Dektol is Brown (Follow-up question)

images39 · Aug 7, 2021

Several months back, there was a thread regarding a Dektol issue (developer was a dark brown after mixing with water). I bought some Dektol that I thought was outside of the affected batches, but mixed it up today and found it to be a dark root beer brown.

Has anyone tried using the dark brown Dektol, and did you find any negative effects on the final prints? Would like to hear what others have experienced with this stuff.

Thanks,
Dale

removed account4 · Aug 7, 2021

images39 said:
Several months back, there was a thread regarding a Dektol issue (developer was a dark brown after mixing with water). I bought some Dektol that I thought was outside of the affected batches, but mixed it up today and found it to be a dark root beer brown.

Has anyone tried using the dark brown Dektol, and did you find any negative effects on the final prints? Would like to hear what others have experienced with this stuff.

Thanks,
Dale

hi Dale
I didn't know about brown dektol and unfortunately i bought a bunch of sleeves (10?) from someone here who was selling it. mine that was the same color as yours and got rid of it. He wasn’t happy but he still refunded my$, It didn't process film like I wanted or process paper negatives like I liked...
I ended up buying raw ingredients to make my own ( d72 ) which turned out fine...
sorry to hear you bought bad dektol too and hope you ca get your $$ back!
John

(edited for b/c previously typed with auto spell check which obviously failed )

mshchem · Aug 7, 2021

The company formerly know as "Kodak" claims it doesn't matter. I would ask for your money back. Kodak film is still made by Eastman Kodak in Rochester, everything else is to be approached with caution.
Sad

Nicholas Lindan · Aug 7, 2021

All I can suggest, again, is to get the raw chemicals and make up D-72. A set of measuring spoons is plenty good enough, you don't really need a scale though cheap digital ones from China are abundant. Google for spoon formulas. With the same chemicals you can make up D-76 & D-23.

mshchem · Aug 7, 2021

Nicholas Lindan said:
All I can suggest, again, is to get the raw chemicals and make up D-72. A set of measuring spoons is plenty good enough, you don't really need a scale though cheap digital ones from China are abundant. Google for spoon formulas. With the same chemicals you can make up D-76 & D-23.

Good suggestion. I have Kodak Elon and Hydroquinone that I bought 45 years ago that are still good. Trying to find quality chemicals is possible, Ohaus mechanical balances that are bulletproof are abundant on Ebay, scoops work too. In the meantime Freestyle, Ilford and others. I'm a lifelong Kodak customer, I am steering clear of Kodak branded powders for now. Oh I miss the old Kodak!

focus_on_infinity · Aug 7, 2021

Mine was a deep cappucino color. It was the first print developer I ever used, but AFAICT, it worked just fine. It certainly didn't fail.

mshchem · Aug 8, 2021

focus_on_infinity said:
Mine was a deep cappucino color. It was the first print developer I ever used, but AFAICT, it worked just fine. It certainly didn't fail.

I've known people who have used old (decades old) bags of Dektol. It was like black coffee. It "worked" as in there were prints at the end. People leave chemicals in trays to oxidize, fixer to turn to Sulfur etc. Not good practice. Good developer should be clear or have a slight straw color.
The brown is tar formed when developing ends, hydroquinone and metol, what's used in Dektol, deteriorate. It will probably still make decent prints.

Note, I have 50 year old Dektol, in sealed metal cans, made by the Real Kodak workers. I mix up a can, it's clear and works perfect.

I use Ilford Bromophen, so brown Dektol isn't a big deal to me, still is sad. I was devoted to Kodak.

Nicholas Lindan · Aug 8, 2021

So, I wonder how do you tell when this new brown Dektol reaches the end of its life - does it turn clear?

mshchem · Aug 8, 2021

Nicholas Lindan said:
So, I wonder how do you tell when this new brown Dektol reaches the end of its life - does it turn clear?

Pat Erson · Aug 8, 2021

mshchem said:
Kodak film is still made by Eastman Kodak in Rochester, everything else is to be approached with caution.
Sad

Kodak films shall be approached with a respectable amount of money though... Sad.

Adrian Bacon · Aug 8, 2021

images39 said:
Several months back, there was a thread regarding a Dektol issue (developer was a dark brown after mixing with water). I bought some Dektol that I thought was outside of the affected batches, but mixed it up today and found it to be a dark root beer brown.

Has anyone tried using the dark brown Dektol, and did you find any negative effects on the final prints? Would like to hear what others have experienced with this stuff.

Thanks,
Dale

yes, I’ve been printing through a batch of root beer dektol, and it works just fine. Other than the color of the developer, I don’t see any difference in the prints between it and ilford MG developer.

gone · Aug 8, 2021

People say you can still use it like that. I wasn't about to, my Dektol looked like molasses. I dumped it, and will only buy the old canned and paper packaged versions from Etsy or ebay.

images39 · Aug 8, 2021

Thanks for all the replies. It's probably a normal reaction to be tentative about using the dark brown stuff, but interesting to note that a couple of commenters have tried using it and don't see a difference in the end result. I guess I'll try it and see...

Dale

MattKing · Aug 8, 2021

It makes it very difficult to use factorial development.
This is what it says on the current Kodak Professional Imaging Solutions website listing for Kodak chemicals:
Update for US Customers: KODAK PROFESSIONAL DEKTOL Developer / Packet to make 1 gal (CAT# 105 8296)
The color issue with Dektol has been solved.
New batches of DEKTOL with date codes of January 2021 or later are completely normal.
US distributors reordering DEKTOL in 2021 are receiving these new batches.

pentaxuser · Aug 9, 2021

MattKing said:
This is what it says on the current Kodak Professional Imaging Solutions website listing for Kodak chemicals:
Update for US Customers: KODAK PROFESSIONAL DEKTOL Developer / Packet to make 1 gal (CAT# 105 8296)
The color issue with Dektol has been solved.
.

If the update is for U.S. customers, does that mean that it never reached any customers in U.K. and Europe?

Thanks

pentaxuser

Dektol is Brown (Follow-up question)

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