Re: microdol-x & infrared

["Des Crawley" <d.crawley@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi,

I doubt whether Microdol offers any real advantage over other developers 
or developing strategies when it comes to minimising grain structure with
HIE-135..

I have used HIE-135 in studio with strobes for figure and portraiture for
many years and I "contain" the grain by simply using D-76 diluted 1:1 for
19 minutes at 20 Celcius with minimal but sustained....gentle....stress
gentle, virually continuous agitation.. agitation made by slowly rotating
spline of a standard Paterson tank...never inversion..I am sure this
agitation strategy helps curb grain buildup as well although I cannot offer
empirical evidence of this............I also pre-soak the film for 2
minutes in standard domestic, straight- out- of- the- tap- Sydney,
Australia water.... an approach which I understand is contrary to that 
some folk have advocated on this site linked to processing consistency and
the like.. 

Again, I have used  range of filters and have reached a stage where filter
use with this film and the related debates reminds me a good deal of
discussions in golf clubs as to which club or iron  one should use as an
approach to the green !....There's no right or wrong..do what you want and
what you like.....stuff the consequences....

I now stick to the 25A for indoor strobe lit portraiture. ...my exposure
strategy is to rate the film at ISO 200 and adjust strobes output to  get
somewhere near f-8 to f-11 on my main metering point.  Occasionally, if the
model is really working well ,and a really great pose/idea emerges I might
bracket a stop above and below this base point.

My negatives have a good contrast range and generally print an exhibition
standard  full tone print at or about grade 3 with prints out to about 122
x 16 size...I stress these latter points because clearly scale of
print/negative enlargment can influence the ultimate "grain  appearance" of
the final image...

Naturally, the film is loaded and unloaded under darkroom conditions/change
bag as the film canister instructions  advocate.....even indoors
load/unload  the stuff in light tight conditions... 

I trust the above sketch assists.

Regards from OZ

Des




- ----------
> From: Hellaynea <Hellaynea@xxxxxxx>
> To: infrared@xxxxx
> Subject: Re: microdol-x & infrared
> Date: Wednesday, March 18, 1998 3:40
> 
> Des,
> 
> Well I am starting my final project and it is heavily based on infrared
film.
> I wondered if i could get tighter grain by using Microdol.  I am thinking
> about doing some figurative studies and perhaps some landscapes.  I don't
mind
> the grain when I shoot landscapes but i want a smoother appearance for
skin
> tones and texture (grain).  I really don't know if this is the best
solution
> for what I want to do.......I also wanted to know what the benefits of
> purchasing and using an opaque filter that lets in only the infrared
light are
> as opposed to using a deep red filter.  I am undecisive and can't find
too
> many examples of which filter is better.  All I know is that the red
filter is
> much easier to use because you can still compose and focus through your
lens.
> I wonder if the opaque filter really makes a difference in the effects
you can
> come up with.   Thanks for the valuable info.........
> *
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