Developing film question

[MattKing]

I agree with all the above.

I have one further question though. You say the first result was too thin, so you developed the next one for a shorter time?

That is backwards - if you want a "thicker" negative, you need to 1) increase exposure and/or 2) develop longer.

Increasing exposure works better for increasing the density of shadows. Increasing the development doesn't do much for the shadows, but does increase the density of the highlights (and thus the contrast of the negative).

Are you sure that you haven't mistakenly switched the scans - on my screen the top one looks to have been developed more.

[Citizen_Erased]

It doesn't make much sense either. I've been thinking about that all day and to MattKing I did not switch the scans. I'll talk to my instructor in regards to the bellows factor and try to clear that up. In the meantime I'm going to avoid photographing flowers and try something else.

I've been loading the film with the notch in the bottom left corner, as seen if it were portrait orientation. So the reason why the film info is backwards is due to my scanning it. It's nothing fancy, just a flatbed Epson scanner that was merely to show illustrate my concerns.

[Bill Burk]

OK so flopped in scanning, we all do that...

Is there is any way to verify the developer concentration/freshness? Two weekends ago I learned how many ounces of D-76 stock solution (2 oz per sheet of 4x5) it takes to develop a sheet of film.

Exceeding the capacity (or the fact developer had already been used) caused me some thin negatives.

[jeffreyg]

I don't know of your prior experience exposing and processing B&W film or the level of the course you are taking but it seems to me that you are just trying different times etc without first learning the basics and standardizing a system to get consistent results. Starting with a view camera is probably not the way to go. Exposure factors based on the focal length of the lens and bellows extension do count. There have been several threads here including one of mine describing how to determine it. Also I would be more careful with technique "about 70 degrees" could be 75 to some. If you are going to use the view camera to learn why not start with images that are focused so the bellows extension equals the focal length of the lens. That way for your tests bellows factors won't be an issue. Meter off an 18% gray card and don't use any filters. Use the box speed of the film and develop according to mfg's recommendations. Accurately measure the time, temperature and agitation. You should also record what you do. That should produce an average negative with reasonable contrast. Once you have that down and are confident you can go from there. It might be easier to stat with a smaller format and roll film. There are many entries on APUG that describe all of the above. It's best to be organized and learn the right way from the beginning than to become frustrated and miss out on what photography has to offer. This is not intended as a criticism but hopefully as some advice.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

[Bill Burk]

If learning about the different variables is an important part of your class, you are getting good experience.

...Accurately measure the time, temperature and agitation. You should also record what you do.

Writing things down never hurts.

For example, that's how I determined I was using my developer beyond its capacity. I did 24 sheets of 4x5 in three runs of 8 sheets. I did this in one trayfull of 16oz stock developer (which has a capacity for 8 sheets) + 16oz water.

[djacobox372]

This makes no sense, developing longer will not create thinner negatives. Impossible!

[Bill Burk]

At this point I think the suspicion is a closer macro shot without bellows extension compensation.