Hi, I'm new to B&W processing. I would like to use ISO films of 100-400 and develop these in a JOBO CPE-plus processor. Could I please get some film and developer recommendations. It is apparent that XTOL is a favorite here. but am leaning toward HC-110 as a standard and compensating developer. I wish to pick ONE FILM and ONE DEVELOPER and stick to this combination for some time.

thanks for helping, Don

-- Don (maldos@home.com), January 31, 2001

Answers

HC110 is fine as is D76. If you are going towards T-grain film though, I would use D76 1:1. It has always been a standard as is HC110!

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), February 01, 2001.

If you are just starting out, consider Ilford HP-5+ or Kodak Tri-X either developed in D-76 or Ilford ID-11 (virtually the same).

I have a Jobo, but don't do B&W in it. Most of the B&W developing times are based on intermittant agitation. Unless you want to a good bit of testing, I would not use the Jobo.

-- Terry Carraway (TCarraway@compuserve.com), February 01, 2001.

Hello Don,

I'm using my CPE 2 for b/w with Xtol and some experimental two bath developers. Using Acufine I found the times given ok for rotation in combination with Multigrade-head, otherwise (for condensor)-15% will give you a starting time. With Xtol the given times for rotation from Kodak were too short for me (used 1:1).Always buy 100 ft rolls for testing, when you've found the perfect developer, time etc. Murphys law will you that you have only one feet left! ;-)

HP5+ is a nice, reliable film, I use it from 400 to 1600, sometimes 3200. But Tri-X is just as nice. Agfa APX 400 is a bit (or more)on the grainy side.

Regarding developers, I have no experience with HC-110, but with ID-11 from Ilford or D-76 from Kodak you can not get wrong.

Compensation in a Jobo at 50 rpm? I guess that is better done by hand.

Regards,

Wolfram

-- Wolfram Kollig (kollig@ipfdd.de), February 03, 2001.

Compensation is even less likely in a CPE-2+, which has only one rotation speed: 75 r.p.m.

-- Sal Santamaura (bc_hill@qwestinternet.net), February 03, 2001.