ID-11: I take back every bad thing I ever said.

[NB23]

I've hopped around to various developers to get different looks/tones. However, I now use only two developers, a D-76 derivative for conventional films and FX-37 for the newer T-grained films. I'm not surprised that you've had a positive experience with ID-11, as that developer has withstood the test of time.

D76 is so good, it was used as a benchmark for Tmax100' development.

There is no such thing as a "Special T-Grain Developer" although personal preferences can't be judged.

 

[Snapshot]

There is no such thing as a "Special T-Grain Developer" although personal preferences can't be judged.

I would somewhat disagree to a point. It's my understanding FX-37 was designed by G. Crawley for optimal use with T-Max and Delta films. However, it can be used for conventional films.

 

[Roger Cole]

ID-11 is essentially the same as D76 from everything I've read. I'm amazed that yours was still good. My D76 gets weird after 3-4 weeks! I've tried everything. Distilled water only, glass bottles w/ marbles, gas in the bottle before I cap it, you name it. That's all I get, and then I start getting more grain, and it is not predictable at all. Now I use TD-16 and we'll see how that works for the longer storage. I do agree that the developers we're discussing are just fantastic for Tri-X.

Mine keeps without problems for at least six months, and I have used it nine months out though it's cheap enough I usually toss it after six months. No differences at six months when kept in a full bottle though.

Dunno - I do use distilled water and squeeze the air out of (the common brown plastic) bottles, but that's all.

 

[rubyfalls]

The odd thing? I also developed a roll in Ilfosol 3. Both rolls were tri-x, from the same pro pack, shot one after the other, reeled at the same time, and developed at the same time. So, in other words, they were identical, start to finish, but for developer. And the Ilfosol roll has major fogging. Maybe it read my complaint and sought revenge?

 

[NB23]

I would somewhat disagree to a point. It's my understanding FX-37 was designed by G. Crawley for optimal use with T-Max and Delta films. However, it can be used for conventional films.

But Kodak designed tmax100 around D76.

 

[Black Dog]

The Film Developing Cookbook [Anchell and Troop] has lots of good info on this.

 

[Vincent Brady]

ID11 has being my developer of choice for years, I find using the stock solution with Delta 400 gives me lovely results. There may be better developers but life is too short to spend experimenting with alternatives.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

D76/ID-11 is a very good developer, while I moved on in the mid 80's to Rodinal & Xtol and finally Pyrocat HD I'd still be able touse it to get great results.

Ian

self-mixedD76 1+1 is the only develper I use and I see no reason to change that; consistent results with standard and tab-grain films.that and D72 for paper and I'm all set.

 

[Richard Jepsen]

D-76/ID-11 or XTOL are the developer benchmarks. Master your materials before any developer experimentation to solve specific problems.