Defender/DuPont 54-D cool tone developer - correct formula?

pdeeh · Mar 5, 2014

I was making up a litre of this paper developer tonight (I like the colour it produces) using the formula below, when I suddenly thought, That seems an awful lot of carbonate ... so I regoogled around and found variations.

Water 750ml
Metol 2.7g
Sodium sulfite (anhy) 40g
Hydroquinone 10.6g
Sodium carbonate (anhy) 75g
KBr 0.8g
Water to 1000ml

The variations I found are only in the amount of Sodium carbonate. The one above is in the Darkroom Cookbook 3rd Ed. as well as elsewhere (including APUG)

However I've also seen it given as 75g carbonate (monohydrate) and 87g carbonate (monohydrate)

I think 75g anhydrous = 88g monohydrate and that this is why there are variations in the formulas I found (as a result of transcription errors), but I might be wildly wrong on both of course

So, two questions:

1 Anyone (Ian Grant?) know the "definitive" formula?

2. What are the practical consequences of varying the level of carbonate in a developer such as this? WIll ~10g or so really make that much difference?

pdeeh · Mar 5, 2014

Thanks Michael

Ian Grant · Mar 5, 2014

Michael R 1974 said:
As for the definitive formula for 54-D, Ian would be a good source.

I actually have a scan of a Defender paper instruction leaflet with it somewhere

Defender 54-D

Metol 2.7g
Sodium sulfite (anhy) 40.2 g
Hydroquinone 10.5g
Sodium carbonate (anhy) 75g
KBr 0.8g
Water to 1 litre

You'll see minor weight differences due to rounding up/down of conversions.

I cross checked the 3rd Edition of the Darkroom Coobook before it went to press for Steve Anchell and we found a lot of errors which were in virtually all in prior US books of formulae, almost all from errors in the Morgan & Lester Photo Lab Index,

Ian

pdeeh · Mar 5, 2014

Ah excellent, thank you Ian.

Christiaan Phleger · Mar 5, 2014

(shakes fist at the Photo Lab Index)

I very much like D-54, quite a good match IMO for Ilford's MG RC.

pdeeh · Mar 5, 2014

Agreed.

Also Fotospeed VC RC. Gives an almost "toned" look in this developer.

It'll also be interesting to try with some very old papers I've just been given (a box of Kodak Bromide grade 1 8x10, and a few sheets of Agfa Brovira 5x7)

DREW WILEY · Mar 5, 2014

I use a similar personal MQ tweak that uses a full 80g of carbonate. You need it.

dpurdy · Mar 5, 2014

Interesting. I have used that formula for my standard formula for over 20 years. The only difference in the formula I have is that it calls for 87.g Sod Carbonate. Mine comes from Patrick Dignans Photographic 150 DIY formulas. Calls it Dupont 54D.

Dennis

pdeeh · Mar 6, 2014

DREW WILEY said:
I use a similar personal MQ tweak that uses a full 80g of carbonate. You need it.

What makes it needed, Drew?

Ian Grant · Mar 6, 2014

dpurdy said:
Interesting. I have used that formula for my standard formula for over 20 years. The only difference in the formula I have is that it calls for 87.g Sod Carbonate. Mine comes from Patrick Dignans Photographic 150 DIY formulas. Calls it Dupont 54D.

Dennis

One of the commonest faults with the Photo Lab Index and all subsequent US books is the muddling of the weights of compounds like Sodium Carbonate and Sodium Sulphite which are (were) available in more than one form. Dupont give weights for monohydrated and anhydrous Sodiunm Carbonate in their instructions,

Defender became part of DuPont as did the coating/chemistry side of Dr C. Schleussner Fotowerke GmbH (better known as Adox) a few years later. Dupont had links with Ilford before WWII, one of Ilfords senior research chemists Renwick spent some time working in the US at Dupont (1922-25) before returning to the UK to head Ilfords research department, Later Rennwick introduced Multigrade paper but it's UK commercial production was delayed due to the outbreak of WWII and Duponts Varigam paper was commercially available first, made under license from Ilord.

The instruction leaflet for Varigam is actually titled Dupont Defender Varigam, and in 1947 the Dupont Photo Products Department is called the "Defender" division, by 1951 the Defender name was dropped so formulae names changed.

Ian.

Ian Grant · Mar 6, 2014

DuPont took over Schleussner in 1962 and continued making the same products using the Adox brand name. In 1972 Dupont sold some of the German coating plant and licensed the formulae to Fotokemika who used the trade name EFKE, that's when the original Adox brand name ceased for films & papers. Film boxes carried the Made under License from DuPont.

Ian

Pat Erson · May 4, 2017

RidingWaves said:
I very much like D-54, quite a good match IMO for Ilford's MG RC.

Interesting! How do you use it? Stock or diluted?

Ian Grant · May 4, 2017

Pat Erson said:
Interesting! How do you use it? Stock or diluted?

It's used 1+2.

Ian

Petraio Prime · May 4, 2017

Ian Grant said:
It's used 1+2.

Ian

I believe it's supposed to be used 1+1. Not sure though.

Pat Erson · May 4, 2017

Thx to both of you!

nworth · May 6, 2017

I use 54-D as my standard print developer. I prefer it a little over D-72, and it lasts well as a stock solution. I got my formula from a DuPont listing, and it is the same as yours except for listing a sodium carbonate monohydrate option (88 g). I usually dilute the stock solution 1+2.

Ian Grant · May 7, 2017

Petraio Prime said:
I believe it's supposed to be used 1+1. Not sure though.

The leaflet I have (scanned) shows a dilution of 1+2 that's for Apex their contact paper. Usually developers were used more concentrated for Contact papers so a typical (similar) Ilford or Kodak print developer might be used 1+1 for contact papers and 1+3 with enlarging/roll-head papers.

Ian

Defender/DuPont 54-D cool tone developer - correct formula?

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