Ansco-17 One shot or multiple uses?

[laingsoft]

I've recently taken a liking to Ansco-17, which is very similar to D-76 + some KBr added, but the developing times and features of the developer are very similar to D-76.

I have normally been using it one-shot, however on my last batch I decided to use a tester roll I had sitting around and developed that roll with the used developer from my first roll. The density of the negatives looks fine, and honestly having been a few weeks since I developed them, I couldn't tell the difference between the two rolls (other than the mistake I made loading the second onto a stainless reel on the last half). I made 300ml of the developer according to the darkroom cookbook, and I added 2 minutes to the developing time for the second roll. The darkroom cookbook suggests adding a few mL of replenisher per liter of dev after each 36 exposure roll, but I opted for adding time rather than replenisher.

My question is this: How many rolls can I get out of d-76/ansco-17 without replenishing, and how much time should I add to each subsequent roll? Is there a difference in exhausted developer other than time to dmax that I should be concerned about?

 

[Rudeofus]

Sadly I can give you nothing better than the dreaded "it depends":

1. developer exhaustion depends on amount of developed silver, which differs in every shot you take
2. materials used for storage bottles vary widely in oxygen permeability
3. temperature matters: lower temperature slows down oxidation and diffusion, but at the same time increases oxygen solubility in water
4. different film releases different halides, and iodide restrains more than bromide
5. after a few rolls your developer will be different (pH changes, halide buildup), and a change in dev time only readjusts contrast, but film speed, sharpness and grain will differ to some extent.

Large labs with replenished processes use large tanks to even out differences between film rolls, and monitor the process to maintain consistency.

Here is what helps you:

1. Modern film has plenty of latitude, and multigrade paper is easily available and cheap. Moderate differences in development really don't matter that much any more.
2. Your own shooting style and film choice will show less variation than random customers, therefore you will learn pretty quickly how to keep your own process in check.
3. since we are all spoiled by large film formats and modern materials, some changes in speed/grain/sharpness will most likely not break an image.

 

[Paul Howell]

I had a case of Ansco 17 cans, reach can made one quart, I really liked it, lasted a couple of years, I used it one shot 1:1 like D76, thinking about making my own, have been using MCM 100 which has gotten too expensive. John Carroll in Photographic Facts and Formulas list the following for Ansco 17 replenished use D76 recommendation for replenishment?

Hot water 125F 96 oz
Metol 1/4 oz 20 grains
Sodium sulfite 10 3/4 oz
Hydroquinone 1/2 oz 50 grains
Borax 4 oz
Water to make 128 oz

 

[Terrence Brennan]

Here's a copy of a page from an old Photo Lab Index page on GAF developers.