[alt-photo] Re: Development By Inspection Methods

[Paul Viapiano]

I have no exp with DBI but I understand that the green filter method is a common one.



On Mar 7, 2012, at 5:12 PM, Francesco Fragomeni <fdfragomeni at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all,
> 
> I've been working on a set up in my darkroom which uses IR illuminators and
> IR goggles to develop film by inspection. The primary purpose for this was
> to visually learn exactly how film develops and eliminate the mystery built
> into traditional time and temperature development methods. The IR
> illuminator runs at 940nm which is out of the sensitivity range of most
> panchromatic 100 ISO or slower films and the system works great with TMAX
> 100 and Delta 100 which are my primary 100 speed films. However, I do a lot
> of shooting using Tri-X 400 and Delta 400 and today I've found that the
> film is fogging (FBF is way denser then it should be) and the only cause
> can be that it is sensitive to the wavelength of IR light produced by the
> illuminator. Unfortunate because watching the film develop under IR is
> really quite fun and mesmerizing aside from the obvious advantages or
> perfectly developed film all of the time.
> 
> Anyway, I am very curious about other DBI methods but I've been unable to
> find much information on the web and in the forums. I know that there are
> still some people who DBI using a dark green Wratten safelight. Michael A.
> Smith discusses this in brief in one of his articles on his website. I'll
> be having dinner with Michael and Paula tomorrow night so I'll pick their
> brains about this particular method. Another method involves the use of a
> desensitizing agent, typically either Pinacryptol Yellow or Pinacryptol
> Green, which allows a red or green safelight (depending on desensitizer) to
> be left on during development. Apparently both Pinacryptol Yellow and
> Pinacryptol Green have become very difficult to get and there isn't much
> information about them on the web. Formulary may have some Pinacryptol
> Yellow left but I don't know if they still have an active source for it.
> I've also read about people using Safranin T dye, used to stain microscopy
> specimens, but that it can be difficult to remove the stain from the film
> after development.
> 
> Is there anyone here who has experience with any of the above alternative
> methods or something that I haven't listed here? I've seen the benefits of
> DBI and I would like to continue to use it even if the IR system doesn't
> end up working out.
> 
> Thanks in advance!
> 
> -Francesco Fragomeni
> www.francescofragomeni.com
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