I'm looking for a new developer for a tropical environment

[Dikaiosune01]

I'm about to finish my first bottle of developer (after many rolls and many more 4x5sheets). I've been using Ilfotech LC29. However there is one thing that I noticed that has really annoyed me and wanting me to seek out new developers.

It is difficult to achieve even development when the developing time is less than 5 minutes. This is also the due to the research and my personal experience. This makes pulling and temperture compensation very difficult.

As a result I'm looking for a new developer and am seeking to benefit from your experience.

- I live in a very tropical environment. over 30 degrees with 70-90 percent humidity.
- Cold tap water is actually room temperture water which is around 28 degrees most days
- Bath water can be warmed, but that is no good in the summer.
---> the point is, even with a water bath water temperture is difficult; although not impossible. currently I use a combination of icepacks and tap water to control the waterbath.
- I will be looking to experiment more with pushing and pulling and need something with a longer development time.

I was thinking DDX, but I wanted to hear from you before I commited.

I typically shoot HP5 on 4x5.
I'm stille experiementing with different films with rolls (FP4, pan F)

 

[rawhead]

Have you tried Rodinal stand developments? Typically you'd dilute it 1:100 to 1:200 and let it sit for 1+hours. I don't know how much you'd have to compensate for the warmer bath temp, but you're still looking at many tens of minutes.

 

[Lee L]

Steve Anchell in The Darkroom Cookbook recommends adding anhydrous sodium sulfate to normal developers to prevent the emulsion swelling that accelerates development at higher temperatures. For D-76 working at 27C-29C, he recommends adding 75 grams of sodium sulfate per liter of developer to maintain the same development times as D-76 at 20C.

I have not tried this personally. There is more detail in Anchell's book. There is also a class of developers for your situation appropriately called 'tropical developers'. You might research that area. The ones I've seen details on don't really offer development times beyond the 5 minute range at the temperatures you're seeing.

Greater dilution will extend development times. Reduced agitation can also extend development time and/or reduce negative contrast. Try agitation only once every 3-5 minutes after an initial agitation in the range of 15 seconds to a minute. Different developers will have different responses, so you'll need to experiment, but dilution and agitation are tools you can use to extend development times.

Lee

 

[eddym]

- I live in a very tropical environment. over 30 degrees with 70-90 percent humidity.
- Cold tap water is actually room temperture water which is around 28 degrees most days
- Bath water can be warmed, but that is no good in the summer.
---> the point is, even with a water bath water temperture is difficult; although not impossible. currently I use a combination of icepacks and tap water to control the waterbath.
- I will be looking to experiment more with pushing and pulling and need something with a longer development time.

I live in Puerto Rico, and until I built my new house with an air-conditioned darkroom, I had the same problems you mention above. My solution for printing and tray processing of sheet film was to use ice cubes in plastic zip-lock bags. Put them into the developer and/or other chemical trays until the temperature cools enough to give you usable times. You still have to monitor the temperature and repeat the cooling process as the chemicals warm, but the plastic bag prevents diluting the solutions.

For tank developing, I just mix in enough cold water from the refrigerator to get the developer to the necessary temperature. For a liter of Ilfotec HC at 1:31, for example, it might take an ounce or two. I dilute the syrup 1:31 (dilution B), so it's fairly easy to adjust the temperature as you mix the dilution.

 

[ic-racer]

Tmax developer. Designed for 24C (6 to 7 min). You can go even higher in temp and still be below 5min with many films. You could look into Harvey's Defender 777 which I believe also works well at 24C.

A pre-wash will retard development about one minute also (though Ilford advise against it).

If you want to stay with Ilford products, pick something form this chart with a long development time. Depending on the size of your tank, though, you may not be able to achieve all the dilute solutions listed. http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/2006210204272065.pdf