HC110 and Ascorbic acid.

[gainer]

I wonder how many of you have bought a commercially available developer on the basis of side-by-side comparisons with one of its competitors?

If I can get a developer concentrate that has the good qualities of HC110 and is cheaper simply by adding some ascorbic acid to the HC110, and you are a user of HC110, is it too much to ask of you to risk a small bit of film, HC110 and ascorbic acid to see for yourself whether I speak the truth, especially since I did publish the very kind of comparison you seek in Photo Techniques magazine? I compared the effects of increasing the hydroquinone in HC110, adding ascorbic acid, and both.

It is cheaper simply because ascorbic acid is cheap and decreases the required working concentration of HC110 significantly without affecting its good qualities.

 

[jackc]

Speaking of the good qualities of HC-110, the Silvergrain website, disappointingly, has this to say:

HC-110 is a highly concentrated developer manufactured by Eastman Kodak Company.

The image quality of this developer for pictorial applications is poor and I see no advantage in this product other than convenience, low cost and rapid processing. The disadvantages are: speed comparable to D-76 or often slightly lower, coarser grain than D-76 (except for some films including TMX) and mediocre sharpness.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Jack;

There is a whole thread on this from about a week ago.

PE