HC110 and PQ Universal Developers

[hortense]

I plan to use Ilford Ortho Plus for some images that are very low contrast (e.g., Native American pictographs). For the contrast gradient that I've selected, Ilford reccomends PQ Universal. I prefer to use my standard developer HC110* (I've used this quite successfully with other films that "supposedly" require special/different developers, e.g., Kodak Tech Pan).
Can anyone advise me on the comparative relationship of PQ Universal to HC110? What I am attempting to do is minimize the testing needed to arrive at a desirable negative that will print well. Note: Ilford spec sheet for Ortho Plus advises an ISO of 80.
Any helpful information would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
* Perhaps Dektol?

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Ilford PQ Universal is basically a paper developer. It is a phenidone/hydroquinone developer whose characteristics are similar to Dektol.

I have photographed thousands of pictographs and petroglyphs over the years (in several formats) and my overall personal preference is color negative film. My second choice is panchromatic black and white film developed in Pyrocat-HD.

 

[Ian Grant]

Ilford's PQ Universal is actually an extremely good film developer and was at one time used in contiuous B&W film processors. These disappeared with the wide spread growth of colour films in the 60's & 70's.

PQ universal is quite different to Dektol and produces excellent fine grain and good tonality. The major drawback is the very short developing times required for most films, typically around 90secs to 4mins, this was a bonus in a highly controlled mechanised processing.

This can be overcome by using the developer at a very much higher dilution. Ilford never pushed this developer for small scale film processing, while their rival May & Baker (now Champion) did provide exhaustive instruction for their equivalent universal PQ developer -Suprol - at high dilution for normal tank processing.

If you use Ilford's Ortho film then PQ Universal will give you superb negatives, where you need to increase the contrast. There's no reason why you can't use HC110 for normal contrast work with the film.

 

[hortense]

"... rival May & Baker (now Champion) did provide exhaustive instruction for their equivalent universal PQ developer -Suprol - at high dilution for normal tank processing." Ian, thanks for the input; can you tell me how to contact them?

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

I've used Ilford PQ Universal for many years (about 25) for both film and paper. It is a good developer for both, in my experience.

Are the pictographs you are planning to photograph monochromatic or polychromatic?

 

[Kirk Keyes]

Jay, have you gotten some examples of film processed with your new developer online?

 

[hortense]

I've used Ilford PQ Universal for many years (about 25) for both film and paper. It is a good developer for both, in my experience.

Are the pictographs you are planning to photograph monochromatic or polychromatic?

Tom - They will be Monochormatic (B&W)

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Tom - They will be Monochormatic (B&W)

Thanks Hortense, keep us posted on how your project progresses.