This is a PQ developer which has a surprisingly long shelf life. It was formulated just guessing at ratios and is similar to ID-68. It produces warmtones which always shift to more deep brown tones, rather than to olive tones. I've kept a half empty bottle of the first mixture of the solution since the middle of October so far and have processed around 50 8x10 prints through it. It has slowed down slightly, maybe around 10% slower, but still produces excellent black depth and brown tones with compensation, actually getting warmer with age. It has turned from a clear solution to a deep yellow. Noteworthy is that the developer is designed to be used directly and to be reused after each darkroom session, similar to how Ansco 130 is used, but it is a relatively dilute developer.
Full article on my blog: https://grainy.vision/blog/gvl1
GVL1 Formula
Characterization: Produces warm tones. Trends more toward browns rather than greens. Produces slightly warm black tones and gives a mostly neutral response in terms of contrast across the entire range of exposure with great shadow separation, especially on FB papers. On most RC papers, shadow differences and warmtone behavior is subtle.
Example print on Foma FB
Full article on my blog: https://grainy.vision/blog/gvl1
GVL1 Formula
- 750ml hot water
- 10g sodium sulfite
- 6g hydroquinone
- 25ml TEA 99% (triethanolamine, sourced from Photographer’s Formulary. Likely low freeze grade)
- 0.15g Dimezone-S (it is unknown if and how phenidone could be substituted) or 15ml of 1% solution such as 1% dimezone-S in alcohol or glycol
- 1g potassium bromide
- 16g sodium metaborate
- Top to 1L with water
- Measured pH 10.75
Characterization: Produces warm tones. Trends more toward browns rather than greens. Produces slightly warm black tones and gives a mostly neutral response in terms of contrast across the entire range of exposure with great shadow separation, especially on FB papers. On most RC papers, shadow differences and warmtone behavior is subtle.
Example print on Foma FB