Ansco 17 developer

[devecchi]

I have been using Kentmere 100 for about 3 months with the regenerated Ansco 17 developer with excellent results. How many months can you keep this way?

 

[Raghu Kuvempunagar]

With or without replenishment?

As this is similar to Adox MQ Borax in its composition, I would think with replenishment and in air tight bottles, it should easily survive for six months or more at below 26C. My current batch of Adox MQ Borax has worked fine for last 12 months.

 

[devecchi]

Yes, with the replenisher. It is almost similar to Adox Borax MQ. I would like to try it with Ilford Fp4 + 120 but I have no indication on the treatment with this film. Do you have any suggestions? Thank you.

 

[ooze]

I develop FP4+ in Ansco 17 stock solution (single use, no replenishment) and think it’s superb.

 

[Ian Grant]

With Ansco 17 which is identical to Agfa/Orwo 44, and other developers likeAdox Borax MQ, ID-11/D76 there's quite a change with replenishment once seasoned and a noticeable increase in sharpness, finer grain, and better tonality.

When I used deep tanks and there were 3 photographers using the film darkroom none of us liked using fresh ID-11 or later Adox Borax MQ, we could tell the difference in the negatives between fresh and seasoned developer. Later I continued using Adox Borax MQ replenished using 2.5 litres of working solution and replenishing.

Ian

 

[devecchi]

I develop FP4+ in Ansco 17 stock solution (single use, no replenishment) and think it’s superb.

Ooze, with what development time?

 

[devecchi]

With Ansco 17 which is identical to Agfa/Orwo 44, and other developers likeAdox Borax MQ, ID-11/D76 there's quite a change with replenishment once seasoned and a noticeable increase in sharpness, finer grain, and better tonality.

When I used deep tanks and there were 3 photographers using the film darkroom none of us liked using fresh ID-11 or later Adox Borax MQ, we could tell the difference in the negatives between fresh and seasoned developer. Later I continued using Adox Borax MQ replenished using 2.5 litres of working solution and replenishing.

Ian

Hi Jan, I know you are a "veteran" of this development, can you tell me what life has? Because even the wine improves with time but if too much time passes the bottle remains only as a collection ...

 

[Ian Grant]

Hi Jan, I know you are a "veteran" of this development, can you tell me what life has? Because even the wine improves with time but if too much time passes the bottle remains only as a collection ...

About a year usually, particularly if you are adding fresh replenisher and keep notes. However with a lot of throughput we'd use maybe 3 batches a year

Ian

 

[ooze]

Ooze, with what development time?

10 minutes.

I require longer developing times compared to the manufacturers’ own chemicals. Must be due to sth with my raw chemicals.

 

[devecchi]

Thank you all for the answers.

 

[JPD]

Agfa 44 (Ansco 17) is a good bit less active than D-76. I use it 1+1, and for Plus-X the time is 12-13 minutes compared to 7-8 minutes in D-76 1+1. I like the longer development time when I use sheet film in the Combiplan tank (it ensures a more even development).

But I don't know which light meter I should trust. My Gossen Sixtomat digital gives me 1 stop faster readings than my Capital (Soligor) spot meter.

 

[Arklatexian]

With Ansco 17 which is identical to Agfa/Orwo 44, and other developers likeAdox Borax MQ, ID-11/D76 there's quite a change with replenishment once seasoned and a noticeable increase in sharpness, finer grain, and better tonality.

When I used deep tanks and there were 3 photographers using the film darkroom none of us liked using fresh ID-11 or later Adox Borax MQ, we could tell the difference in the negatives between fresh and seasoned developer. Later I continued using Adox Borax MQ replenished using 2.5 litres of working solution and replenishing.

Ian

I have known "newspaper" photographers and other professionals who would "season" D76 before using it for the same reason. What that reason was, I never found out and they are all dead now. I do have a retired professional "commercial" photographer friend in his nineties, I might ask him. Maybe he knows, if he can remember!......Regards!

 

[Ian Grant]

I have known "newspaper" photographers and other professionals who would "season" D76 before using it for the same reason. What that reason was, I never found out and they are all dead now. I do have a retired professional "commercial" photographer friend in his nineties, I might ask him. Maybe he knows, if he can remember!......Regards!

With replenished developers there's a build up of Bromide and Iodide this had an effect on sharpness, fine grain, and as a consequence tonality, there's also slightly better shadow detail. However that build up has to be controlled because the Metol in is suppressed by too much Bromide and losses activity, hence the need for bleed replenishment. this is where developer is discared when replenisher is added to keep the level stbale.

Phenidone can tolerate very much higher levels of Bromide so an equivalent PQ developer can be just topped up, Ilford's Autophen a PQ variant of ID-11/D76 was sold for large scale photofinishing and there were two replenishers one for topping up and the other for bleed replenishment depending on the machine lines used. Ilford published their research into replenished developers in the late 1950's.

I would add the difference in quality between the fresh developer and seasoned replenished developer was quite significant which was why we all hated the first few rolls in entirely fresh tanks.

Ian

 

[RalphLambrecht]

With replenished developers there's a build up of Bromide and Iodide this had an effect on sharpness, fine grain, and as a consequence tonality, there's also slightly better shadow detail. However that build up has to be controlled because the Metol in is suppressed by too much Bromide and losses activity, hence the need for bleed replenishment. this is where developer is discared when replenisher is added to keep the level stbale.

Phenidone can tolerate very much higher levels of Bromide so an equivalent PQ developer can be just topped up, Ilford's Autophen a PQ variant of ID-11/D76 was sold for large scale photofinishing and there were two replenishers one for topping up and the other for bleed replenishment depending on the machine lines used. Ilford published their research into replenished developers in the late 1950's.

I would add the difference in quality between the fresh developer and seasoned replenished developer was quite significant which was why we all hated the first few rolls in entirely fresh tanks.

Ian

Can one add bromide to simulate 'seasoned' developer?

 

[Ian Grant]

Can one add bromide to simulate 'seasoned' developer?

That's what a starter does with colour developers, there's already Bromide in Agfa 44/Ansco 17, also Adox Borax MQ. Agfa 19 which is their version of D76/ID-11 has 0.5-1g Bromide, The Replenishers never contain Bromide.

We add extra Bromide to Warmtone developers the effect is finer grain in the paper emulsion provided there's no over development.

Ian