In article <529r3m$ium@mark.ucdavis.edu>, jhhall@ucdavis.edu says...
>I use Nikor tanks and reals and I am getting uneven developement along
>the top and bottom of the frames. When you print the photo it is
>almost like flair....thanks, JHH
Uneven development of the type you describe is related to how the film is first wetted, to agitation method, to agitation timing, and somewhat less
to developer selection, and to film type. Successful agitation technique varies considerably from person to person (and two people apparently doing
the same agitation can have very different results [I used to teach
photography...]). The best results for me have come from doing it this way:
- Lower the loaded reels into the tank of developer.
- Immediately cap the tank, and begin agitation with 3-5 agitation
cycles (an agitation cycle consists of three fairly rapid invertions
and uprightings of the tank while twisting the tank, followed by a
single sidways back-and-forth motion [a total of 5-7 seconds for
a cycle]).
- Repeat a single agitation cycle every 30 seconds until development
is complete.
- Empty the tank rapidly, and without delay quickly fill the tank with
the next fluid (short stop, or water).
(I find that the number and type of initial agitation cycles is critical
to good results, and the number of cycles is chosen for the particular
developer used [i.e., 3 cycles with Acufine, 5 with D-76 gives me the
best results]). And developers like Acufine tend to give more even
development more easily than Micridol-X, for instance. And Ilford Delta
400 is far easier to develop evenly than Technical Pan (normal contrast),
for instance. Good luck in solving a vexing problem - and remember that
you can always add an edge burn to the already obligatory corner burn
(to compensate for illumination roll-off toward the corners due to lens
and light-source unevenness).
Hope This Helps