Ilfotec HC - worth trying on older-style emulsions?

Hello friends,

it's damn difficult to leave old habits - you see, I never used any concentrated developers except for Holy Rodinal and its R09 less pathetic version. I always mixed everything by nyself, and will continue to do so - it's much easier and way too cheaper for me in Russia, also it's very flexible. But recently I came across a bottle of Ilford Ilfotec HC developer, and it caught my attention - the stuff is very concentrated, so I can use it as a one-shot and always have a fresh developer. The times of development are reasonable, too - at 1+31 it's about 8 minutes in common, so the sheet film processing in trays won't be a nuisance business. The bottle is big and expensive, so before giving it a try I want to ask you how would it work with Ilford films, and with classic-style films like Fomapan and Fortepan? Does it give a real full speed? How about contrastiness of it? Does it produce a picture that's sharp enough? How about grain? I understand that these questions sound a bit barbaric, but I REALLY never ever used any concentrates, so it's like a Neanderthal meeting UFO

Cheers from Moscow, Zhenya

here are many examples of ilfotec hc in the apug gallery: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I recently started using ilfotec LC29 with fp4+ @125 1+29 and love it. One little bottle of concentrate will last me for many many films and it stays fresh for eons even after opening. I find it best to measure with a syringe. The local shops also have a good supply of it.

LC29 is my 'go to' developer... always have some on hand. If I have enough film to develop I might mix up a pkt of Xtol or Microphen, but recently I just stick with the LC29.

Zhenya, if Ilfotec HC is as much like HC-110 as I keep hearing it is, it's very definitely worth a try. You can dilute HC-110, and presumably Ilfotec HC, a lot more than the basic 1+31, and as you dilute, it changes from a generic developer with a lot in common with D-76 stock solution, to an acutance developer that gives a slight speed increase, to a strongly compensating developer by the time you get up 1+119 and cut your agitation from once a minute to every 3rd or 5th minute.

What you'll most likely find (still assuming it works like HC-110) is that you get a very small speed loss with most films at 1+31, usually about 1/3 stop, fine, very generic grain, and a very forgiving process. By the time you're up to 1+79, you'll be getting full speed or up to 1/3 stop speed gain, though your development times will have climbed some. I've never found a film for which HC-110 was a big mistake, and this is almost certainly true of Ilfotec HC as well.