Hi, see below... DM> into another problem as the times start to get close to or below 5 minutes. DM> We were told that the film has a reciprocity of at least 5 minutes to DM> perform correctly, thus diluting becomes necessary to extend development DM> times.
Reciprocity? I don't understand what you mean to say... I have always understood it that short developing times (under 4min according to some) are bad because of inconsistencies in pouring in and pouring out the developer from the tank, tank sizes, etc. 10 second at 180 sec development are much more critical than 10 seconds at 360 sec development. 5 minutes is a good lower limit for this. DM> Remember in B&W a clear cloudless sky, or a cloudy one with no texture to DM> it, will almost always look blown too a point in B&W and require burning. DM> One quickly learns that minimizing sky is a good thing. You know you messed DM> the film up however when it takes you 2 minutes to burn in the sky however DM> under an enlarger. :-) There are some choices of developer and film combinations which are very good even under such conditions. Usually films with nice old S shaped curve which curtails the highlights and two-bath developers. There is too much discussion about it bordering on religious, but it works. Best regards, Frantisek Vlcek
