The results from the three- bath
formula, printed in the January issue appear to have gone down very
acceptably with Members,. I have sent short strips of both Konika and Fuji
to several members and their praise, has been generous. Oliver Barron.
Area 20 Leader, for instance, considered the Fuji frames couldn’t be
bettered - with Konica not far behind Probably a slight adjustment in D2
might improve the Konica, he thought But he feels, as I do, that Fuji has
a slight edge in overall quality.
Chairman-elect, Bert Sanders, was
equally impressed and so too were the Committee, members at Worcester who
were shown examples by Bill RiId. As I shall mention later an actual
mixture given to Eric Weatherill, Leader Area 11 (after an initial
scare!), enabled him to process a length of Barfen Fuji. This he sent to
me and it looked very good. The other half of the same mix was given to
Roy Johnson and he in turn passed it on to Less Cook. They both processed
Konica without difficulty - in fact I gather they were highly delighted.
Les also put a short piece of 3M 400 but finished up with a. green cast. I
too have had this difficulty. Quite obviously the 3M emulsion .will need
some considerable modification to the formula.
Of course the inevitable questions now
are can these first successes be repeated consistently and can the formula
be mixed, giving equal quality, by other members using their chemicals,
camera and methods.
I can’t answer that one, of course,
but on the other hand I see no reason why not, Though, Obviously. as I
pointed out in the original article, chemicals Do vary camera shutter
speeds are seldom accurate and processing methods tend to vary. So that
there may have to be some changes made from my times - particularly my
times - in the twp developers. Obviously should it be found that one or
other of OUR chemicals are now standard - well so will the results be less
good than mine. But I do assure members that the ACTUAL formula WILL
(and has) given first class transparencies.
One member, Tony Chuter of Southampton,
is. fully intending to give it a try so will await HIS verdict with
considerable interest. Tony, incidentally, brought one point to my
attention. The amount of Sodium Hydroxide, 10%solution was given in the
formula as 12 5g This should, obviously have been 12 5rnl not my mistake I
hasten to point out!
A backward glance, as it were, to
Oliver’s assessment - Oliver, never one to omit the odd reservation,
warns “One swallow doesn’t necessarily make a summer!” So I hope to
make further tests. Produce a few more swallows. Well before the migratory
season.
Oliver, though, is unhappy with the no
‘stop/blix’ technique. He points out that the stop-bath, as its name
implies, does just that - stops development... dead But I maintain that
the high temperature of the E.6. process, plus the high dilution achieved
by even the first tank—full of water is sufficient to effectively
suspend development in the dense areas of the (at this stage) negative
image where the developer will be more or less exhausted. In the lighter
parts the developer may well retain a little activity but this, in any
case, would be infinitesimal and would merely serve to give a “softer”
image.
I record this because I had mentioned to
Oliver some initial difficulty experienced with the Blix. This I suspected
could be traced to some very old chemicals I had at first used. So a
fresh. supply, hopefully, has cured the problem. For now all appears to be
well.
Naturally I am delighted that members
have shown so great an interest and I am hopeful that many others will
follow suite and give the formula a run. For myself. I find it a joy to
have but three bottles in the water-bath as against the more conventional
six or seven if you count the stabilizer.
TAKE YOUR CAP OFF!
Have you noticed? When something goes
hay-wire it really DOES GO HAY-WIRE. I mean it almost always
chooses the most embarrassing and inappropriate occasion. It happened that
way when Area Leader, Eric Weatherill was due to visit me. So I thought it
a good chance to make up the three-bath mixture so he could take some home
with him and test the formula out for himself.