I used Gary's Camera repair for my Nikon FM, Minolta srt102 and canon A1. I just checked his list and he does Nikkormats. He is cheap too. Like$50 a camera cheap.
Jon Buffington wrote:
I used Gary's Camera repair for my Nikon FM, Minolta srt102 and canon A1. I just checked his list and he does Nikkormats. He is cheap too. Like$50 a camera cheap.
Wow, some great B&W from all! Jon, yes your color is great too!
I am just on the verge of purchasing the Unicolor kit.
My main concern on the color chemistry is the odors as my wife has an acute sense of smell!
That plus the need for something to heat the water for chemistry temps
Did some some attempts at pre-exposure with some T-MAX 100 sheet film
Here is the pre-exposure diffusing filter. A cut to size piece of translucent plastic in a Lee holder
This is my interpretation of Ansel's example
I chose this scene for it's high contrast challenge.
All images taken with the Toyo 45A, 90mm, f45.
These 1st two were souped in Rodinal 1+25 for 6 minuites.
1st image is w/o pre-exposure, just 2 sec.
I prefer this one to the pre-exp effort as it seems to have more pop
2nd image is 1sec pre exposure thru filter, 2sec image exposure
while the darker elements, the trees, etc are higher value, they seem just a bit bland (foggy?)
This was likely what is called loss of tonal separation
I also did the same steps on two more sheets but developed them in Rodinal 1+50 for ~9 min.
Surprisingly they looked identical with the same loss of tonal separation in the shadows w/pre Exp
I'm glad I tried this though. I do have some color, Pro 160 S sheets that I did the same thing with.
I think with more careful use & perhaps a different zone value for the pre-exp
I will probably repeat taking this scene as I didn't notice the reflections off the window that a longish exposure would reveal! I did P/S those out, but will need to use a CP filter & account for it in pre-exp as well.
I used to use a pre exposure like that on rare occasions shooting contrasty copy work on color transparency film. The secret to making it work was that you had to be very precise in your exposure. The pre-exposure had to be between 5-3/4 and 6 stops below the base exposure for the overall shot. More than 6 stops down and there was not visible effect and less than 5-3/4 there was too much fogging in the blacks. I never saw a need for that in black and white where you already have a huge latitude and even more control with both exposure and development, and even more control today with scanning. I'd say, if anything, you could just add a bit of exposure and pull the development a bit, then scan for the full tonal range and process to suit. My scans of contrasty black and white negs look pretty flat off the scanner but then really come alive after a short massage in Ps. I like the overall image, but watch the camera leveling as the right side is leaning off the frame.
Picked up my canon A1 to shoot and found that there was a partial roll loaded. Finished it off. Here are 2 from this winter. Kentmere 100, canon A1, vivitar 28/2.5 w/ yellow filter, rodinal 1:100 stand, pakon scan
Peter Figen wrote:
I used to use a pre exposure like that on rare occasions shooting contrasty copy work on color transparency film. The secret to making it work was that you had to be very precise in your exposure. The pre-exposure had to be between 5-3/4 and 6 stops below the base exposure for the overall shot. More than 6 stops down and there was not visible effect and less than 5-3/4 there was too much fogging in the blacks. I never saw a need for that in black and white where you already have a huge latitude and even more control with both exposure and development, and even more control today with scanning. I'd say, if anything, you could just add a bit of exposure and pull the development a bit, then scan for the full tonal range and process to suit. My scans of contrasty black and white negs look pretty flat off the scanner but then really come alive after a short massage in Ps. I like the overall image, but watch the camera leveling as the right side is leaning off the frame....Show more →
Peter,
This was one of those "I think I'll try this" after reading about it in Ansel's book. I figured the TMAX was good enough for the job BUT it was in the holders & I only do B&W dev currently, so I could see the results quickly. It will be interesting to see what the Pro 160 looks like, but I was using placing it at zone 2 so that's only 3 stops down. I will try some at 5-6 as I have a lot of expired Fuji Pro 160 stuff.
Placing it between 5-3/4 and 6 stops is a real "coffin-corner"
That's an old test pilot phrase for "too slow & you fall out of the sky, too fast & you break apart"! I confess I don't usually place exposure closer than 1/2 stop to ideal with B&W.
Yea, I noticed the verticals AND the reflections after development. I think fussing with the filter I probably bumped the camera down. I will also use a CP when I re-shoot this in a couple of weeks. I do need the practice!
Dan - I think these techniques were more valid when everything you did to an image added more contrast and lost more detail, but that's not really true anymore, and especially with both black and white and color negs, with their very extended dynamic range. I mean, with color neg, you can expose for a healthy shadow, be three stops over in the highlights and it'll still be just fine. The trick of course is to make all the tonal areas have the right contrast for how you think the image should look.
Peter Figen wrote:
Dan - I think these techniques were more valid when everything you did to an image added more contrast and lost more detail, but that's not really true anymore, and especially with both black and white and color negs, with their very extended dynamic range. I mean, with color neg, you can expose for a healthy shadow, be three stops over in the highlights and it'll still be just fine. The trick of course is to make all the tonal areas have the right contrast for how you think the image should look.
Peter, I know but it's my curiosity that gets the better of me
When I was 10 or so, I would take apart old radios or car parts to learn how they worked.
Later I would hot-rod old VWs or restore old Porsches when you could buy better cars...
My only regret here is that I should have stayed with photography back in the 70s.
Then I would be the one with the years of experience to apply to my craft.
But it's still fun
Thanks
Dan
I get it Dan. It's always good to run your own experiments and testing. Just wanted to toss in my experience, and considering that's not something I've done in probably thirty years, I'm surprised I even remembered. I think the rules have changed somewhat, especially for any kind of negative now that we can pretty readily have decent scans. I just don't worry about it all very much anymore as long as I can record everything on the film and go from there.
From a roll of Fuji xtra 800. This is really a nice film. Have a bunch frozen, need to shoot it more. Nikon FM, both the 55/3.5 macro and 50/1.4 used. Unicolor c41 souped, pakon scanned, lr5
