'Developing to Completion' process?

[Murray Leshner]

Hello:

I have saved links or downloaded files for decades, but have had computers die, forgot the files existed, or have paper copies in boxes I can no longer reach (.

I am trying to recall something I remember being called 'Development to Completion' for film. I think it might have been a highly diluted developer with maybe Stand or Semi-Stand technique. I was also reading about two-part developers at the same time but don't think I was interested in that.

The alleged merit in this method was substantial ability to fully develop film of unknown EI (like degraded ISO #) and not overdevelop.

I was interested in it for very old film or mistakes like leaving a flash on full power instead of AUTO.

Have I corrupted several wishful thoughts into a non-existent idea?

Even if my purpose is misguided, I would like to know if it sounds familiar to anyone.

Thank you

Murray Leshner

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

I've very little film experience, so no idea personally. I tried a couple of web searches and didn't find much either. (expect you already tried that).
Did find this thread - https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/how-to-develop-unknown-ilford-film.122100/
Probably not what you want but maybe of interest.

 

[Murray Leshner]

Thank you. I had 'compensating developer' on my mind yesterday too, and that was discussed in the thread you shared.

Referred threads are always good...they often have many pages with a lot of interesting info I might not find otherwise.

Thank you.

(When I was young, I'd get lost in encyclopedias & telephone books forgetting what I was looking for).

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

get lost in encyclopedias

Me too! And dictionaries...

 

[Geoff Chaplin]

I've heard the phase but can't remember the explanation. I think what you need for unknown film is indeed a compensating developer. I recommend Agfa Rodinal diluted 200:1, stand developed for two hours, 20 inversions at the start and a single inversion after an hour. Plain water stop, fix, wash as normal. Temperature 15-24 deg, cooler probably better (I always develop 16-20deg).

 

[Murray Leshner]

Thank you.

 

[Murray Leshner]

Got a response on Photrio including some history of Development to Completion and some variations of minimal agitation techniques.

You folks know what you're doing, but I'm just sharing in case the side-tracked (but still on-topix) discussion is of interest.

(Basically, sharing because I think someone will find it useful).

Thread ''Development to Completion' vs. Stand or Semi-Stand?' https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/development-to-completion-vs-stand-or-semi-stand.202545/

 

[Murray Leshner]

...& one more link to a more standardized display of an H&W Control Developer recipe...with an interesting remark that it provides 'unacceptably flat' negatives with conventional films. It's for high-contrast films.

Formula for H&W Control Film Developer | F-Stop Cafe Photography Forum

Now listed on My Site From the Photographic Formulas from The Frugal

fstop-cafe.proboards.com

I have all the chemicals except hydroquinone...& didn't even know that was used for photography. Fingers (and eyes) crossed the dry ingredients are still anhydrous & don't fussily oxidize for petty reasons.

I have to look up pictures of some chemicals to figure out whether monohydrate crystal forms have bloated into decahydrate, requiring weight and fluid corrections.

But I don't have any such film to develop.

Funny, I find the scientific part easier than various struggles with roll film (into the camera, out of the camera, onto a developing reel, etc). I have joked (with no one laughing) that sheet film is the answer to me stripping 35mm film sprocket holes, wrapping a roll of 120 around the back of an RB67 film back & other misadventures like insisting on trying 220 film in a Moskva 5 with the 6x6 cm masked with black tape to make a 6x 4.5 cm mask, and black tape over the film counter window AND all the back cover points. (I figured out how many winding knob fractional turns for each frame. My 4.5 cm wasn't the same as 'standard' (somewhat less). But counting them as fractional turns is not very accurate.

It was color film so I took it to a lab. The spacing was REALLY erratic. I had run a developed roll of 120 (6x6) with full paper backer thru the camera to count the turns for each frame, then scaled to (generous) 6x4.5. I was anticipating 30-32 frames based on faulty assumptions. I think I got 27.

The lab said there must be something wrong with the film advance. They had no idea who they were dealing with.

A word of advice...don't try this yourself.

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

This is all very interesting... haven't finished reading through the linked pages yet, but thanks for sharing!

 

[Stevenson Gawen]

hydroquinone

I think it's used in the Cinestill DF96 monobath developer...

 

[Murray Leshner]

Cinestill...

I know there is some kind of ongoing 'bodily fluid competitive argument' between them and someone else.

That implied metaphor reminds me of another proposed/attempted developer in the past, 'Urinol', way beyond any level of interest to me.

Murray