Re: How to judge your negative (was Re: Times and Temperatures)

[George L Smyth <GLSmyth@xxxxxxx>]

N. Remi Shih wrote:
> 
> How to judge the IR negative without making contact sheet, enlargement...?

Experience.

> I can used a loupe to look at the negative (in a way that I checked my color
> slides).  But I am confused about "fine grain", "details" and "contrast".
> Shouldn't a developer that gives fine grain will also give more details and
> render as "sharp" images?

No, fine grain developers generally do the opposite. <g>  Your typical
"fine grain" developer usually contains sodium sulfite, which eats away
at the edges of the grain, making it less noticeable.  This also has the
effect of decreasing acutance, which is where we get our "sharp images."

> Try to explain this to me please:  "HIE developed
> in XXX for XX min at XX C gives a sharp image but it's much grainer than CCC
> developer".

I'm not certain what you're talking about, but developers such as
Rodinal leave the grain alone.  This makes for grainier negatives, which
for slow films is often "good" whereas for fast films is often
considered "bad."  Of course, we're talking about 35mm here, as I've
been developing my 4X5 IR in Rodinal, and because of the size difference
of the negative, grain size is not a consideration.

> Anyway, I have developed my first HIE by using the developer that my local
> photoshop guy picked for me and because I do not have a darkroom, I never
> know my processed HIE is, uh, acceptable or just a piece of plastic.  Any
> suggestions?

Yes, develop your negatives yourself.  You don't need a darkroom, can do
it more quickly, will obtain better results, can adjust for your own
style, (need I go on? <g>).

george

-- 
 Handmade Photographic Images     
  http://www2.ari.net/glsmyth/

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Topic No. 15