How bout, reasons to use Sprint, or any other chemical system.

dosilverhalide · Nov 17, 2014

I liked using Sprint when I was using it. The only reason I don't use it now ,is its a 70 mile round trip drive to buy it. It's a 60 mile drive to get Kodak items. I have even ordered some chemicals on the internet. I prefer to buy at a store and keep it in business.There were 4 one hr labs in my small town 3 years ago, none now. The store I use in Gainesville Fl. has a full wet lab. It receives film from other states to process, including I believe 4by5 E6. J.

Thomas Bertilsson · Nov 17, 2014

I have found that the film developer is very much like liquid D76.

I use their stop bath, because it has an indicator, and it smells like vanilla.

I use their End of Run wetting agent, because it's just as good as anything else out there, and my negatives always dry completely spotless.

In the past I've used their fixer and print developer too. It's a very good product, a nice system.

In the end, chemicals are tools, and we have to learn how to use them properly in order to understand their shortcomings and/or advantages. Most products are fantastic, given enough time to learn how to eke the most out of them. For a long time I've used developers such as Pyrocat-HD, PMK Pyro, Replenished Xtol, Edwal 12, Kodak TMax, Ilford DD-X, etc. But I picked up a few bags of D76 and guess what... The negs are fantastic and once I had the process dialed in they print like a dream.

It isn't so much WHAT we use. It really is HOW we use the materials that matters most.

rco3 · Nov 17, 2014

I was wondering if those guys still processed in-house. Several years ago the owner told me he had the last E6 line in the state that could do 4x5. Sure was nice driving 2 miles to drop off E6 and pick it up the next day.

gone · Nov 17, 2014

If it's very much like liquid D76 Thomas, does it have a longer shelf life? I had to switch to TD-16 because my D76 got too active after about 3 weeks in hot Florida heat. The TD-16 will last at least 3 or 4 months and be stable, but if I could buy something similar in a liquid and not have to mix a powder, I would rather go that route.

RattyMouse · Nov 17, 2014

momus said:
If it's very much like liquid D76 Thomas, does it have a longer shelf life? I had to switch to TD-16 because my D76 got too active after about 3 weeks in hot Florida heat. The TD-16 will last at least 3 or 4 months and be stable, but if I could buy something similar in a liquid and not have to mix a powder, I would rather go that route.

Didn't Kodak make HC-110 to be as close to D-76 as chemically possible? It would seem that HC-110 would be exactly what you want. No powders, available on demand, and a shelf life measured in years.

removed account4 · Nov 17, 2014

Thomas Bertilsson said:
I have found that the film developer is very much like liquid D76.

I use their stop bath, because it has an indicator, and it smells like vanilla.

I use their End of Run wetting agent, because it's just as good as anything else out there, and my negatives always dry completely spotless.

In the past I've used their fixer and print developer too. It's a very good product, a nice system.

In the end, chemicals are tools, and we have to learn how to use them properly in order to understand their shortcomings and/or advantages. Most products are fantastic, given enough time to learn how to eke the most out of them. For a long time I've used developers such as Pyrocat-HD, PMK Pyro, Replenished Xtol, Edwal 12, Kodak TMax, Ilford DD-X, etc. But I picked up a few bags of D76 and guess what... The negs are fantastic and once I had the process dialed in they print like a dream.

It isn't so much WHAT we use. It really is HOW we use the materials that matters most.

well said thomas ..

it is a system that schools have used since the early 1970s
and pros too .. it works well, is easy to mix and there are no surprises.
AND the film developer has like a 3 page book/pdf about different ways to use the developer ...
its a matter of learning what it can do, and exploiting that ..

gone · Nov 18, 2014

HC-110 doesn't give me quite the same results as D76 or TD-16 w/ Tri-X. Different grain, tonality and contrast. Especially the tonality, which does show on the prints, not just the negs. Maybe if I played around w/ it I could work something out, but D76/TD-16 is just so darned foolproof. I use TD-16 for just about everything....Rollei Retro 80s, Shanghai, Neopan, Tri-X, HP5, etc. Always gives great results, and it's easy to get consistency. But I may try the Sprint. I certainly like the idea of a liquid vs a powder.

Whiteymorange · Nov 18, 2014

We kept the boxed Sprint developer on a shelf with the spigot overhanging sink for over a year at a time at school, the diluted stock solution in a dark jug for weeks, seldom had any problems. I'm thinking of going back to that system instead of the constant experimenting I have been doing. My only problem is that I have lots of little boxes, bottles and bags of various developers that have been given to me. My desire to use up those freebies fights with my knowledge that my negatives stand a much better chance of being easy to print if I'd only settle into one system and stop screwing around.

But what am I going to do with the bags of Technidol LC that was just dumped in my lap (figuratively), or the D50? or the Microdol X? For roll film, I have been using TMax, but since it's not TMax RS, I play with the sheet film.

Tough being a cheap son of a gun.

How bout, reasons to use Sprint, or any other chemical system.

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