Finally part 2! Here are some sample images made on my M7 Leica and my Rollei 2.8 (F – 1960) using Fuji Acros at an EI of 160.
The two square images of course were shot with the Rollei (120mm) and the hand and zipper image was made with my Leica M7. Full size the Rollei images are 18″ x 18″ (142MB, 16 Bit, Grayscale, 120mm Negative, 3200 dpi scan) and the hand and zipper image is 16″x 24″ (160MB, 16 Bit, Grayscale, 35mm Negative, 6300 dpi scan). The detail crop of the zipper represents approx a 3″x4″ section of the larger 16″x24″ print…amazing!
Here is how I processed it…
Fuji Acros 100…EI 160
- Diafine Developer at 68-72 F
- Part A 4.5 minutes (two inversions every minute…gentle.)
- Part B 4.5 minutes (two inversions every minute…gentle.)
- Water Stop 1 minute Fill and Dump (68-72 F)
- Fix Kodak Rapid (5 minutes)
- Wash 1 minute running water (68-72 F)
- Perma Wash 1 minute constant agitation
- Wash 5 minutes (65-75 F)
- LFN
- Dry
For more information on the process and testing conducted please listen to the audioblog link below….
TIP– When your developer starts to get dirty…say after 30 plus rolls just run it through a coffee filter to “clean” it…use a different filter of course for each solution.
Figital Revolution 
I love Acros to death! I expose it at its native speed of 100 and process it in two developers successfully:
Microdol-X: 75 degrees, 1:3, for 18 minutes when I need to control excessive highlights
ID-11: 68 degrees, no dilution, 6:45 minutes for standard shooting
In both cases, I get astonishing tonality, sharpness, and detail with my Leica R8 and M6 TTL cameras and related lenses with both natural light and with my Metz flashes. I used to use only Delta 100, but I have discovered that Across 100 is just as forgiving in all exposure environments and I like its appearance on prints I make in my darkroom more than I do with Delta 100. Some Acros samples are at my Flicker site: http://flickr.com/photos/21652620@N08/
Terry
The Acros is a great film…in Diafine it is really quite nice!
Cheers-
Stephen
Am new to diafine and Acros 100 but am excited by the combination – am in the process of shooting test roll at 200 and your article and examples are very useful – thanks, Jeff
Just finished a test acros 100 @ 200, 3.5 min A and same B, 70degrees – I think it needs more speed – highlights way overexposed (about 2 stops??) – more tests at 400 tomarrow though I am impressed as it is.
The issue is your development time….extend it to 4.5 to 5 minutes at 70-75F and it will balance the contrast between highlights and shadows. Highlights exhaust first in Diafine and shadows and low range tones process up to around 5 minutes max. At 400 you will be very under exposed. When you open your scanned image in PS it will be too bright and flat (nothing should be clipping if so rescan). Just add a simple S Curve to the image and it will be prefect!
Cheers-
Stephen
Stephen, I really appreciate your tutorials regarding Dianfine and I am starting to use it with reasonable results. I recall a post you made saying you were going to do one on the scanning peocess and contrast adjustment that you make in post. Have you posted that and I missed it? I would really like to learn more about your technique. Thanks!
I forgot all about that… something to work on next week.
Cheers-
Stephen
Stephen,
Thanks for all the information you’ve provided on Diafine/Acros. I’ve managed to develop few rolls of Acros 100 (and I really like it) but one or two had few frames with silvery spots on them (when inverted – that is, the circular spots looked black on the negative itself). I’m guessing under-agitation but which part, A or B?
And what happens if I over-agitate? Part A vs Part B.
Thanks a bunch!
Over agitation in A is not much of an issue but in B it will increase contrast and grain a lot! Can you email me a small sample of the issue you mentioned as I need to see it to give a good answer.
Thanks-
Stephen
Hi
I started doing b/w analog again one year ago (after a short 20-year break(!)) Pinhole first and now i’m using a used Hassi500 too. Its simply more fun than doing digital.
Combination, almost Efke 25,50,100 & FP4/HP5 with rodinal. But i want to try another combo now.
I like to experiment more with the picture itself than with the developing process, so Diafine could be a choice for me.
The article is very helpful. I ordered some rolls Acros 100 and Diafine today.
Can you say something in general about agitation / solution B?
Thanks!
Just keep the agitation slow, gentle and only once a minute for say two inversions… gentle and slow are key. I agitate both Part A and B the same so it is very easy.
Cheers-
Stephen