Difficulties w/ ilford RC pearl?

[bdial]

You certainly can use it at that dilution for film. But, it's mostly used as a one-shot developer which generally gives you better consistency. If you re-use the working solution then it's necessary to make sure that you don't exceed the capacity of the solution. For Dilution B, that is 2.5 rolls of 35 or 120 (or 2.5 8x10/ 20.3 x 25.4 cm sheets) per liter. Or 10 rolls in 1 US gallon.

All the details are in the data sheet;
http://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/prod/files/files/resources/j24.pdf

 

[RalphLambrecht]

so I received some new paper for Christmas. Previously I've been printing on ilfords classic fibre paper and went to print some of the same negatives today on the RC pearl. Everything came out super grey?

Could this be due to old or tainted dev?

At school, all we have is hc110, which is maybe not ideal either (?) but so far I've had no real issues with it.

try fresh Dektol and raise the contrast. set exp time for the highlights and chose contrast for the shadows.\ when printing.

 

[crumpet8]

Thanks Ralph

 

[MattKing]

You certainly can use it at that dilution for film. But, it's mostly used as a one-shot developer which generally gives you better consistency. If you re-use the working solution then it's necessary to make sure that you don't exceed the capacity of the solution. For Dilution B, that is 2.5 rolls of 35 or 120 (or 2.5 8x10/ 20.3 x 25.4 cm sheets) per liter. Or 10 rolls in 1 US gallon.

All the details are in the data sheet;
http://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/prod/files/files/resources/j24.pdf

If you do the arithmetic, you will find the developer will develop more film if you use it one shot.
To make up a litre of dilution B working solution, you need 31 ml of concentrate diluted 1 + 31.
If you use that litre to develop even 3 rolls of film, that works out to 10 ml of concentrate per roll.
If you use it one shot, there is enough developing activity in 6 ml of concentrate to develop a roll of film. You can then choose the dilution that nicely matches the 6 ml and the size of your tank, to end up with 5 rolls developed using 30 ml of concentrate.
In my case, when I'm using HC-110 one shot, I use dilution E, which is functionally equivalent to 1+49 - great for a 300 ml tank.
Here is Jason Brunner's excellent article on that dilution: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[crumpet8]

Thanks bdial and Matt! Not sure if one shot will be feasible due to the darkroom being used by about 15 other students, but will look into it

 

[Michael Guzzi]

You could also use the unofficial dilution H - which is dil B mixed 1:1 with water. Dev times are roughly twice that of dil B.

 

[Gerald C Koch]

The paper was bought new at Christmas, the dev was old (about 15 rolls of film already developed in it) and was Kodak hc110 sol. B. It must have been the dev as I mixed a fresh batch of ilford paper dev yesterday and the prints with the same paper were fine.

You can reuse HC-110 dilution B IF you replenish the working solution with concentrate after each roll. Otherwise the activity will begin to drop off.

 

[crumpet8]

You can reuse HC-110 dilution B IF you replenish the working solution with concentrate after each roll. Otherwise the activity will begin to drop off.

So a separate replenisher has to be bought as well if bulk batches of hc110b are made up then? Is this the same with all developers, or do some companies give a guide for extended dev time to compensate instead?

 

[crumpet8]

Also it must be getting late here, I read this three times now and can't find where it says anything about the exact ratio of replenisher (22ml per roll) to tank solution? Does it not make a difference how much tank solution you are replenishing? I've recently been mixing up 2-3 litre batches of hc110b

 

[Michael Guzzi]

The info on replenishment is on page 7 of the J-24 publication. Indeed it is 22 ml of replenisher solution to each roll.

However,HC-110 replenisher is not available anymore, so a replenished regime is out of the question I'd say. If I were you I'd switch to one shot using a higher dilution to avoid wasting developer, dilutions D and above are very very economical.

 

[Nige]

Its B solution and is about 3 litres. Same batch that developed about 15 rolls, used today to develop paper.

maybe this is the clue to how you've been getting away developing multiple films reusing diluted developed... 3 litres reused (putting the bit you used in the tank to develop your film back in afterwards) would slowly loose it potency. One of the high dilution ratios used one shot will be more reliable and consistent.

 

[Dennis S]

And you do not have to mix up 3 liters at a time. Usually the most I need is 1 liter for 6 shts of 4x5 film. 700ml for 2 rls of film in Patterson tanks.

 

[crumpet8]

maybe this is the clue to how you've been getting away developing multiple films reusing diluted developed... 3 litres reused (putting the bit you used in the tank to develop your film back in afterwards) would slowly loose it potency. One of the high dilution ratios used one shot will be more reliable and consistent.

That was the idea I think. I just copied what the previous people at school were mixing up. Also, we have some larger tanks so maybe some people develop 10 rolls of 135 at a time or something, I don't know.