shawn Dougherty]

That advice is solid gold. =)

I think you're out of luck. FA-1027 is a very rare developer that not many use, which is why you don't see developing times anywhere with Acros.
Either way, you should test it yourself to make sure that you get good results, so get on with it and let us know how it went!

Shoot a roll in normal contrast lighting, and bracket exposures: EI 50, 64, 80, 100, 125, and 160. Develop for 9 minutes at 1+14 dilution. Now make a contact sheet of your negatives and look only at the shadow detail to determine what film speed is good for you. Do not look at anything else.
Now shoot an entire roll in similar contrast lighting, but at the speed you selected the first time. Cut the roll in thirds and develop one third at a time. If 9 minutes gives you too much contrast, develop for less time. If it gives too little contrast, develop longer. Adjust until you have average negatives that make decent proof prints without any darkroom gymnastics.

Whether you get hold of somebody else's developing times or not, this is a good thing to do, because everybody's situation is different. Shutter speeds that are not accurate, meters of varying accuracy, lighting conditions that change wildly, metering technique, water quality, developer thermometer calibration, etc etc etc, not even getting into what paper you print on and what develop you use. All these variances mean that a developing time that works for somebody else will not necessarily work for you.

[tcartpilot]

Thanks Thomas / Shawn for the quick replies!

I shot a roll of 120 thru the old Rolleiflex this morning given the above information and guess what, it worked! Well sort of. It is a rainy day here in the pacific northwest but even so I think that 9 minutes was way short. As for ISO, I am thinking that it is gonna be hovering around the 50-64 mark. I will try again tomorrow morning with longer development and see how that works.

Eric

[gilmanb]

Hi all. You're in luck, I use fa-1027 for everything I do and shoot acros 100. I use it at 1:19 and develop for 11-15 mins depending on contrast/lighting etc. that being said, for me N=11.5 min at 68F

I shoot acros 100 at ISO 50
Hth!

Brian