R O
U N D - A - B O U T
With
Ron Knowles.
As photographers concerned, primarily,
with the the processing of reversal film most CRC members
will be aware of the green effect, if not as yet of the
"Greenhouse Effect"!! Indeed we have, more than
likely come across the dreaded green cast, to our cost,
face to face, as it were.
Tied up with our `Green effect`, however, are the dire
dangers of pollution to our rivers, seas, and of course,
the land and drainage systems of our country and indeed,
our own homes.
And we, as photographers add to all this, albeit to a
comparitively minor degree, whenever we dispose of a
spent chemical solution. So what can we do to minimise
our involvement in all this? An issue of the Areas 20
Newsletter, put out by Pete Guy, explains about photo
chemicals pollution in far greater detail than I have
room for here. But the methods we can, and must adopt to
a least diminish the effects are comparitively simple.
Briefly any solutions to be discarded should be mixed
together in a bucket and diluted with copious amounts of
water. If you have a pH meter aim towards a neutral
reading of seven. Dilution should be further achieved by
running water following the chemicals down the drain.
Disposal should also be spread over as long a period as
possible - days even weeks.
As processors and photographers we would have
satisfaction of knowing we had done our bit towards
defending the enviornment and maintaining its greenery
for the future.
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During a processing session, using a
water bath to stabilize and maintain the temperature of
the solutions via, perhaps a thermostatically controlled
heater, can sometimes be misleading.
The temperature will, in fact. rise significantly as a
bottle is removed to pour its contents into the
developing tank - leaving less water which will heat up
more quickly. In these circumstances it is a good idea to
keep a spare bottle of the same type and containing
roughly the same amount of water, all ready to replace
the bottle of solution. In this way the temperature will
be much more easily maintained. The small digital
thermometer with a probe and supplied by Maplin, are an
invaluable aid giving a constant 10-second check.
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Still on the question of
temperature - and it cannot be emphisised too strongly
that maintainance of temperature to the accepted 38C is
the key to the production of first class slides - Kodak
in their Professional Manual underline this point in a
section dealing with spiral tank processing procedure. It
is explained that the time in the reversal bath can be
extended beyond the normal 2 minutes for up to six
minutes in order to check, and if necessary adjust by
means of a water bath, the temperature of the Colour
Developer which follows.
This, I`m sure, is useful to know for the temperature of
the two developers is particularly vital and, of course,
the First Developer temperature is easily determined
before starting the session so that the knowledge that
time in the Reversal Bath can be extended should enable
the temperature of the Colour Developer to be `spot-on`
as well.
So this item of information should provide the means for
even the most apprehensive of first-time home processors
to turn out first class colour slides.
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DID YOU KNOW?
The highest auction price for an antique camera is
£21,000 for a J.B. Dancer stereo model patented in 1856?
DID YOU KNOW? The longest
photographic negative measures 11ft 10½ inches by 7¾
inches. In July 1988 a Canadian photographed an estimated
1500 inhabitants of Port Hope with a 355 degree angle
with a single shot?
DID YOU KNOW? Exept for
specialist cameras - for intra-cardiac surgery and
espionage - the smallest camera to be marketed is a
circular `Petel` camera with a diameter of 1.14ins. and
0.65ins. thick?
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