D76

[mwelsh]

I've had really good results using ilfosol 3 to develop my film. I do have some D 76 developer and everytime I try it my film comes out blank. Sometime you can see a barely formed image but mostly nothing.
So I don't understand. If I'm shooting the same then my exposures should be consistent. I've used full strength and 1:1. I've cut back on developing time but have never increased time.
I dont know how to use this stuff. Whats the deal?

 

[mwelsh]

maybe i'm not agitating correctly?

 

[Rick A]

What color is your D-76, and how long have you had it? How is it mixed? What films and times are you using? More info needed.

 

[ic-racer]

Keep using Ilfosol

 

[chorleyjeff]

I've had really good results using ilfosol 3 to develop my film. I do have some D 76 developer and everytime I try it my film comes out blank. Sometime you can see a barely formed image but mostly nothing.
So I don't understand. If I'm shooting the same then my exposures should be consistent. I've used full strength and 1:1. I've cut back on developing time but have never increased time.
I dont know how to use this stuff. Whats the deal?

Can you see the film edge writing? If not the developer is not working and converse.

 

[jp498]

instructions for d76 are on the bag, inside kodak film boxes, and online. It's a pretty common developer and very reliable, so you shouldn't have problems. It does not last forever; I wouldn't keep it for more than a few months or re-use it more than once.

 

[nworth]

D-76 is very reliable, but eventually it goes bad. When it does, it may not turn ugly colors. First, check the printing along the edge, as suggested above. If it is dark and clear, then you have camera problems. Otherwise, mix up a fresh batch of developer.

 

[Grif]

Wow,,, If you can't get D-76 to form an image it's just a matter of time before whatever is wrong shows up somewhere else.

You need to stop, and go thru your whole process one step at a time, starting with empty bottles and unopened chemistry.

One step at a time. Might be a good plan to find someone else who's in the hobby to watch over your shoulder while you expose one roll of film, and set up to process it.

If you're alone,,, use a note pad, and just write down each step, then do it. Sometimes that helps catch the differences between what you did and what you know you did. (gets worse with grey hair by the way ;-)

 

[Grif]

Just so you know,,, I just sent 3 4x5 chromes in for processing and they came back blank. You're not alone with booboo in the dark ;-)

 

[23mjm]

Wow I can't imagine why D-76 would not be working. D-76 is the classic developer, the standard. Are you mixing it correctly? Are you using the correct dilution? Could your container be contaminated by fixer? How old in the D-76? I got no ideas. I've used gallons and gallons of D-76 and never an issue, even questionable age developer works, the neg might be a little thin but they still printed fine.

 

[hairydale]

Why did you reduce developing time? If anything you need to increase times.

 

[Colin Corneau]

Check for writing on the side of the film...if it's there, then the developer is working and the problem lies elsewhere.

If it's not, then the developer is bad -- either from old age, or from getting contaminated with stop or fix, somehow.

 

[wblynch]

I usually snip a little piece off the film leader and immerse it into my developer as a test before committing the entire roll. If it doesn't turn black in the expected time I know the developer is no longer viable.

Make sure you didn't fix before dev.

 

[mwelsh]

thanks everybody. Great answers as usual providing some kind of troubleshooting tips. I did go back to ilfolsol for the last roll. It looks like I underexposed quite a bit. Some shots are really dark. I should say these are holga photos I've been taking. My biggest problem with d 76 now is I'm scared to use it. I can't have any confidence with it that my film won't be wasted.

 

[wblynch]

Just a thought... are you sure that's D76 in the bottle and not fixer? (both Kodak products come in pouches that look identical)

 

[tkamiya]

If your exposed film touched D-76 for sufficient amount of time, it should show something. If it didn't, the problem has to be

1) there was nothing there on film
2) time was waaaaay too short or
3) your D-76 is bad or not even D-76.

I think you know it isn't 1 because you have images on the other developer. I think it isn't 2 either as if it was few minutes are enough to give you something. I think it's 3. You have the wrong bag, solution, or what you have is bad. If I were you, I'd go buy a fresh bag, mix it according to the instruction and use it immediately and see what I get.

Good luck.

 

[hpulley]

As others have been saying, if you don't trust what you have then put a clip of film in it for the same time you were developing and fix it and see if it is black or clear. If it is black then the developer is OK, if it is a bit grey then the developer is likely weak/off and if it is clear immediately in the 'developer' then it is really fixer. If it is not clear after the 'developer' but goes completely or mostly clear after the fixer then the 'developer' is dead.

 

[PhotoJim]

I feel the same way about Ilfosol that you do about D-76 - I've had it fail completely so I don't trust it.

 

[msa]

Heh, not trusting D-76 is like not trusting the B&W process.

It's the staple developer that nearly everyone learns to use first.

I've had it work when it's been mixed up and let sit for months, after being several years expired in the package.

It's very, very forgiving stuff.

This is your process, not the fault of D-76 as a developer -- it works just fine, and has worked for decades.

Give it another shot -- with fresh D-76. I usually mix it up a liter at a time, use 1:1 (yields 8 135 rolls per liter), and try to use it within a week or two.

 

[CBG]

Mixed, stored, and used properly D-76 is arguably the best general purpose film developer. It is the standard by which other general purpose developers are judged. Rather than being afraid of it, you have an opportunity to find out how to use powdered developers.

For people here to be much help, you need to lay out very specifically what your process is:

What film are you using?
When you originally mixed this batch of D-76?
Did you mix the whole pouch of powder all at once? Trying to mix half a bag is not a good idea.
Was the developer thoroughly dissolved or was there undissolved junk floating around?
Was the developer clear or brown when you used it?
Has the D-76 been used to process other rolls of film, and if so, how many, and when?
What dilution you are using?
If you did dilute it to 1:1, did you dilute just before processing and then toss it after one use? Since 1:1 is pretty dead after only one use it is called a one shot developer if diluted.
What temperature you processed at?
How long you developed for?
How you agitate?
How long you agitate for, at what intervals?
What the other parts of your process are.... Stop bath or water rinse, what fix, do you use a wash aid, how long a wash?

I know all these questions are kind of a pain, but when we know exactly how you process, odds are near 100% we can get you up and running with whatever developer you want.

 

[mwelsh]

Yeah I'm not blaming the d76 even though I sound like I am. I realize its my process. But thats why I'm here.

 

[Grif]

What CBG Said....

My earlier post I said something about notes.

If you're not around someone else to watch over your shoulder,,, get a sheet of paper and start out a list of steps, as you do them, starting with what kind of water and soap you used to clean the chemistry jugs and equipment.

One documented step at a time as you do them. then we'ver got something to look at and try to help zero in on the problem.

 

[tkamiya]

Yeah I'm not blaming the d76 even though I sound like I am. I realize its my process. But thats why I'm here.

Well.... stored improperly once mixed, D76 (or any developer) will go bad. I also had a bag that apparently leaked and the result was a bad mix. If it is failing completely, perhaps you *should* doubt the mix. A new bag is only few dollars. I'd go buy a fresh one and try again.

 

[Grif]

Any Answer???

Did you figure it out?

 

[wblynch]

Any Answer? Did you figure it out?

It is common courtesy for questioners to respond with their results after receiving so much assistance.

This is also to help future readers of the threads to know the solution to a similar problem they are experiencing.

Perhaps the OP is not aware of this courtesy?