Choosing a (paper) developer

[Sanjay Sen]

I have a couple of basic questions for all you darkroom gurus: how did you choose your print developer(s)? What characteristics did you look at to determine that this would be your developer of choice, or was it more of a trial-and-error process?

I understand the choice of certain developers, like Ilford WT developer, for specific requirements, but what about general purpose developers?

Your insights into this will be much appreciated!

 

[Slixtiesix]

I have decided for Calbe N113 (now Adolux Adotol Konstant) because it has the longest lifetime of any paper developer I know. Gives neutral to slightly warm image tone. It is also one of the cheapest developers I know. The only drawback is that it comes in powder form, but mixing it up is easy.

Regards, Benjamin

 

[Sanjay Sen]

Thanks, Benjamin.

Anyone else care to chime in?

 

[PhotoJim]

I like Ansco 130 (I mix it from scratch) because the stock solution lasts about 2 years, and the working solution lasts about three months (or until I've run too many prints through it). For an occasional worker like me, that's wonderful. The net cost, as a result, is very reasonable.

Kodak Dektol and Ilford Bromophen are both very good developers, too - just ensure you do enough printing to use it up since it will only keep a few months as a stock solution.

 

[Colin Corneau]

I use Ilford's Warmtone developer because it works wonderfully with its matching paper -- one reason is the amazing store I frequent carries this brand and I've gotten to know it (PhotoCentral...darkroomcentral.ca) but I like the liquid mixing, and I use enough usually that it doesnt go bad before I use it all up.

Started to use Dektol but I need to find out how it matches up in terms of tone/warmth as well as contrast. Ditto for Ilford's PQ and similar.

 

[fschifano]

It's Dektol for me. I've tried a few others, and they're all about the same with the papers I use. Dektol is pretty flexible too. You want cold to neutral? Great. Use it at 1+2 and you're golden. Use it lightly on day 1 and it will keep for a couple of days at least if you bottle it up. Need a warmer tone? Dilute it 1+4. It doesn't last long at those high dilutions, but what the heck. The stuff is cheap as chips. Kodak says it's good for six months as a stock solution in full bottles. They're being conservative. I think it will go at least a year; but honestly I use it up well before it expires.

 

[highliner]

I'm using the bromophen but I keep it in the powder form, I use the part a and part b fractionally. It is not recomended in the intstructions but I think it should be ok if we keep the powder in the same airtight packs. I prepared a spreadsheet in excel which calculates the amount of parts (in terms of spoon, I designed a spoon ). Seems ok for now, not sure about the future but in anyway, i wont use it until septemberin any form. the actual results will be available 6 months later.

Mustafa

 

[noumin]

I prefer warmtone over neutral or cooltone developers, but generally, I take what's available
and reasonably priced and then stay with it. I started with Neutol WA until it was discontinued
(altough it's now available again), then used Bromophen until that was discontinued and now
I use Tetenal Variospeed as I frequently print on warmtone papers. Re your question - you really can't go
wrong with a mainstream developer.

 

[Ian Grant]

Bromophen isn't discontinued, it's still available.

Ian

 

[noumin]

Ian, you're right, I didn't know that. But, as it seems, it's
available only in packages for 5 liters, that's bit to much for my needs and so I will remain with Variospeed.
But anyway, thanks for the hint, I appreciate it.

 

[Ektagraphic]

I have used Dektol very sucessfully for a while. I tried Alta's Gamma line up and it almost made me give up the darkroom because it was so bad. You could put a print in the developer and within 5 seconds it would almost be pitch black. I have moved to Dektol and I have been extremely pleased.

 

[ricksplace]

Dektol. Using it for 40 years. Cheap and available.

 

[Rick A]

Dektol for over 40 years as well, bought a couplel boxes of Bromophen a while ago, similar to dektol, price was very right--$5 for 2 one gallon packages.

Rick

 

[Neal]

Dear Sanjay,

Dektol for years because it lasts forever and gives a nice cold tone. More recently I've switched to the Silvergrain products because they don't have hydroquinone. It's not that I consider hydroquinone a huge issue but I figure every little bit helps.

Neal Wydra

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I use Dektol for years. Like it a whole lot!

Jeff

 

[Ian Grant]

There's two types of Dektol, the powdered version which is D72, it's not the coldest working developer - the bromide level is too high, but being a Metol (MQ) based developer it gives fairly neutral tones

There's also liquid Dektol which is a PQ - Dimezone based developer, this was previously called Polymax developer, but with no Olymax paper Kodak changed the name.

Ian

 

[ooze]

I use two developers with Ilford MG Warmtone paper. Dektol if I want a touch of warmth, and Tetenal Eukobrom if I want a more neutral tone.

For RC paper I prefer Dektol.

My preferences are mostly dictated by what's available around here. We don't have a lot of choice really. I would actually like to use a developer which has a longer working solution life. Sometimes I just like to pop into the darkroom for one print and I've always hated to throw away the developer after such a quick session. I have tried re-using Dektol(1+2) and Eukobrom(1+9) after several days, but it ain't the same.

 

[Sanjay Sen]

Thanks to all for your comments.

I have been using Dektol, but I sometimes find it a pain to mix from powder. I have also used Ilford WT when I wanted the effect. I would prefer to use something that keeps for a long time since I, unfortunately, am not in a position to print regularly. I think I will give Ansco 130 a try as I have heard a lot of good things about it. Although it comes as a powder, it will be worth the effort if it lasts longer. The bigger question is probably if the rental darkroom I am currently using will let me use the developer of my choice.

 

[Rick A]

Why is mixing Dektol a pain? Do you mix every time you go to the rental DR? I mix a gallon at a time, and store the stock solutions in one pint sealed bottles. I then mix whatever dilution from there, and save those as needed(unless they are spent) My Dektol working solutions last longer than what Kodak publishes, also, you can replenish with a little stock, just like D-76 w/replenisher. Dektol is very versitile, adjust the working strength as needed for a specific project. I even use it for film.

Rick

 

[Mahler_one]

Here is a link to Bruce Barlow's seminal, and very comprehensive, comparison of paper developers. There are additional links to enlarging paper comparisons, and a link to the Azo and Amidol inquiry. Although much of the papers that were compared are no longer available, the developers can still be found. Azo has been replace by the new Lodima paper, and of course, Amidol is easily available.

Dead Link Removed

 

[Mahler_one]

There's two types of Dektol, the powdered version which is D72, it's not the coldest working developer - the bromide level is too high, but being a Metol (MQ) based developer it gives fairly neutral tones

There's also liquid Dektol which is a PQ - Dimezone based developer, this was previously called Polymax developer, but with no Olymax paper Kodak changed the name.

Ian

Ian: Very interesting...is the liquid Dektol close to the Ilford Multigrade PQ which is also, I believe, a Dimezone developer?

Ed

 

[c6h6o3]

I have a couple of basic questions for all you darkroom gurus: how did you choose your print developer(s)? What characteristics did you look at to determine that this would be your developer of choice, or was it more of a trial-and-error process?

I understand the choice of certain developers, like Ilford WT developer, for specific requirements, but what about general purpose developers?

Your insights into this will be much appreciated!

It was a trial and error process for me, and the determinants were (in order of importance): reduction potential, ability to control contrast with fixed grade papers, print color. In other words, I picked the one that gives me the best quality prints. There were no other considerations.

 

[Ian Grant]

Ian: Very interesting...is the liquid Dektol close to the Ilford Multigrade PQ which is also, I believe, a Dimezone developer?

Ed

Very likely some of the Ilford developers now use Dimezone instead of Phenidone, mainly because they are manufactured by more than one company for Ilford.

Developers like liquid Dektol & the Ilford liquid PQ range tend to use Potassium Carbonate & Sodium or Potassium Hydroxide instead of Sodium Carbonate, sometimes Potassium rather than Sodium Sulphite as well, which allows a higher concentrate to be produced with less problems with crystallisation etc.

Agfa used to make a powdered version of Neutol WA this was an MQ developer and wasn't as warm as the Liquid PQ version.

I mix my own print developers mainly ID78 and have been using Potassium Carbonate/NaOH to allow a concentration similar to commercial developers like Ilford Warmtone.

Ian

 

[MattKing]

Ian:

I'm not sure that the name change for Polymax developer is consistent worldwide.

I buy my Polymax most often in the USA, because Glazer's in Seattle seems to buy and sell lots of it, and it is still packaged as Polymax T or Polymax RT (depending on whether it is intended for machine processing).

Mat

 

[Ian Grant]

Mat, the name change may well be only in some markets but then APUG is International, so many will find Liquid Dektol available rather than Polymax.

Ian