After D76?

bvy · Sep 4, 2011

I've been using D76, stock and diluted 1+1, to develop Tri-X 400 mostly (other stuff too). I like it and plan to keep it in stock for "critical" film, but would still like to experiment with other developers. What might be a good next developer to play around with? I'm thinking Rodinal or Xtol maybe Diafine. Again, the only aim here is to experiment and learn. Thoughts?

Rick A · Sep 4, 2011

I use Pyrocat-HD and Rodinal besides D-76, all good combod for the different films I shoot. My choice for any particular film I've shot is lighting and contrast, how much grain I want to accentuate. Alot depends on format as well.

arpinum · Sep 4, 2011

Second Pyrocat-HD in gycol and Rodinal, also HC-110 for their long shelf life for occasional experimentation.

removed account4 · Sep 4, 2011

dektol

Photo Engineer · Sep 4, 2011

HC-110

Roger Cole · Sep 4, 2011

Depends on what you're looking for.

I like Diafine a lot and always keep it in stock. In my high school days its economy (it does eventually wear out, but I could get 70+ rolls of 35mm through a quart!) and ease made it the only developer I used. If I wanted a 400 speed film I shot Plux-X (which I found was actually better at 500 than 400.) Now it's my film for Tri-X at 1250-1600. When I need more speed it's TMZ (in 35mm) or Delta 3200 (in 120) in T-Max RS.

Rodinal is well known for sharpness.

My main developers are Diafine and TMax RS. For TMax RS, forget the instructions about mixing the stock. Just dump the little bottle of B solution into the big bottle of A and mix. Then dilute when ready for use. Standard dilution is 1+4 but I like it better more diluted. I mostly use 1+6 which is something I settled on myself from experimentation. There's plenty of folks posting on the web who use it at 1+7 and 1+9.

R gould · Sep 4, 2011

use a lot of Rodinal, as well as D76/id11, and I sometimes use Champion Promicrol if I want a bit of extra speed,
Richard

jbl · Sep 4, 2011

I'm fond of HC-110, mostly for practicality perspective (the concentrate lasers forever) and Tri-X works very well in it. I love the look of D-76, but my shooting volume makes it hard to use all of. A liter is a bit small, a gallon is way too much. My last batch I only made it half way through in 6 months :-(.

Rodinal is nice too, keeps forever as well. It's quite grainy, sometimes I feel like that.

One of the HC-110 sites, talks about using it at Rodinal ratios, 1+49, it makes mixing for development much easier.

-jbl

nworth · Sep 4, 2011

I've been through this process a couple of times, and I always seem to come back to D-76 for (for me) the best combination of ease and results. I mix my own, and that surely has an influence. But for your exploration, I would first suggest Xtol. I have no experience here, but test results and anecdotal evidence suggests that this is an excellent developer of the D-76 type, possibly with improved results. I would also suggest Pyrocat-HD. That developer comes in several variations, which probably give different results. My experience is only with the original. The results are excellent, although there is a very slight loss in film speed (maybe a quarter to a third of a stop) compared to D-76. It is a very good introduction to staining developers.

steven_e007 · Sep 4, 2011

Rodinal - partly because it is user friendly (lasts forever, developes anything, easy to mix) but partly because it is different to D76. Lower base fog, not fine grain, sharp, capable of compensating and high (ish) acutance effects at high dilutions. Better to try something in a different class than a high tech replacement for D76, IMHO.

Hexavalent · Sep 4, 2011

Perceptol is yummy

BobD · Sep 4, 2011

I would get a copy of the book Film Developing Cookbook by S. Anchell and read the first chapter which describes the different categories of film developers. Then I would try a developer from each category and compare the results with the others.

Ottrdaemmerung · Sep 4, 2011

You just can't go wrong with HC-110 and/or Rodinal.

mikebarger · Sep 4, 2011

HC110 or 510 Pyro.

Mike

ntenny · Sep 4, 2011

I use a fair amount of HC-110, but to my taste it isn't "here's a developer that does something special", it's "here's a convenient all-round developer that does everything decently". I'm not sure it would be all that exciting for someone who's basically happy with the results and workflow from D-76 but looking at Exploring Something Different.

Diafine is a different kettle of fish. I think most people come to it looking for speed gains, and while opinions differ on how real those are, it certainly has really distinctive looks with certain films (especially Tri-X) and the compensation benefits of a two-bath developer. I've come around to where I use it mainly as a strong compensator for high-contrast situations like night shooting, and for specific cases like IR film (it tames the Wood effect a bit, making the images a little less unnatural-looking). It seems worth playing with as something that may open up different possibilities---I don't think very many people use it as their "standard" developer nowadays.

All IMHO, obviously, and my opinion is likely worth what you paid for it.

-NT

panchro-press · Sep 5, 2011

DK-50, D-7. or D-1

-30-

markbarendt · Sep 5, 2011

bvy said:
Thoughts?

Actually a question or two.

What do you want to learn?

How would you like to change your negatives? (what's lacking?)

alexfoto · Sep 5, 2011

Tri-x and HC110 the best combination.

Jeff Kubach · Sep 5, 2011

Another vote for HC110.

Jeff

bvy · Sep 5, 2011

markbarendt said:
Actually a question or two.

What do you want to learn?

How would you like to change your negatives? (what's lacking?)

Nothing's lacking, per se. I just want to have the experience of a few key developers under my belt so that I can compare the workflow and results and have more insight into what developer might be up to a particular look or task.

I'm thinking Rodinal at the moment, but I'm sensing a lot of love for HC-110 and Pyro.

Thanks to everyone for the feedback.

Bob Carnie · Sep 5, 2011

After years of processing film we have three basic standards

D76 - for low light and normal lighting conditions,, end uses are varied but I
like pushing a bit the dev and printing lith or solarizations with this dev.

Pyro- our standard developer for strong lighting conditions.. we recommend over exposure by one stop minimum and we develop accordingly.

HC110- multi purpose developer with different dilutions and times.
this is a go to developer with tri x for lith negs. under expose over develop.
this is the developer I process my film from the image recorder.
this is the developer I used for enlarged negative applications.

All three are amazing developers if used for the intended purpose.

Colin Corneau · Sep 5, 2011

I'd get something that is distinct from D-76, as there's little point in duplicating what you already do and produce.

With that in mind, I'm going to suggest Rodinal. It gives distinct results, and its practical sides (cheap, lasts forever, easy to mix liquid) are pretty compelling.

markbarendt · Sep 5, 2011

bvy said:
Nothing's lacking, per se. I just want to have the experience of a few key developers under my belt so that I can compare the workflow and results and have more insight into what developer might be up to a particular look or task.

Cool,

So playing to the strengths of the combos involved.

In that case, like Bob, I'd suggest the overexposure route on your Tri-X with a Pyro for one and I might use a slower film like FP4 in Pyro for two.

For three maybe Tri-X in DD-X, at box speed and pushed.

ruilourosa · Sep 5, 2011

Will this ever going to stop??????????

After D-76?

you still got a lot of D-76... let´s go...: divided bath d-76, d-76 straight, d-76 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, 1:5, d-76 plus sodium chloride, temperature variations, sulfite tweaking, substituting borax (supposedly makes grain a bit fuzzier as i stated compared to sodium carbonate and also stated by geoffrey crawley), substituting metol and/or hidroquinone,agitation..

well every change in development changes the look, even if it´s just a bit.

set with few developers and take pictures...

ex: one for high acutance like fx-1
one for everything like PC-TEA or x-tol or D-76
one for fine grain like d-25 or D-76 + sodium chloride

but take it easy, D-76 is fine, dilute it

Rick A · Sep 5, 2011

An article on Rodinal.

http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Rodinal/rodinal.html

After D76?

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