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Low Down on Dilution

Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2020 11:33 am
by brianentz
I've never really experimented with diluting my developers. Usually I just dilute 1:1. I'm told that by diluting more it introduces more sharpness, but also more grain. Is that true? I'm told also that when pushing tri-x to 1600 or 3200 diluting the developer will preserve image quality. Is that true? Apart from economizing on developer costs, what is the advantage of using weaker dilutions? I don't mind waiting on longer development times for better image qualities, but I don't really need to economize that much on developer costs.

Re: Low Down on Dilution

Posted: Mon Apr 06, 2020 5:06 pm
by Ornello
brianentz wrote: Fri Apr 03, 2020 11:33 am I've never really experimented with diluting my developers. Usually I just dilute 1:1. I'm told that by diluting more it introduces more sharpness, but also more grain. Is that true? I'm told also that when pushing tri-x to 1600 or 3200 diluting the developer will preserve image quality. Is that true? Apart from economizing on developer costs, what is the advantage of using weaker dilutions? I don't mind waiting on longer development times for better image qualities, but I don't really need to economize that much on developer costs.
'Pushing' is a fallacy: it doesn't work. No matter what you do, you cannot compensate for underexposure. Underexposure is forever! Don't listen to any of this nonsense.

Use T-Max P3200 is you need a faster film. Its true speed is about ISO 1000.

Diluting solvent developers like D-76 does change the results slightly. You may get a little better sharpness and a little more pronounced gain, but the differences are not great. The main advantage is better process control. Diluting slows down the developer action and allows a longer developing time. You may also notice a little less highlight density, which can be good with high-contrast scenes.

Re: Low Down on Dilution

Posted: Fri May 08, 2020 1:12 pm
by Jim Appleyard
Right! There is NO WAY that you can underexpose film and pull a decent image out of it!

Tri-X in Diafine. 3 min. each bath. EI 1000.

Re: Low Down on Dilution

Posted: Mon May 25, 2020 5:57 am
by pentaxpete
Many years ago in 'Practical Photography Magazine; the staff did some experiments on the 'FFDD' technique ' Fast Film Dilute Developer' and diluted D76 / IDii 1+4 and gave 45 mins time and reckoned they could uprate films massively. They did HP4 or was it HP5 to 1600 ASA .