Dektol question

[Don_ih]

Anyone have suggestions for a Dektol-like paper developer they love?

Mix your own D72. It would take decades for metol and hydroquinone in separate plastic bottles to get brown.
Those packages of Dektol are too expensive to use one that's not perfect.
And it's no more difficult to mix your own.

 

[mshchem]

Mix your own D72. It would take decades for metol and hydroquinone in separate plastic bottles to get brown.
Those packages of Dektol are too expensive to use one that's not perfect.
And it's no more difficult to mix your own.

Yes, with a handful of chemicals you can have neutral or warm tone print developer, film developer, fixers etc. Very consistent results.

 

[ags2mikon]

I have been mixing my own paper developers for about 20 plus years now and haven't had a bad batch yet. Most of the individual reagents last decades if caped and kept in the dark like us.

 

[chuckroast]

You should reach out to both B&H and the new licensee and manufacturer, Photo Systems: https://kodak.photosys.com/pages/contact-psi
And yes, they are moving away from many of the old product names for Kodak chemicals.

Maybe they'll bring back "Universal M-Q Developer" in the little box with separate packets

 

[chuckroast]

Hi all,

Yesterday, I cut open a bag of Kodak Dektol powder, bought fresh from B&H in 2024 with a 2027 expiration date. The powder was a mix of brown and white, and produced a dark brown, strong-tea colored solution when mixed with 3L of 100 degree F water. I threw it all away fearing the powder had oxidized in the bag somehow. I have read past posts on here and on the B&H site describing this issue and was just wondering if anyone has purchased any in the last 3 months or so that is no longer brown?

Thanks,

Paul

There was the period where Dektol looked like cocoa. Then Kodak claims to have resolved it. I bought some of the post-resolution Dektol and it's been fine.

However, this was a wakeup call. The price of Dektol has skyrocketed and the quality clearly isn't reliable. I will use what I have (a fair bit still) and then proceed to make either my own D-72 or Ansco 130 in the future.

130 is similar to Dektol with arguably better shadow separation but it lasts fooooreeeeeeeever. I've ginned up a way to add various components to stock Dektol and turn it into an Ansco 130 equivalent. A couple liters of working strength "Dektol 130", even after 50-75 prints over multiple weeks still works consistently and cleanly. Oxidation isn't an issue, carryover loss is and eventually I make more to get back to 2l of working strength stuff. The issue right now is sourcing Glycin to make it.

 

[Milpool]

There was the period where Dektol looked like cocoa. Then Kodak claims to have resolved it. I bought some of the post-resolution Dektol and it's been fine.

However, this was a wakeup call. The price of Dektol has skyrocketed and the quality clearly isn't reliable. I will use what I have (a fair bit still) and then proceed to make either my own D-72 or Ansco 130 in the future.

130 is similar to Dektol with arguably better shadow separation but it lasts fooooreeeeeeeever. I've ginned up a way to add various components to stock Dektol and turn it into an Ansco 130 equivalent. A couple liters of working strength "Dektol 130", even after 50-75 prints over multiple weeks still works consistently and cleanly. Oxidation isn't an issue, carryover loss is and eventually I make more to get back to 2l of working strength stuff. The issue right now is sourcing Glycin to make it.

If I remember correctly the bulletins about brown Dektol were issued by Sino Promise (ie when they were making the Kodak chemicals, before PSI took it over). The real Kodak (EK) got out of that business long ago and it has passed through various operations including Tetenal. EK was appointing the manufacturers (I think) and licensing. Although at this point aside from the name "Kodak" I don't know what's going on with the product trademarks as PSI seems to be using different names now for XTOL, HC-110 etc. It's weird - kind of like what's going on with the naming of Kodak films depending on whether they are being sold by EK or Alaris...

 

[chuckroast]

If I remember correctly the bulletins about brown Dektol were issued by Sino Promise (ie when they were making the Kodak chemicals, before PSI took it over). The real Kodak (EK) got out of that business long ago and it has passed through various operations including Tetenal. EK was appointing the manufacturers (I think) and licensing. Although at this point aside from the name "Kodak" I don't know what's going on with the product trademarks as PSI seems to be using different names now for XTOL, HC-110 etc. It's weird - kind of like what's going on with the naming of Kodak films depending on whether they are being sold by EK or Alaris...

That's roughly my recollection as well. The later stuff I've gotten from my local shop post Sino Promise has been fine, but like I said, this is a decreasing volume business and I want to be independent of any of the manufacturers.

For the cost off appropriate clothing, skin, eye, and breathing equipment, a couple of cheap digital scales, a mixing hotplate, and some glassware (all in $250US-ish) you can knock out all your own film and paper developers and save plenty in the process, while assuring yourself that the stuff is correct. You do have to buy the chems, but that's still cheaper than paying for pre-made stuff.

I routinely make my own Pyrocat-HDC, Dektol-Ansco 130, D-23, FX-1 ... When I run out, I'll start making my own PMK as well.

 

[Bill Burk]

Brown (partially oxidized metol and hydroquinone), the paper developer formally known as Dektol will develop prints. Just sloppy stuff. Not for me, Not gonna do it. Wouldn't be prudent!

It’s not oxidized metol and hydroquinone according to kodak, it’s an inert non-photochemically active impurity. At least in the batch I mixed up.

In cases of punctured foil composite paper of the ‘70s it’s oxidized for sure.

But Kodak swore the brown stuff wasn’t bad.

 

[Bill Burk]

p.s. When I buy bags now, I protect the bags with cardboard and heat-seal in freezer Ziplock bags with oxygen absorbers. Because if those bags got poked they would oxidize and I’d have no way of telling.

 

[mshchem]

I bet Adox doesn't produce brown developer. Of course the XT-3 looks like lemonade

 

[mshchem]

It’s not oxidized metol and hydroquinone according to kodak, it’s an inert non-photochemically active impurity. At least in the batch I mixed up.

In cases of punctured foil composite paper of the ‘70s it’s oxidized for sure.

But Kodak swore the brown stuff wasn’t bad.

To imitate old American Western movies. Great Yellow Father speaks with forked tongue!

 

[Don_ih]

according to kodak, it’s an inert non-photochemically active impurity

That really sounds like a lie.

 

[Milpool]

To imitate old American Western movies. Great Yellow Father speaks with forked tongue!

It was Sino Promise, PSI, whoever, not Kodak. Eastman Kodak hasn’t made this stuff in a long time.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

My last batch, bought about a month ago, was brown-ish.

Made lovely prints.

 

[mshchem]

It was Sino Promise, PSI, whoever, not Kodak. Eastman Kodak hasn’t made this stuff in a long time.

Absolutely!

 

[mshchem]

That really sounds like a lie.

Sounds like dirt

 

[mshchem]

I tested a new batch of Flexicolor developer replenisher tonight, PSI made. Used my old SinoPromise starter. Everything looks good.

 

[tparuy]

Identical issue here (purchased in March 2026.)
I did bother mixing it out of desperation to make a batch of what seems to be deep brown wort for brewing beer. I haven't pitched the yeast in it yet and I haven't made any darkroom prints with it either.

Mine was Lot 2025/11/07 expiry 2028/11. I contacted Kodak with the details this weekend, no reply as yet.

I’m dismayed to hear your news as it seems to confirm that there are new production problems.
The ink stamp of the batch number and expiration date on my package is impossible to read- rubbed off in handling before I received it. (But it was clearly brand new.)
I have not heard back from PSI… I emailed them before I posted on this thread a few days ago.
Thanks to everyone who weighed in; going forward it looks like I’ll be mixing my own D72.

 

[darkroommike]

We never did offer the OP an answer as to why his nearly new bag of developer is bad I'm not so sure there is a satisfactory answer. One thing's for sure... being dark tea colored ain't right.

The newer new stuff is made in a different country using different sources for all the components.

That Said: "the brown on mixing" Dektol was allegedly turning brown due to a reaction by a non photographically active component. So it was supposed to be good to use. Though I prefer a paper developer where I can see to the bottom of the tray. The good, newer stuff made in USA by PSI(?) doesn't have that issue.

But I am much more suspicious of anything coming in a yellow package in these new later days and have started moving towards making all my own.

Another alternative is the Arista paper developer or the stuff from Photographers Warehouse (aka Unique) which seem to be a D72 type developer and work just fine for less money.

 

[c41]

I’m dismayed to hear your news as it seems to confirm that there are new production problems.
The ink stamp of the batch number and expiration date on my package is impossible to read- rubbed off in handling before I received it. (But it was clearly brand new.)
I have not heard back from PSI… I emailed them before I posted on this thread a few days ago.
Thanks to everyone who weighed in; going forward it looks like I’ll be mixing my own D72.

I'm a week into hoping for a response from Kodak PhotoSys. I suppose I'll give them one more week then try again and try B&H Photo where I purchased from. I want my $20 back!

 

[mshchem]

I wonder (Are you pondering what I'm pondering?) if one was to go to Photographer's Formulary and order the individual components of D-72, weight each part carefully and mix it with water if you'd get some brown soup??? I doubt it.

A steaming load of nonsense (or something )

 

[Tina Kino]

I contacted Kodak with the details this weekend, no reply as yet.

I'll be interested to hear response.

You'll probably need some patience - I contacted Kodak two times in the past 1.5 years, and both times it took CineStill (who are handling their customer support) about a month to reply

 

[MattKing]

For clarity, CineStill is handling the support for PhotoSystems, the licensee and manufacturer of Kodak branded photo chemicals.
Eastman Kodak and Kodak Alaris are probably handling their own customer support.

 

[Tina Kino]

Thank you for clarifying @MattKing

 

[mshchem]

Even licensed products should have some metric that must be met. I bought new current USA made Dektol, USA made Bromophen and some Czech Republic made Fomatol. I'm going to mix up and see what they look like. Mostly just curious.

I can't believe that this is endemic. It's a decision to distribute inferior products. Either for cost or due to a surprise mixup. Still a lack of quality standards.