ChrisR

My next roll of HP5+ at 400 was devved in Adox HC-110 dilution E (1+47). The negs look very thin and there's lots of grain. #MDC suggests 7.5 minutes for Kodak HC-110; I used 8 minutes. I note that Ilfotec HC times are 9 minutes for 1+47. All at 20C.

I'm wondering if the temperature dropped too fast, and also that Stop & Fix were too far below 20C?

I'm also unreasonably suspicious of the Adox HC-110, after good results with my 2018 bottle of Kodak HC-110!

#BelieveInFilm
#FilmPhotography

May 11 at 6:36pmWeb
Show threadChrisR6d ago

So here's the first film strip from this roll, the first frames taken moments apart, plus 1st 2 scans. The grain on these isn't too bad, some much worse. Small strip of leader and edge numbers look OK, suggesting the dev was also OK?. This is minimum brightness on my tablet thingy.

#IlfordHP5 #AdoxHC110

@tomnorthfilm

Show threadChrisR6d ago
@tomnorthfilm Here's another film strip; plus the scan of the last frame of the [strip]. EDIT plus a 100% screen grab of part of the frame.
Show threadChrisR6d ago
@tomnorthfilm So I think for some reason I was under-exposing. Not sure why. Hmmm. Batteries in the MX need replacing, I wonder? LEDs look fine; batteries are Duracell SR44/357s, contacts look great. Think I'll leave them in for now, but check exposures with my light meter...
Show threadChrisR6d ago
@tomnorthfilm Just checking on the wall of my room, MX and Sekonic L-308S agree exactly. 1/125 at f/2.
Show threadChrisR6d ago
The roll was the last of the "retro-packaged" HP5, from a 5-pack ordered in October 24 from AW (£8.25 each!). Even if it was short dated, that should be fine...
Show threadTom Northenscold6d ago
@carusb Sounds like a mystery.
Show threadChrisR6d ago
@tomnorthfilm It is a mystery, indeed. Every time I have a hypothesis, the evidence denies it! All I'm left with, is a bad roll or batch.
Show threadChrisR6d ago
@tomnorthfilm The batch theory doesn't seem to stand up, either. Looking at all HP5 cooked in HC-110 in 2025/26, there are indeed some very grainy ones, but lots of really nice ones. (TBF there are some much less grainy ones on this roll.)
Show threadTom Northenscold6d ago
@carusb If the meter is accurate, perhaps the shutter speeds are not. You could run a test in which you take equivalent exposures, altering the shutter speed one direction and aperture the other. If the shutter speeds are consistent the exposures should look the same on the negs. This is how I test new cameras.
Show threadChrisR6d ago
@tomnorthfilm That sounds like a good idea!
Show threadTom NorthenscoldMay 11
@carusb I use 8 min for HP5 at box in HC-110e. I use the Kodak 2019 version of HC-110. Was the exposed leader also thin?