Diafine - Substitute Formula

[dancqu]

This formula is from Patrick Dignan's book Classic B&W Formulas.

Solution A
Sodium Sulfite, 35 grams - Hydroquinone, 6 grams
Phenidone, 0.2 grams - Sodium Bisulfite, 6 grams
Water to make, 1 liter

Solution B
Sodium Sulfite, 65 grams - Sodium Metaborate, 20 grams
Or, Borax 20 grams, for results "like that of D76"
Water to make, 1 liter

Mr. R. W. Anderson who wrote the article, claims a true
one stop speed boost plus "the advantages ... of
a two bath".

Have any experience with Diafine or the Homebrew
version? Is it realy as long lived as some say? Dan

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Yes, this recipe works fine and has a good shelf life. This recipe has been posted several times before on APUG.

 

[dancqu]

Three chemicals with regenerative properties and, I'd think, a
somewhat high ph, account for it's short processing time. Also
the amount of phenidone, even at a 1:9 dilution, is higher
than some.

I've read that today's thin emulsion films are not candidates
for a Diafine like two-bath type of processing. Diafine though is
not the only A-B developer on the market. I wonder if there really
are any film/A-B mismatches?

 

[Dean Williams]

I haven't used Diafine with a lot of different films, but have had good results with the films I've tried in it. Speed wise, it makes Tri-X go fast, though not the 1600 that Diafine claims, IMO.
There are a couple of films that actually loose speed in Diafine, according to the makers.
I'd say the keeping qualities are amazing for a solution that is mixed from a powder, used and poured back into the bottles over and over again, and stored for indeterminate weeks before being used again. My current batch is over a year and a half old, and shows no sign of weakness.

 

[gainer]

I wonder if some claims of speed enhancement are not the result of times when the ASA spec was used. It had a considerably higher safety factor for metering than the ISO. Acufine and Diafine first came out when we still had ASA on the box. Nowadays, we see numerous photographers who set their meters a stop or so slower for best shadows. Just a thought.

 

[dancqu]

I wonder if some claims of speed enhancement are not
the result of times when the ASA spec was used. It had
a considerably higher safety factor for metering than the
ISO. Acufine and Diafine first came out when we still had
ASA on the box. Nowadays, we see numerous
photographers who set their meters a stop or
so slower for best shadows. Just a thought.

Plus X and Tri X were 125 and 400 ASA and are now the same
ISO. It is my understanding that the International standard and
the USA's ASA are equivalent. Perhaps you are thinking of the
earlier Weston standard. Dan

 

[fhovie]

I mixed the above formula and it gave me a lot of fog - it was really a flop - I would reconsider usining it but wonder if I should add some benzotriazole.

 

[Paul Howell]

I have used Dinafine over the years, and just assumed that a thick emlusion soaked up more part A than newer thin emlusions so you cannot push TAX 400 as much as you can Tri X.

Regards

Paul

 

[dancqu]

I put a couple of rolls through Diafine a few years ago and
did not like the fog levels it gave and it's turning brown.

The less vigorous borax version, or even a bicarbonate version,
may clear everything up and give near same results. Dan

 

[jon.oman]

An interesting / old thread.

Another thing to try......