i would like to know if there are any concerns or potential problems when developing two different kinds of films at the same time in the same tank (of course assuming these normally use the same dev. time/temp/agitation)?

i finally got around to getting a larger tank....

oh, if it matters, the combo i'm considering would be plus-x and neopan 1600 in xtol 1:1

thanks joe

-- Joe Holcombe (joe1013_@excite.com), July 18, 2001

Answers

I've never encountered any problems with it. The only consideration you might have is with combining films that require different fix times. For example, if you develop TMX with another film, you will need to fix for the TMX time, which is typically longer to eliminate its antihalation dye. Of course you could always pull the other film if you didn't want to fix it as long. Either way, I don't forsee any problem.

-- Ted Kaufman (writercrmp@aol.com), July 18, 2001.

I don't see any problem with the fixing process. Fix is done to the completion of the process. It is true that T-MAX and Delta films require longer fixing time to fully eliminate undeveloped silver salts, but fixing bath is not the best way to wash out the dyes.

Some may worry about overfixing may dissolve image-forming metallic silver. However, as long as you use an alkaline or very weakly acidic fixer like TF-3, TF-4 or Ilford Multigrade Fixer (anything that has hardner or says you can add hardner is not in this category), soaking the film in the fixer for 20 minutes or perhaps longer won't be any problem, as long as the fixer usage is within its normal capacity.

I don't care much about the dye in TMX but soaking the film in plain water for 20 minutes or in fixer remover (sodium sulfite 2% solution will do) for a couple of minutes should take care of it.

-- Ryuji Suzuki (rsuzuki@rs.cncdsl.com), July 19, 2001.

As the others state, no, no problems. To make your life even easier, you can use a developer like Diafine without any thoughts of this at all. The T-grain films (Delta's and T-max films) are developed in Bath A for 5 min. and Bath B for 4-5.5 min and the regular films are Bath A 3 min and Bath B for 3 min. Then you go directly to fix... No real worry about temp (with in reason) and your film comes out very fine grain and high acutance and developed to perfection. Divided D76 is another developer of the same procedure but not as high acutance as Diafine...

-- Scott Walton (f64sw@hotmail.com), July 19, 2001.