best dilute devoloper for HP5

mexipike · Jan 14, 2008

I've got a bunch of HP5 120 and usually develop it in Xtol. Lately I've been using Pyrocat HD, with great results. I'm out of Xtol and I don't really want to mix another 5 liters as I'm on the road right now. Pyrocat's great as it can be mixed on the spot and I can keep it in small bottles, however it's not as versatile and doesn't give me that extra push to 800 that Xtol does.
So basically my question is what concentrated dilute developer, which can be mixed on the spot and will work for various conditions works well for HP5. I've heard Rodinal's no good with HP5. I have some HC110- any other suggestions.

Thanks,
John

sbelyaev · Jan 14, 2008

mexipike · Jan 14, 2008

By dilute I meant something more like HC110 that's 1-31 (dil b) or pyrocat hd 1:1:100. But I may still give the DD-X a try.

Toffle · Jan 14, 2008

I just did a bunch of 120 HP5 400 in HC-110, dilution H, and was very pleased with the results.

Cheers,

mexipike · Jan 14, 2008

Toffle, did you use a semi-stand method or did you agitate normally?

Ian Grant · Jan 14, 2008

Last month I processed my first rolls of HP5 in over 20 years, in Pyrocat-HD the results are superb

Ian

Uhner · Jan 14, 2008

Rodinal works well with HP5 in my opinion. But if you want to push I would recommend Tmax or DDX.

david b · Jan 14, 2008

I mix xtol and then put it into 5 one liter bottles.

Can't you do this?

23mjm · Jan 14, 2008

Second DD-X a little pricey but can keep 6 months in a half-full bottle and gives great results.

malinmalin · Jan 14, 2008

Ian Grant said:
Last month I processed my first rolls of HP5 in over 20 years, in Pyrocat-HD the results are superb

Ian

Ian, how did you process your film? Dilution/Temp/Time and agitation please!

thanks
jf

Ian Grant · Jan 14, 2008

jf I went out on a limb when I processed my HP5.

I've only used APX100 and Tmax100 & 400 for the last 20+ years, until fairly recently. I couldn't get any 120 Tmax400 when I was in Chile & Peru before Xmas, 120 film was extremely scarce, only 5 rolls of HP5 & 5 rolls of FP4 were available.

I used my dev time for Tmax400/Pyrocat-HD for the HP5 which is 15 mins @ 20°C I was lucky that this was virtually spot on. Agitation is continuous for the first 30 seconds then 2 inversions every 30 seconds.

Hope that helps

Ian

malinmalin · Jan 14, 2008

Ian Grant said:
jf I went out on a limb when I processed my HP5.

I've only used APX100 and Tmax100 & 400 for the last 20+ years, until fairly recently. I couldn't get any 120 Tmax400 when I was in Chile & Peru before Xmas, 120 film was extremely scarce, only 5 rolls of HP5 & 5 rolls of FP4 were available.

I used my dev time for Tmax400/Pyrocat-HD for the HP5 which is 15 mins @ 20°C I was lucky that this was virtually spot on. Agitation is continuous for the first 30 seconds then 2 inversions every 30 seconds.

Hope that helps

Ian

Thanks Ian! Any hints on the dilution?

jf

Ian Grant · Jan 14, 2008

Dilution was the standard 1+1+100

I do vary the dilution and use 2+2+100 for dish development with my 10x8 negs, and cut the dev time to 8-9 minutes

Ian

eddym · Jan 14, 2008

I use Ilfotec HC (their equivalent to HC110) diluted 1:31. Gives excellent results, good sharpness, and I often push the film to 1600 for dance photography.

Ulrich Drolshagen · Jan 14, 2008

mexipike said:
I've heard Rodinal's no good with HP5.

Using Rodinal at (or slightly below) 18°C will do the trick. Extend the processing time by a factor of 1.3 for every degree below 20°C as a first approach. I use it for pushing HP5 up to EI 1600. Gives me pretty fine grained results.

Ulrich

mexipike · Jan 14, 2008

Ulrich, could you give your times at 1600?

Ulrich Drolshagen · Jan 15, 2008

mexipike said:
Ulrich, could you give your times at 1600?

Try 17' at 18°C for 1+25
Works for me! YMMV

Ulrich

P C Headland · Jan 15, 2008

If you like Xtol but want something that you can dilute with good keeping properties, and you don't mind mixing it yourself, you might like to try something like Instant Mytol or PC-TEA. I use the latter, at 1+50 or 1+100.

My friend switched from Xtol to PC-TEA (partly due to the keeping properties of PC-TEA), using inversion and continuous agitation depending on format, and is very pleased with the results.

like2fiddle · Jan 15, 2008

I'm currently using HC-110 at 1:100, 20C, 16 minutes with HP-5. Agitate first 30 seconds then 4 inversions every 3 minutes. I like results almost[U as much as D76 1:1 which is my favorite with HP-5.

Tom Hoskinson · Jan 15, 2008

Another vote for Pyrocat-HD at the 1+1+100 dilution.

rusty71 · Jan 15, 2008

mexipike said:
....
So basically my question is what concentrated dilute developer, which can be mixed on the spot and will work for various conditions works well for HP5. I've heard Rodinal's no good with HP5. I have some HC110- any other suggestions.

Thanks,
John

Clayton F-76+ works very well with HP-5+ when diluted 1:19. I souped some 35mm last night exposed at ISO 800 and results were great. Plenty of shadow detail. Can't comment on the grain until I enlarge them, but that should be no problem with your 120 film. You can get F-76+ in various sizes from digitaltruth.com. It's pretty close to my favorite devolper, Ilford DD-X, but a fraction of the cost.

mexipike · Jan 15, 2008

Does PC-TEA compare to XTol in regards to the easy push you can get to 800 with Xtol and HP5?

Lee Shively · Jan 15, 2008

Rodinal is my standard developer for HP5+. It responds well to the higher dilutions and I use sodium sulfite to reduce grain a bit. HP5+ also does well in D76 diluted 1:3 but the processing times are a bit long for me. I've also used FG7 at their standard recommended dilution (can't remember what it is right now) and it works well too.

Marcus K · Jan 15, 2008

For HP5+ shot at 400 ISO I like to use HC-110 dillution H (1:63) at 68 deg.F with 5 sec adjatation every 30 seconds. For N+1/2 I do 11 min and N+1 12:30. I don't shoot at 800 ISO much but I think 12:30 would get you normal development. I used to use dillution B or D but the times were too short.

best dilute devoloper for HP5

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