Ansco 120 Paper Developer: Your Opinions and Observations, Please.

[Renato Tonelli]

I am curious to know your opinions and observations regarding Ansco 120 Paper Developer.

My supply of Kodak Selctol Soft (made by Legacy-Pro) is dwindling and it has got me wondering

 

[Doremus Scudder]

Here's the Ansco 120 formula:

Ansco 120​

(soft-working developer)​

Water (125 deg. F.) -------- 750.0 ml
Metol ----------------------- 12.3 g
Sodium Sulfite -------------- 36.0 g
Sod. Carbonate (mono.) ----36.0 g (31 g anhy.)
Potassium Bromide --------- 1.8 g
Water to make -------------- 1.0 liter
Low-contrast developer, suitable for print solarization. Standard dilution is 1:2. but can be used one part developer to four parts water, or full strength. Use dilution according to contrast required. (Also known as GAF 120.)

Compare that with D-165 ("Selectol Soft")/ID-3

Kodak D-165 = ID-3​

Water 125° F (52 C) -------- 750 ml​

Elon (Metol) -------------------- 6 g
Sodium Sulfite Anhydrous ---- 25 g
Sodium Carbonate Anhyd. --- 37 g
Potassium Bromide ------------1 g
Cool water to make 1 liter
Dilute 1:1 – 1:3 for use.

And finally,

Gevaert G-253​

Soft working and gives clean blacks.

Warm water ----------------- 800 ml
Metol -------------------------- 3 g
Sodium Sulfite, anhyd. --------- 20 g
Sodium Carbonate, anhyd.---- 20 g
Potassium Bromide ------------1 g
Water to make -----------------1 liter
dilute 1:1 normal development time 2 minutes.

You'll see lots of similarities. The formulas are all similar in effect, with those with less Metol in the working solution giving the lowest contrast (e.g., D-165 1+3 has the same amount of Metol as G-253 1+1). I've use D-165/ID-3 often with good results at the 1+1 dilution.

Best,

Doremus

 

[Renato Tonelli]

Good observation Doremus.

 

[Paul Howell]

BTW, Photography Formulary sells a version of selectol soft. I have not used it as I prefer a harder developer.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

I tried Ansco 120 and never mixed up another batch of Selector Soft. The Ansco 120 was much livelier, in that local contrast much better...Selectol Soft looked mushy in comparison.

 

[Renato Tonelli]

I tried Ansco 120 and never mixed up another batch of Selector Soft. The Ansco 120 was much livelier, in that local contrast much better...Selectol Soft looked mushy in comparison.

That’s a very useful observation.

 

[MurrayMinchin]

That’s a very useful observation.

About 15 years ago someone on this forum challenged me to try Ansco 120 and told me if I did, I'd never use Selector Soft again. He was absolutely right.

Be careful though...once you start mixing things from scratch it opens all kinds of new vistas: https://www.photrio.com/forum/resources/12-15-developer.123/

 

[MarkS]

I took a workshop with David Vestal in 1985. He suggested the use of a tray of Ansco 120, along with a tray of Dektol, splitting times between each, as a means to get intermediate contrast levels when printing with graded papers.
He suggested that it lasted longer than Selectol-Soft. I used that method (it worked well) until the good graded papers went away- but I don't think I ever used A-120 alone.
So I'll defer to the users who (like Mr. Vestal) prefer it.

 

[Renato Tonelli]

Murray and MarkS - thank you for weighing in.

I should add that I use two developing trays: one with Selectol-Soft and the second with LPD (sometimes Ansco 130). It helps me fine-tune the print.
I don’t mind mixing my own chemistry; I do it with the 130 developer, D23 and so on.