My first ever, manually processed real B&W roll...- check it out

[alexz]

Well, please check out few examples from first in my life, my hand-processed real B&W roll....still have enough to refine in my processing (such as learn to avoid water residue....), but overall I'm quite satisfied (should I say excited ? :D)

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=8408

Your comments are welcome...

[nikon_sam]

Great job...just be careful when handling wet film (scratches) and let it dry in a "Dust-Free" area like a shower...

[ully]

Excellent job, what film and developer was this with. Love the low light shadow detail.

[oscroft]

You've done a nice job there - well done :D

[venchka]

Good job! Cheers!

[michaelging]

You did do a good job. Highlights are not blocked up from over development ,good shadow detail and good contrast. well done.

[Morca007]

Looks great, minus a few scratches!

Hopefully I'll be processing my first roll soon. I had a (smaller) first today, first time cutting and archiving negs. :P

[charjohncarter]

Great first roll, if you are not satisfied with anything on this roll, you should really post it on this forum. These people are really a great help. They will answer any question. For instants, someone talked about scratches. I didn't read the entire post but there are ways to avoid this. I know I learned a few here.

[leica M2 fan]

Not only did you develop the roll well, you have a great eye. Your pictures in the gallery are truly wonderful. :)

[Carzee]

congrats there. good pics. I did my first roll last month. now I've done 5 rolls.

..and last night I got into first printing...

[alexz]

Thank you all guys, I'm glad I'm not alone pursuading a new world of B&W these days...

Yes, there are lots to be improved in my processing technique - have learn to avoid water residue on the film (albeit used soap bath at the end - appears to be not enough, or sopa concentration was too weak), some scratches and lots of dust. It appears my bathroom isn't dust-free area for film drying as it may appear...:-).
BTW, all the scans required little contrast tweakign (Levels) in PS - mostly just slight compression at the dark end of the Histogram. The negs though look good to my untrained to B&W eye.
I'm not sure, but perhaps the grain was a bit more then I'd like in some cases, but I suspect this may come frmo the fact that I'm not used to B&W...:-)

Richard, it was Kodak Tri-X 400 (shot at nominal 400), developed in Kodak HC-110 dillution B (European, i.e. 1:9), developmend for 6.5 minutes (per our fellow charjoncarter experience), fixed in tetenal Superfix Plus dilluted 1:3 for 5 minutes.
I used a water bath for 5 minutes in-between developing and fixing.

[nikon_sam]

Alexz,
You can bring your water rinse down to 1-2 minutes after developing...
Before hanging film in shower to dry you might try running the shower for a minute or two to knock down any dust in there...
Good Luck on your next rolls...and the next one..and the next one...

[John Bragg]

Well done Alex ! It is such a great feeling to see your first ever roll developed and hanging up to dry. Nice photos too !! Just need to get you into wet printing now, and then the fun really begins.......:D

All the best in your continued efforts,

John.

[alexz]

Thanks guys.
Will try to keep up....

John, unfortunately wet printing isn't an option for me due to home space restrictions.
Just no free space for enlarger and other stuff...