Developing paper in Diafine

I did a little test of this last night and am not displeased with the results.

Has anyone done this exensively?

Will developing paper hurt the Diafine? One of the main reasons I am attracted to it is that it lasts forever, and I would hate to compromise that.

I don't see advantage of using Diafine for prints. Print developer can be reused for a long time if you make up for the fluid loss with replenisher solution.

I'm not sure there are any advantages other than the possible longevity of the development solution. I am hoping to save a little $, but more importantly, to reduce the amount of toxic waste I am generating. My Dektol turns dark and stops working long before I see any fluid loss and I have been chucking it and mixing more from stock. Is there a better way?

Don't forget that small particles from the paper will get into the Diafine and so it will no longer be useful for the developing of film.

Hans

Good point. I wonder if I could eliminate those particles by pouring it through a filter of some kind. I could also just maintain some for paper and some for film.

PhotoPete said:

I'm not sure there are any advantages other than the possible longevity of the development solution. I am hoping to save a little $, but more importantly, to reduce the amount of toxic waste I am generating. My Dektol turns dark and stops working long before I see any fluid loss and I have been chucking it and mixing more from stock. Is there a better way?

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DS-14 is a print developer that doesn't have harmful compound. I keep using the same solution for 3-6 months with replenishment. It gets yellowish color but it still develops perfectly when it's light brown. If you get a chance to stop by Boston, I'll give you some to try out

PhotoPete said:

Has anyone done this exensively?

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Larry Of Main is your man. He should chime in.
A two tray print developer for many years. Not
Diafine though. He Home-brews. Spoons his way.

I'm a minimalist when it come to chemistry and
technique. Single tray, develop-fix processing.
Compound in small quantities, least amount
solution volumes, etc, etc.

BTW, I've found that ACU-1, a one-shot Acufine,
does a fine job as a print developer with an
addition of sodium carbonate; Dektol? Dan

I've been using Ryuji's DS-14 for prints of late. I've got a ~1-liter bottle in which I store it between sessions, and I top up with the DS-14 replenisher after each session. (The replenisher is DS-14 minus one ingredient, potassium bromide). I'd say I typically have to add about 5ml of replenisher per 8x10 print processed, but that's just a rough guess. If this is accurate, the cost comes out to about 1/4 cent per print, assuming indefinite replenishment.

DS-14 is a phenidone/ascorbic acid ("PC") developer, so no metol or hydroquinone, which helps reduce its environmental impact. If you replenish it, you'll also have to dispose of less of it. The latter applies to any developer you replenish, of course. AFAIK, the only commercial PC print developer is Agfa's/A&O's Neutol Plus. I'm not 100% sure if A&O is manufacturing it, though.