I’ve twiddled for 50 years of darkroom work. Always been pleased with the results. You might find it less fiddly plus get better agitation if you use a back and forth twiddle.
Dev goes in, twiddle _slowly_ back and foward for 10 seconds, then inversions every minute for ~ 10 seconds. Using either perceptol 1+1 for 100's and adox xt3 1+1 for 400. Done 4 rolls so far. Loving it, it's helping me slow down and think. Love the channel. :-)
I have always twiddled. That's how I was taught in my photography class in high school in 1973 and have been doing it ever since. I always wondered if there was a difference. I've tried inversions but hate the leaks and mess. Twiddling for me!! Thanks for doing this!!
The twiddle stick in the original Patterson tank (in the 1970's) had a taper at the bottom end instead of the current slotted end. The idea was to push the taper into the centre of the reel where it would hold tight enough for you to be able to lift the reel partly out of the developer allowing the developer to run out of the spiral. When you let the reel drop back down, there was a natural "flushing" action with the developer. I've just got back into black and white film developing - thanks to your superb channel - I'm not too keen on the new slotted twiddle stick but I use it anyway. I've never inverted the tank as it's impossible not to end up with chemicals in the push-on lid which inevitably end up on your hands and the table! I do 5 clockwise turns and 5 anti-clockwise turns every minute.
The twiddling used to be better with the older Jessops tanks. They had a cam on the spindle and lugs on the bottom of the tank so the reels would rise and fall as they twiddled round.
@@CiderGuy Yup, I have an AP tank and I like the reel, very easy to load. I have mostly done the inversions and the tank tends to leak a little which is annoying, maybe I should try twiddling, especially now that I'm moving to Pyrocat HD which I believe is somewhat toxic so I wouldn't like to have it all over the place.
I use the agitation rod, but I use it with the the newer Paterson tanks with the different tops. Lost my original that came with it, but 3D printed myself a much superior replacement. The replacement is a lot longer and easier to use. Anyway, I started using it because it was a lot easier to get the chemicals in and out on time. I also found for color development I could use the agitation rod and keep the tank in the water bath. This really helped my color consistency. Lastly as you alluded to, it definitely cuts down on the grain. Thanks for the video love your work.
My Patterson tank is the one with the more conical top, so the little twiddle stick stands higher, so it’s easier to use in my opinion. I prefer using it to the inversions because it’s just less chance of mess in my kitchen. Also, since I do C-41 occasionally, it’s easier to manage in a water bath. So for no issues, but I haven’t done a comprehensive head-to-head either 😆
I went my whole life with stainless reels and old school tanks I picked up cheap. Last year I got an actual Patterson and imediatly went for the twiddle stick. It's so much better, no more stinky hands from leaky lids. And in a way I feel like it's almost more controlled then just sloshing it around and inverting it. But my tanks a bit different, it has a large cone type top and the stick pokes right up and is easy to get at. And when I use mine I go for 5 quick little turns back and forth, not just flicking it. It all seems to work just perfect. And don't even get me started on the ratcheting loading reels, not one ruined neg from it touching in the tank yet, I love them.
I use the stick thing for fixing, then I can have the external lid off and throw the little bit leader that you cut off in the little pool of fixer that forms on the top. It gives me an idea of how fast the fixer is while it's fixing. Also seeing a piece of film just magically go clear is just cool.
The original Patterson tanks in bakelite/plastic have a detachable gnurled boss at the top that you remove to put your chems in with the aid of a funnel. It also has a small spout to pour your chems out again with the help of a larger funnel. You can't invert, they're not watertight, but it does mean you can leave it in a water bath, this definitely helps with colour consistency. Easy to twiddle the boss, quite cathartic really. No mess as my water bath is the bathroom sink. They're also more aesthetically pleasing as they have all the info written in a nice embossed mid 20th Century font on the top.
I do both! With a Paterson tank with a funnel shaped top it's much easier to grab the 'twiddler', so I continuously twiddle for the first minute of development just slowly rolling back and forward between my thumb and forefinger, whack the lid on the tank, and then do inversions for the remaining time. I continuously twiddle for 1 minute with the stop bath, and then do the same for the fix as I do for the develop with 1 minute of twiddle and then inversions for the remaining time. I'm happy with the results, and they're always consistent for me. Happy days.
No, I turned the film tank up side down a couple of times very gently (to avoid stripes on the film). I used the Kodak TMAX400 for many years, I shot it at 200 ASA/ISO and developed it in a thin solution for a long time with very few and very gently agitations, in that way the film had more grey tones and had still very good contrast, in modern words, larger dynamic range. I guess you can do the same with a Ilford Delta 400 film. Of paper I used Ilford Multigrade.
From what I recall reading in the Paterson instructions, the "swizzle stick" (as I recall it) is intended for the first agitation after filling the tank, so you don't have to delay that first agitation cycle for the time it takes you to put the lid on and get it sealed for inversion. That said, I've been "twiddling" all my color film since I started using Flexicolor chemistry last fall, because it reduces the oxidation to which the color developer is exposed (which matters mainly because I replenish my color developer). And the first couple developing tanks I ever owned (back in the early 1970s) were FR and Yankee; their roll film tanks had no inversion lid, you could *only* agitate with the "twiddler" rod. I don't recall ever seeing a noticeable difference between inversion and "twiddling" -- but I will freely admit, I'm not the pickiest in examining the exposure and contrast of my negatives. I might mention, however, that when I "twiddle" I twist the stem clockwise, then bring it back counterclockwise, and call that equivalent of one inversion -- give five (or usually six) of those in ten seconds, that's an agitation cycle. For what it's worth, the twiddler is easier to use with the Super System IV tank; there's a lot more room inside the funnel lid than with the older generations from Paterson.
I tried again the next day with 120 film and got uneven development. I wrote a post on my website showing the images. This time I twiddled 360 clock and 360 anti clock as a slow inversion each turn. 5 every min. 510 pyro. I think I'll stick to my normal way but as you said and a few others patterson intended for the twiddle as you poured then switch to normal. All interesting stuff Slnt. Thanks
I'm been twiddling for a long time with good results, but I use the new paterson tank, it's a bit easier than the one that you are using Roger. Nice to see the difference between dilution 👍. Cheers
I was thinking the exact same thing, twiddling would be so much easier to automate than inversions (which some have done too). I'm also thinking of a 3D-printed twiddle stick extension to make twiddling easier, though in my AP tank the stick is quite accessible as is.
I have used the twiddler. But usually only for the stop bath as it is so short it hardly seems worth it to put the lid on. That being said I think my tank must be newer than yours as it has a different top and the stick is easier to get at. Nice work on this vid! I enjoy all of your stuff! Thanks for keeping on doing it!
With 35mm I never had particular issues but with medium format using this spinning thing could bring non uniformity in the development and create some kind of streaks like the one you had especially in areas where the negative is uniform. I don’t personally suggest that. New Patterson tanks don’t leak, like ap tanks. In case, jobo tanks are the safest. Great as usual ☺️
I usually use the "Tai Chi" agitation method with a tap in the palm of my hand at the end of each agitation round to dislodge air bubbles. Doesn't leak much unless you overfill the tank.
i still use the old stainless steel for 35mm & 120. but I do use the stick with the spiral large format inserts for Patterson tanks. the instructions for those say to spin one way then the other with each spin
I’m a twiddler as I have the larger modern Patterson tanks and it’s easier as your hand has so much more room to grab the stick , I recommend you try one as you don’t have the leaks . Really enjoyed the ordinal experiment as it’s something I have thought about trying myself . Great stuff Roger .
I am a bit late to the party here. but. Make sure you twist the rod in the direction that allows the developer to go into the spiral layers. If you twist the other way the developer will just travel over the outside layer of the film. I make sure that I load the spiral onto the central rod so I can twist clockwise. Nice informative video.
If you like playing around with different development methods I think you would enjoy using the Agfa Rondinax. This is a daylight loading tank that only uses 200mml of developer but you agitate by turning a knob every two seconds. I started to use this as I was often having trouble loading the film onto the spiral. This tank does it for you in daylight!
The newer style paterson tanks are designed slightly different and allow easier use of the "Twiddle Stick" :) I tend to use the inversion method for black and white developer but the twiddle stick when fixing I also use the stick method when doing C41 as I find it easier to go between dev > Bleach > Fix (By the time you get the lid on when bleaching it's time to change chemicals again) In regards effective use of the stick method I was told something a long time ago about using them effectively. When putting the film into the tank always make note of which way / which direction the end of the film is facing. You can then use the stick in the opposite direction which in theory should help force and distribute frash chemicals through the roll.
Someone else mentioned this. Makes sense. I didn't take not which way the film was inside. So I wouldn't know this time. Next time I will. Cheers for confirming.
Rog, you should be able to lift the swizzle stick up, and turn it a quarter turn from the position you had it, to the other set of notches in it which are shallower, so that the stick actually sits above the rim of the tank. That way you don’t have to reach down in there and have to fiddle with it.
i used the twiddler, but only for color because of the time/temp sensitivity and the potential chem spills. with black and white i prefer normal inversions. for less fiddly twiddling, try the back and forth (alternating directions without letting go) twiddle instead of twiddling in the same direction.
just watched your latest video on the Twiddle method… exactly what I meant when I said I ‘spun the reel in the tank’! 😀Interesting, your findings on the grain. When I spun the reel, I spun clockwise, then disturbed the whirlpool inside the tank by immediately spinning anti-clockwise. I expect the disturbance created from changing direction, would get fresh chemicals to the film? My Paterson tank is different to yours, there’s plenty of space to use the spindle. Might try it again next time…
I also use the twiddle stick with the newer Paterson tank, a little easier I suppose compared to the small opening on your tanks. When I’m using the twiddle stick I don’t turn it full revolutions just 180 degrees back and forth for the amount of time I need to agitate. I may have to get in the darkroom to send a print over....
I use the tank agitator for the first minute and then flip turn method the rest of the time. I also use to use the tanks you have but the lids would crack and leak . I use the Other Paterson Tank that covers the whole tank. No worries of cracking now. Good Video Roger
Somehow my tank always leaks when I did inversions. So I got the agitation stick and used it before turning clockwise and then anti clockwise. Then my friend introduced me to the rolling machine. Only uses 250mls and the results were awesome for me! Cheers!
I do twiddle 😆 I actually do both. I have the newer Patterson tanks with the larger lid and it's easier to use the twiddle stick. But I use it for the first agitation after pouring in the chemicals and then place the lid on. subsequent agitations I do normal inversions
I liked your comparison! I am surprised to see so many of your viewers are Twiddlers. I also noticed that my Patterson tank (i think) is smaller than yours so more of the twiddle stick is sticking out. For a roll of 120 film, my tank specifies 500ml, and i think you used 700ml. I use the Massive app and twiddle when it tells me to. Cheers to all the Twiddlers out there.
Didn't have a good result today twiddling foma 200. Got uneven development. I did it a lot softer. Yeah I've always used 700ml in my tank for MF. Cheers Don. Onwards and upwards.
Twiddling is a lot easier with other generation of paterson tanks. I got one where the stick isn't inside but very easily reachable. And i twiddle conctantly, wich shortens dev times a lot.
I do inversions and drop the tank into a basin of 20°C tempering water so if the tank leaks it gets rinsed. I have noticed my negatives are punchier now that I have went to dropping the tank back in the water after each inversion.
The neck on the non Super type System 4 tank is really tall compared to the Super System 4 tank. Most people who use the stick probably have a Super System 4 tank, me included. I started using it when I first did home C-41 processing, and now I just use it for everything.
I have the newer version of the Patterson tanks and the twiddly stick is easy to reach with the top off. I twiddle it back and forth (clockwise, counter-clockwise, etc.) a few times, rather than inverting the tank, and find it works (seemingly) fine. For your tanks, I can see it's too annoying. Thanks for testing!
Pictorial Planet video covers this agitation method in some depth. Over the years I've done agitation both ways and frankly cannot really say one is better than the other, however I find this method does have two pluses, temperature can be taken easily throughout the developing period and there's far less chance of air bubbles forming on the negative. If using a water bath to maintain the correct temperature the swizzle stick method helps the process.
@@Murgoh yes that's true, especially if using a water bath to maintain an even temperature. Pictorial Planet RUclips video on putting a Paterson tank lid on may be of interest, I certainly did not know about the method he demonstrates.
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss think it's fare to say Roger, those naughty troublesome air bubbles that always seem to be present, will tend to be floating harmlessly above the film spiral.
I have given up inversion almost totally and just stir (Bond: Martini shaken not stirred). Well unlike Bond I don't like the small tank leakage when my martini is shaken. The new Patterson tanks with their broad cover is even worse for leaking than the old one was (I have both and a small Jobo also). When one stirs there is a LOT less loss of fixer and stop bath. I generally use xtol 1:1 so my developer anyway is a throw away. So, I prefer so stir!
Roger its an agitator, only problem is if you don't load the spool properly (sort of thing that would typically happen with those unfamiliar with darkroom practices) and it's loose and rubs on the wall of the tank that can score the film
I’ve been doing the twiddle stick back and forth for the first thirty seconds and then switching to inversion. I think that I was doing it too vigorously because my 120 film would come off the reel over on the outermost end. Now I’m going to try to only spin it in the direction that won’t put direct water pressure on the film end.
I never used Rodinal... A friend of mine uses it and his agfa apx films come out with more grain then mine done with ilford ilfosol 3... But I've had a little trouble developing panf plus and fp4 with ilfosol, so I tried a roll of panf plus developed with ID-11 and it came out fine...
I use the stick exclusively. Could never get the paterson tank to not leak. Have never had any problems with using the stick. I find it more convenient as well.
I learned to develop film in high school with the twirly sticks and have never used anything else. I’ve never bothered to try inversion - seems more aggravating than just a quick twirl with a stick. Much less risk of spilling. I always wonder why people bother with inversions. BTW - the sticks are much easier to use / reach with the Patterson tanks. It’s not so cramped to get your fingers in there.
I've always inverted with my Patterson Tanks. I find that if you mop up the liquid in the outer rim of the tank, you'll get less leakage. That's fine for me since my darkroom doubles as a bathroom 🤣 so there's always toilet paper to hand.
Twiddle also reduces/eliminates bubbles introduction during inversions... I use it all the time and results are perfect. My fingers are slimmer though :-)
Rodinal is an excellent developer, but prone to contrast and grain excess with too much agitation. Very gentle inversions are a good compromise, moving the liquid without any splash or bubbles. 1:50 or 1:25 fine, 1:100 requires longer development and risks temperature change, as does semi-stand.
I twiddle for the first 30 seconds, and then normal inversions every minute once I've pu the rubber lid on. Same for Fixing. For the stop I'll twiddle the whole time. For me it just about the faff of getting the rubber lid on properly. I want to make sure that I'm agitating straight away when I pour the chemicals in. Get that first 30 seconds done and then put the rubber lid on at leisure.
I just tried this for the first time with c41 chemicals with bad results. The frames closest to the middle came out streaked. I tried a second roll, and got same results. I then went back to inversion method with no issues. So I'll stick to inversion. About the same time I learned about a technique in which you essentially "burp" the Patterson lid, this has mostly eliminated leaks.
I use the stick for the first minute of agitation and then put the lid on and invert for the remaining agitation. It takes me too long to get the lid sealed after adding the developer. I develop w ilfosol-3.
I use most of the time a double-reel paterson system 4 tank, i think it is just like yours. My twiddle stick only works with a single reel loaded. If two are in the tank, with the lid screwed on the reels are stuck so the twiddle stick cannot rotate them.
I only use the twizzle stick. Haven't inverted in years. I find it's more consistent and less messy (leaky tanks) Should have mentioned I have a tank like yours and a newer one. The newer ones are much better for this
Just to throw a curve in there, Patterson's instruction sheet on their website says twiddle first, then switch to inversions! Personally, I'm a twiddler.
I'm a gentle twiddler, it goes back to developing Kodak Tech Pan in the early 1980's. Too much agitation resulted in thin negs and sprocket hole marks. I guess tricky films showed correct film development techniques 🤔
I have never twiddled ... no idea where my twiddler is!!!! I either shake it or do stand developing ... I am pretty happy with stand, by I'm a lazy sod!!!
Is that a Paterson Tank? My Paterson Tank has a different top design. I need not stick my fingers in to twindle the agitator as it has a section protruding outwards. Very convenient. But take note if you are using bigger tanks, you will require more strength for the twindling. I have a 2 reel and a 5 reel. More reels means more chemicals more weight.
Very interesting, thank you. I should imagine this method would work best with something like XTol as XTol was designed from the word go to be used with rotary processors. My tanks are all stainless steel so no twiddle, sadly
I use the twiddle-development only when I do C41 development. In this case, the tank is filled up to 100% of its capacity and twiddling seems to work ok.
I tried it yesterday... In a agfa apx 100... It came out a bit contrasty... I did 6 turns, at the start and then every minute for almost four minutes and 15 seconds at 24 degrees Celsius... With ilford ilfosol 3 developer... I'll try it with less turns next time...
hi maestro, very interesting experiences. So the 1:25 normal inversion give the normal gamma and high and low light. In a traditional chimical paper developmnt the gamma is the leader of the grey chain. Please to you
I twizzle back and forth, and how hard you twizzle can affect the outcome! It’s supposed to be a gentle twizzle back and forth. I used to invert but got fed up with the leaks and most people on Negative Positive Podcast Facebook page said it’s better. So I twizzle now
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss think twiddling hard can make it a bit more contrasty to be honest I don’t think I’ve noticed much difference, I don’t even twiddle on the right time as l’m usually tidying up😂
The problem with using Rodinal is that Rodinal is well known for being outstanding at stand development and some might perceive the test as meaningless. "Well, you were using Rodinal; that's going to compensate somewhat for failure to agitate properly." My twiddle stick is long, and very easy to manipulate. I can start agitating with the twiddle stick much more quickly than I can get the lid on the tank in a reliably leak-proof manner.
When I started I used the inversion method. Then a mate said I should try the twiddling method. My tank is a little different shape so the twiddler is easier to use. Haha. I never noticed big differences in density but found the twiddling method gave me finer grain. Not sure if I was imagining or that’s actually the case? 🤔 Every now and then I still do the inversion method... it is sort of cathartic. Lol
Hi, what if you try to gradually increase the development temperature during development from -4°C to +4°C from the nominal temperature to reduce graininess?
did you try if there's any difference between twiddling in one direction only vs. back and forth? Some say you should always turn the stick so that the developer is forced inward in the spiral (meaning you must be careful to load the spiral in the tank always the same side up), some say back and forth.
Once I saw @the_real_sir_robin using this technique I haven't looked back. Seems the Paterson tank have a different design that make twiddling easier than the tank you're using.
Having tried the twiddle I became paranoid that each twiddle was different as opposed to 4 clear inversions every 60 seconds. I had similar issues when trying out the LAB BOX until I learnt to load 120 in a changing bag....... hence I'm now a confirmed invertor.
Your tank looks a little awkward using the stick - My one is a bit easier and I only use the twiddle stick. My thinking is that I can be more precise at each inversion. Probably doesn't make a big difference, but it's also nice not messing chemicals all over the bathroom. I'm surprised that the stand development came out so much lighter than the others.
I call it Twizzle stick. Did I made that up or other people call it like this ? Haha I've been twizzling for a few years now. Works really well when you want very gentle agitations. I develop mostly with Diafine that needs very little agitation, and it works really well with it. Thanks for the video, and keep twizzling!
You'll notice I put 11mins on the 1/100...typo. It was 16 mins. 👍
I just started using the twirly sticks, finally got tired of the leaking. Good results so far.
have you twiddles 120 film yet?
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss Actually the last developing I did had 1 roll of 135 and 1 roll of 120 together in the same large Patterson tank.
I’ve twiddled for 50 years of darkroom work. Always been pleased with the results. You might find it less fiddly plus get better agitation if you use a back and forth twiddle.
I twiddle-develop exclusively. Also, on occasion I'll twiddle my thumbs.
Dev goes in, twiddle _slowly_ back and foward for 10 seconds, then inversions every minute for ~ 10 seconds. Using either perceptol 1+1 for 100's and adox xt3 1+1 for 400. Done 4 rolls so far. Loving it, it's helping me slow down and think. Love the channel. :-)
I have always twiddled. That's how I was taught in my photography class in high school in 1973 and have been doing it ever since. I always wondered if there was a difference. I've tried inversions but hate the leaks and mess. Twiddling for me!! Thanks for doing this!!
The twiddle stick in the original Patterson tank (in the 1970's) had a taper at the bottom end instead of the current slotted end. The idea was to push the taper into the centre of the reel where it would hold tight enough for you to be able to lift the reel partly out of the developer allowing the developer to run out of the spiral. When you let the reel drop back down, there was a natural "flushing" action with the developer. I've just got back into black and white film developing - thanks to your superb channel - I'm not too keen on the new slotted twiddle stick but I use it anyway. I've never inverted the tank as it's impossible not to end up with chemicals in the push-on lid which inevitably end up on your hands and the table! I do 5 clockwise turns and 5 anti-clockwise turns every minute.
The twiddling used to be better with the older Jessops tanks. They had a cam on the spindle and lugs on the bottom of the tank so the reels would rise and fall as they twiddled round.
@@CiderGuy Yup, I have an AP tank and I like the reel, very easy to load. I have mostly done the inversions and the tank tends to leak a little which is annoying, maybe I should try twiddling, especially now that I'm moving to Pyrocat HD which I believe is somewhat toxic so I wouldn't like to have it all over the place.
I use the agitation rod, but I use it with the the newer Paterson tanks with the different tops. Lost my original that came with it, but 3D printed myself a much superior replacement. The replacement is a lot longer and easier to use. Anyway, I started using it because it was a lot easier to get the chemicals in and out on time. I also found for color development I could use the agitation rod and keep the tank in the water bath. This really helped my color consistency. Lastly as you alluded to, it definitely cuts down on the grain. Thanks for the video love your work.
I must look into a 3d printer. seems like a lot of film togs make things they can't get anymore.
I have a pretty leaky older tank, and have been thinking about printing a 90° crank handle for the agitation rod.
My Patterson tank is the one with the more conical top, so the little twiddle stick stands higher, so it’s easier to use in my opinion. I prefer using it to the inversions because it’s just less chance of mess in my kitchen. Also, since I do C-41 occasionally, it’s easier to manage in a water bath. So for no issues, but I haven’t done a comprehensive head-to-head either 😆
I went my whole life with stainless reels and old school tanks I picked up cheap. Last year I got an actual Patterson and imediatly went for the twiddle stick. It's so much better, no more stinky hands from leaky lids. And in a way I feel like it's almost more controlled then just sloshing it around and inverting it. But my tanks a bit different, it has a large cone type top and the stick pokes right up and is easy to get at. And when I use mine I go for 5 quick little turns back and forth, not just flicking it. It all seems to work just perfect. And don't even get me started on the ratcheting loading reels, not one ruined neg from it touching in the tank yet, I love them.
I use the stick thing for fixing, then I can have the external lid off and throw the little bit leader that you cut off in the little pool of fixer that forms on the top. It gives me an idea of how fast the fixer is while it's fixing. Also seeing a piece of film just magically go clear is just cool.
I use the agitation rod, my Patterson tanks are funnel shaped at the top though heaps of room.
The original Patterson tanks in bakelite/plastic have a detachable gnurled boss at the top that you remove to put your chems in with the aid of a funnel. It also has a small spout to pour your chems out again with the help of a larger funnel. You can't invert, they're not watertight, but it does mean you can leave it in a water bath, this definitely helps with colour consistency. Easy to twiddle the boss, quite cathartic really. No mess as my water bath is the bathroom sink.
They're also more aesthetically pleasing as they have all the info written in a nice embossed mid 20th Century font on the top.
Cheers Iain,
I do both! With a Paterson tank with a funnel shaped top it's much easier to grab the 'twiddler', so I continuously twiddle for the first minute of development just slowly rolling back and forward between my thumb and forefinger, whack the lid on the tank, and then do inversions for the remaining time. I continuously twiddle for 1 minute with the stop bath, and then do the same for the fix as I do for the develop with 1 minute of twiddle and then inversions for the remaining time. I'm happy with the results, and they're always consistent for me. Happy days.
No, I turned the film tank up side down a couple of times very gently (to avoid stripes on the film). I used the Kodak TMAX400 for many years, I shot it at 200 ASA/ISO and developed it in a thin solution for a long time with very few and very gently agitations, in that way the film had more grey tones and had still very good contrast, in modern words, larger dynamic range. I guess you can do the same with a Ilford Delta 400 film. Of paper I used Ilford Multigrade.
From what I recall reading in the Paterson instructions, the "swizzle stick" (as I recall it) is intended for the first agitation after filling the tank, so you don't have to delay that first agitation cycle for the time it takes you to put the lid on and get it sealed for inversion.
That said, I've been "twiddling" all my color film since I started using Flexicolor chemistry last fall, because it reduces the oxidation to which the color developer is exposed (which matters mainly because I replenish my color developer). And the first couple developing tanks I ever owned (back in the early 1970s) were FR and Yankee; their roll film tanks had no inversion lid, you could *only* agitate with the "twiddler" rod. I don't recall ever seeing a noticeable difference between inversion and "twiddling" -- but I will freely admit, I'm not the pickiest in examining the exposure and contrast of my negatives. I might mention, however, that when I "twiddle" I twist the stem clockwise, then bring it back counterclockwise, and call that equivalent of one inversion -- give five (or usually six) of those in ten seconds, that's an agitation cycle.
For what it's worth, the twiddler is easier to use with the Super System IV tank; there's a lot more room inside the funnel lid than with the older generations from Paterson.
I tried again the next day with 120 film and got uneven development. I wrote a post on my website showing the images. This time I twiddled 360 clock and 360 anti clock as a slow inversion each turn. 5 every min. 510 pyro. I think I'll stick to my normal way but as you said and a few others patterson intended for the twiddle as you poured then switch to normal. All interesting stuff Slnt. Thanks
I'm been twiddling for a long time with good results, but I use the new paterson tank, it's a bit easier than the one that you are using Roger. Nice to see the difference between dilution 👍. Cheers
Cheers Peds.
Haha that little parking meter aside was adorable!
Right in the middle of a video and inversions.
Inb4 someone makes a kickstarter for 3d printed, arduino powered automatic twittle stick rotator. The Twidler. Only 800$. Preorder now :)
I was thinking the exact same thing, twiddling would be so much easier to automate than inversions (which some have done too). I'm also thinking of a 3D-printed twiddle stick extension to make twiddling easier, though in my AP tank the stick is quite accessible as is.
ha ha ha
you could just use a kitchen mixer, the stick version :D
How about when we do the laundry 🧺 we put the tank on the wash machine to agitate.. . just a thought..Kick Start that . :)
@@largophoto A washing machine could be used as a rotary processor for ultra large format film.
I have used the twiddler. But usually only for the stop bath as it is so short it hardly seems worth it to put the lid on. That being said I think my tank must be newer than yours as it has a different top and the stick is easier to get at. Nice work on this vid! I enjoy all of your stuff! Thanks for keeping on doing it!
With 35mm I never had particular issues but with medium format using this spinning thing could bring non uniformity in the development and create some kind of streaks like the one you had especially in areas where the negative is uniform. I don’t personally suggest that. New Patterson tanks don’t leak, like ap tanks. In case, jobo tanks are the safest. Great as usual ☺️
I usually use the "Tai Chi" agitation method with a tap in the palm of my hand at the end of each agitation round to dislodge air bubbles. Doesn't leak much unless you overfill the tank.
I've seen that before. Interesting.
Normaly the twiddeling stick have two different cuts in the end, so you can use it high or low. Much easier to use it higher up. =)
i still use the old stainless steel for 35mm & 120. but I do use the stick with the spiral large format inserts for Patterson tanks. the instructions for those say to spin one way then the other with each spin
Nice video research. In a 10 min developing time, I normally do slow Twiddle and an inversion every three minutes. Happy with the results.
I’m a twiddler as I have the larger modern Patterson tanks and it’s easier as your hand has so much more room to grab the stick , I recommend you try one as you don’t have the leaks . Really enjoyed the ordinal experiment as it’s something I have thought about trying myself . Great stuff Roger .
Thanks for sharing Clive
I am a bit late to the party here. but. Make sure you twist the rod in the direction that allows the developer to go into the spiral layers. If you twist the other way the developer will just travel over the outside layer of the film. I make sure that I load the spiral onto the central rod so I can twist clockwise. Nice informative video.
If you like playing around with different development methods I think you would enjoy using the Agfa Rondinax. This is a daylight loading tank that only uses 200mml of developer but you agitate by turning a knob every two seconds. I started to use this as I was often having trouble loading the film onto the spiral. This tank does it for you in daylight!
Always used inversions never tried the twiddling method but may give it a go
I've always used the twiddle sticks, my school uses them, so I've just never bothered with the hassle of any leakage
The newer style paterson tanks are designed slightly different and allow easier use of the "Twiddle Stick" :)
I tend to use the inversion method for black and white developer but the twiddle stick when fixing
I also use the stick method when doing C41 as I find it easier to go between dev > Bleach > Fix (By the time you get the lid on when bleaching it's time to change chemicals again)
In regards effective use of the stick method I was told something a long time ago about using them effectively.
When putting the film into the tank always make note of which way / which direction the end of the film is facing. You can then use the stick in the opposite direction which in theory should help force and distribute frash chemicals through the roll.
Someone else mentioned this. Makes sense. I didn't take not which way the film was inside. So I wouldn't know this time. Next time I will. Cheers for confirming.
Rog, you should be able to lift the swizzle stick up, and turn it a quarter turn from the position you had it, to the other set of notches in it which are shallower, so that the stick actually sits above the rim of the tank. That way you don’t have to reach down in there and have to fiddle with it.
I'll check that out. Cheers Nick.
Makes no difference Nick. I just stuck a pen in it
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss Ah ok. Must just be on the newer style tanks.
I have and had no problems so far. Go back and forth like a washing machine
i used the twiddler, but only for color because of the time/temp sensitivity and the potential chem spills. with black and white i prefer normal inversions. for less fiddly twiddling, try the back and forth (alternating directions without letting go) twiddle instead of twiddling in the same direction.
just watched your latest video on the Twiddle method… exactly what I meant when I said I ‘spun the reel in the tank’! 😀Interesting, your findings on the grain. When I spun the reel, I spun clockwise, then disturbed the whirlpool inside the tank by immediately spinning anti-clockwise. I expect the disturbance created from changing direction, would get fresh chemicals to the film? My Paterson tank is different to yours, there’s plenty of space to use the spindle. Might try it again next time…
I also use the twiddle stick with the newer Paterson tank, a little easier I suppose compared to the small opening on your tanks. When I’m using the twiddle stick I don’t turn it full revolutions just 180 degrees back and forth for the amount of time I need to agitate. I may have to get in the darkroom to send a print over....
You're welcome to Ken. Thanks.
I use the tank agitator for the first minute and then flip turn method the rest of the time. I also use to use the tanks you have but the lids would crack and leak . I use the Other Paterson Tank that covers the whole tank. No worries of cracking now. Good Video Roger
Another Alligator mention. I need to google that! "Edited" You said Agitator. Just put my glasses on LOL
@@ShootFilmLikeaBossha ha, I didn't know what they were called also until I had to buy a replacement one awhile back.
Somehow my tank always leaks when I did inversions. So I got the agitation stick and used it before turning clockwise and then anti clockwise. Then my friend introduced me to the rolling machine. Only uses 250mls and the results were awesome for me! Cheers!
Thanks for sharing
Maybe you can try it soon :)
I do twiddle 😆 I actually do both. I have the newer Patterson tanks with the larger lid and it's easier to use the twiddle stick. But I use it for the first agitation after pouring in the chemicals and then place the lid on. subsequent agitations I do normal inversions
I liked your comparison! I am surprised to see so many of your viewers are Twiddlers. I also noticed that my Patterson tank (i think) is smaller than yours so more of the twiddle stick is sticking out. For a roll of 120 film, my tank specifies 500ml, and i think you used 700ml. I use the Massive app and twiddle when it tells me to. Cheers to all the Twiddlers out there.
Didn't have a good result today twiddling foma 200. Got uneven development. I did it a lot softer. Yeah I've always used 700ml in my tank for MF. Cheers Don. Onwards and upwards.
Twiddling is a lot easier with other generation of paterson tanks. I got one where the stick isn't inside but very easily reachable. And i twiddle conctantly, wich shortens dev times a lot.
Jam a pencil in the top of the twiddle stick and it is easier to use. Also the newer Paterson tanks design make the stick easier to use.
I just that today Tony.. A pen.
I do inversions and drop the tank into a basin of 20°C tempering water so if the tank leaks it gets rinsed. I have noticed my negatives are punchier now that I have went to dropping the tank back in the water after each inversion.
Literally submerge it under?
The neck on the non Super type System 4 tank is really tall compared to the Super System 4 tank. Most people who use the stick probably have a Super System 4 tank, me included. I started using it when I first did home C-41 processing, and now I just use it for everything.
I'm an inverter/tapper rather than a twiddler. Tried my first semi stand development today and was really pleased with the results.
Glad the semi stand came out well.
I have the newer version of the Patterson tanks and the twiddly stick is easy to reach with the top off. I twiddle it back and forth (clockwise, counter-clockwise, etc.) a few times, rather than inverting the tank, and find it works (seemingly) fine. For your tanks, I can see it's too annoying. Thanks for testing!
I may need to find my twiddle stick and give it a go, the grain did seem to be reduced on your images. Thanks for taking the time to experiment
Glad it was helpful!
Pictorial Planet video covers this agitation method in some depth. Over the years I've done agitation both ways and frankly cannot really say one is better than the other, however I find this method does have two pluses, temperature can be taken easily throughout the developing period and there's far less chance of air bubbles forming on the negative. If using a water bath to maintain the correct temperature the swizzle stick method helps the process.
The third plus, as mentioned by others, is it's less messy as many tanks tend to leak when doing the inversions.
@@Murgoh yes that's true, especially if using a water bath to maintain an even temperature. Pictorial Planet RUclips video on putting a Paterson tank lid on may be of interest, I certainly did not know about the method he demonstrates.
I was thinking that about the air bubbles. There would be hardly any.
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss think it's fare to say Roger, those naughty troublesome air bubbles that always seem to be present, will tend to be floating harmlessly above the film spiral.
I have given up inversion almost totally and just stir (Bond: Martini shaken not stirred). Well unlike Bond I don't like the small tank leakage when my martini is shaken. The new Patterson tanks with their broad cover is even worse for leaking than the old one was (I have both and a small Jobo also). When one stirs there is a LOT less loss of fixer and stop bath. I generally use xtol 1:1 so my developer anyway is a throw away. So, I prefer so stir!
Roger its an agitator, only problem is if you don't load the spool properly (sort of thing that would typically happen with those unfamiliar with darkroom practices) and it's loose and rubs on the wall of the tank that can score the film
Good tip! Make sure your film is totally inside the reel then
I’ve been doing the twiddle stick back and forth for the first thirty seconds and then switching to inversion. I think that I was doing it too vigorously because my 120 film would come off the reel over on the outermost end. Now I’m going to try to only spin it in the direction that won’t put direct water pressure on the film end.
I never used Rodinal... A friend of mine uses it and his agfa apx films come out with more grain then mine done with ilford ilfosol 3... But I've had a little trouble developing panf plus and fp4 with ilfosol, so I tried a roll of panf plus developed with ID-11 and it came out fine...
Yes thats a good combo ID-11 and Panf50. Even finer grain with Ilford Perceptol! Rodinal is a great developer if you don't mind the grain.
I use the stick exclusively. Could never get the paterson tank to not leak. Have never had any problems with using the stick. I find it more convenient as well.
I learned to develop film in high school with the twirly sticks and have never used anything else. I’ve never bothered to try inversion - seems more aggravating than just a quick twirl with a stick. Much less risk of spilling. I always wonder why people bother with inversions.
BTW - the sticks are much easier to use / reach with the Patterson tanks. It’s not so cramped to get your fingers in there.
I've always inverted with my Patterson Tanks. I find that if you mop up the liquid in the outer rim of the tank, you'll get less leakage. That's fine for me since my darkroom doubles as a bathroom 🤣 so there's always toilet paper to hand.
Twiddle also reduces/eliminates bubbles introduction during inversions... I use it all the time and results are perfect. My fingers are slimmer though :-)
Take a look at this video: Ilford HP5 Plus and Rodinal with Salt - Experimental Developing for Minimum Grain and Good Contras
Thanks. I shall search it.
Nice video. I always use 3.5 ml of rodinal for semi stand dev and never have any issue. Semi stand should solve the bromide drag problem i guess.
Interesting! I usually twiddle first minute, then shake every 30 seconds. No particular reason. Cheers!
Rodinal is an excellent developer, but prone to contrast and grain excess with too much agitation. Very gentle inversions are a good compromise, moving the liquid without any splash or bubbles. 1:50 or 1:25 fine, 1:100 requires longer development and risks temperature change, as does semi-stand.
I twiddle for the first 30 seconds, and then normal inversions every minute once I've pu the rubber lid on. Same for Fixing. For the stop I'll twiddle the whole time.
For me it just about the faff of getting the rubber lid on properly. I want to make sure that I'm agitating straight away when I pour the chemicals in. Get that first 30 seconds done and then put the rubber lid on at leisure.
Threw the twiddle sticks in the bin, always inverted for me
I just tried this for the first time with c41 chemicals with bad results. The frames closest to the middle came out streaked. I tried a second roll, and got same results. I then went back to inversion method with no issues. So I'll stick to inversion. About the same time I learned about a technique in which you essentially "burp" the Patterson lid, this has mostly eliminated leaks.
now this is 😎 ..I am guessing the liquid temp was consistent ..but the stand alone was well worth it
Yes all the temps were the same and dilutions I did were precise. Interesting stuff.
I use inversion method , occasionally I twiddle ,if the tank leaks ,I will get another one .
I use the agitator because it is less messy.
A what! Alligator?
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss Instigator!
hi. when developing 400 asa at 1:100 i normally take it to 20-25 minutes. that is probably why it looked a bit flat.
I have always started with inversion, continued with the stick, ended with an inversion.
If you have the newer paterson tanks, the twiddle stick is a lot easier to use.
Cheers Adrian. Someone else said that too
I use the stick for the first minute of agitation and then put the lid on and invert for the remaining agitation. It takes me too long to get the lid sealed after adding the developer. I develop w ilfosol-3.
I use most of the time a double-reel paterson system 4 tank, i think it is just like yours. My twiddle stick only works with a single reel loaded. If two are in the tank, with the lid screwed on the reels are stuck so the twiddle stick cannot rotate them.
I only use the twizzle stick. Haven't inverted in years. I find it's more consistent and less messy (leaky tanks)
Should have mentioned I have a tank like yours and a newer one. The newer ones are much better for this
Just to throw a curve in there, Patterson's instruction sheet on their website says twiddle first, then switch to inversions! Personally, I'm a twiddler.
Does it! Interesting as a few comments suggested that. Thanks.
I'm a gentle twiddler, it goes back to developing Kodak Tech Pan in the early 1980's. Too much agitation resulted in thin negs and sprocket hole marks. I guess tricky films showed correct film development techniques 🤔
I twiddle b&w, invert colour.
I have never twiddled ... no idea where my twiddler is!!!! I either shake it or do stand developing ... I am pretty happy with stand, by I'm a lazy sod!!!
And stand is ecenomical too. I used to stand a lot.
Is that a Paterson Tank? My Paterson Tank has a different top design. I need not stick my fingers in to twindle the agitator as it has a section protruding outwards. Very convenient.
But take note if you are using bigger tanks, you will require more strength for the twindling. I have a 2 reel and a 5 reel. More reels means more chemicals more weight.
My paterson tank is different... And it's very easy to do...
Very interesting, thank you. I should imagine this method would work best with something like XTol as XTol was designed from the word go to be used with rotary processors. My tanks are all stainless steel so no twiddle, sadly
I used Rodinal for economical reasons on this video Lensman. I always have rodinal on my shelf.
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss And it is a very fine developer, and has been since 1891, I believe.
I use the twiddle-development only when I do C41 development. In this case, the tank is filled up to 100% of its capacity and twiddling seems to work ok.
I tried it yesterday... In a agfa apx 100... It came out a bit contrasty... I did 6 turns, at the start and then every minute for almost four minutes and 15 seconds at 24 degrees Celsius... With ilford ilfosol 3 developer... I'll try it with less turns next time...
It's all practice Tony till it suits you... Expensive practice though lol
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss yeah... I know... But it's so much fun...
If I ever get around to proper darkroom printing, I'd love to send you one. Just have to find a photo I took that isn't shit!
Team Twiddle here
hi maestro, very interesting experiences. So the 1:25 normal inversion give the normal gamma and high and low light. In a traditional chimical paper developmnt the gamma is the leader of the grey chain. Please to you
I twizzle back and forth, and how hard you twizzle can affect the outcome! It’s supposed to be a gentle twizzle back and forth. I used to invert but got fed up with the leaks and most people on Negative Positive Podcast Facebook page said it’s better. So I twizzle now
Yes I wasn't sure if gentle twiddles would get enough developer working on the film.
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss think twiddling hard can make it a bit more contrasty to be honest I don’t think I’ve noticed much difference, I don’t even twiddle on the right time as l’m usually tidying up😂
The problem with using Rodinal is that Rodinal is well known for being outstanding at stand development and some might perceive the test as meaningless. "Well, you were using Rodinal; that's going to compensate somewhat for failure to agitate properly."
My twiddle stick is long, and very easy to manipulate. I can start agitating with the twiddle stick much more quickly than I can get the lid on the tank in a reliably leak-proof manner.
I've shoved a pen in the twiddle now.
I only twiddle, yes. The blasted tanks leak all over. Your tank doesn't leave much room for your fingers.
When I started I used the inversion method. Then a mate said I should try the twiddling method. My tank is a little different shape so the twiddler is easier to use. Haha. I never noticed big differences in density but found the twiddling method gave me finer grain. Not sure if I was imagining or that’s actually the case? 🤔 Every now and then I still do the inversion method... it is sort of cathartic. Lol
Yayyyyy Vid n Beer time :-)
Hi, what if you try to gradually increase the development temperature during development from -4°C to +4°C from the nominal temperature to reduce graininess?
did you try if there's any difference between twiddling in one direction only vs. back and forth? Some say you should always turn the stick so that the developer is forced inward in the spiral (meaning you must be careful to load the spiral in the tank always the same side up), some say back and forth.
Makes sense. I was going in one direction.
Once I saw @the_real_sir_robin using this technique I haven't looked back. Seems the Paterson tank have a different design that make twiddling easier than the tank you're using.
Always twiddle my c41 :)
A bit of dowel rod some hot glue problem solved .....
It's in my mind! thanks.
Having tried the twiddle I became paranoid that each twiddle was different as opposed to 4 clear inversions every 60 seconds. I had similar issues when trying out the LAB BOX until I learnt to load 120 in a changing bag....... hence I'm now a confirmed invertor.
Your tank looks a little awkward using the stick - My one is a bit easier and I only use the twiddle stick. My thinking is that I can be more precise at each inversion. Probably doesn't make a big difference, but it's also nice not messing chemicals all over the bathroom. I'm surprised that the stand development came out so much lighter than the others.
Man, @2:04" can't stop laughing! Great video, thanks ^^
I call it Twizzle stick. Did I made that up or other people call it like this ? Haha
I've been twizzling for a few years now. Works really well when you want very gentle agitations. I develop mostly with Diafine that needs very little agitation, and it works really well with it.
Thanks for the video, and keep twizzling!
IT’S CALLED AN AGITATION STICK!
🤣🤣🤣🤣
If I invented those tanks I know what I would have called them lol
@@ShootFilmLikeaBoss 🤣🤣🤣