Ing. Koblic MPB (outdated film developer)

kozesluk · Sep 21, 2009

Lukas_87 submitted a new resource:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists) - Ing. Koblic MPB (outdated film developer)

during and after W.W.II. photographers in the Czech Republic suffered from lack of fresh films - in fact one wasn't able to buy anything else than outdated film or paper. famous photography-oriented Czech inventor and chemist Ing. Premysl Koblic (aside from his famous Pextral developing method) formulated a special developer intended to use with outdated films.
so it's time to tell the whole world about it .)

Metol - 4 g
Sodium sulfite (anhydrous) - 16 g
Disodium phosphate (.12H2O) - 4...

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

psvensson · Sep 22, 2009

Delta 400 looks awesome, and very sharp, in MC-TEA, which is also a low-sulfite, low-pH developer. For me, the price of low grain and high sharpness was a slight reduction in speed. Totally worth it, though.

kozesluk · Sep 22, 2009

maybe i haven't said that loudly enough but biggest advantage of MPB is given tonality.

Christopher Walrath · Sep 30, 2009

Interesting formula. Until you explained the presence of the Disodium Phosphate, I was at a loss as to its purpose. And another oddity that appears to me is the use of Metol with sodium sulfite in anhydrous form rather than dessicated as seems to be, by and large, customary. The anhydrous seems to be primarily used with hnydroquinone. (Ron must be rubbing off on me a little.)

Great recipe.
Thank you for sharing it with us.

Athiril · Oct 25, 2009

Nice images, I wonder what the best formula for most beautiful tonality would be

Is metol substitutable with another developer?

brianmquinn · Oct 25, 2009

Christopher Walrath said:
another oddity that appears to me is the use of Metol with sodium sulfite in anhydrous form rather than dessicated.

Anhydrous is the same thing as dessicated. It it just another word for the same thing.

kozesluk · Nov 11, 2009

Athiril said:
Is metol substitutable with another developer?

should be but you have to work out the proper amounts for yourself (I just don't know, right?)...

Igor Savchenko · Dec 12, 2009

Lukas 87: What's capacity of the developer - how many 135 flilms in one liter, please?

kozesluk · Dec 13, 2009

one liter of working solution is capable of developing four 135-36 films
it is important to note that used solution can not be stored - you have to develop all four films quickly one after another.
also - increase developing time by 10 % for each developed film.

however I have no experiences with reusing MPB - I make 3x stronger mix and then use it "one shot".

kozesluk · Dec 23, 2009

hell, this developer is for "expired film", it's not outdated... don't know where I had my brain when I wrote that

MPandolfo · Jan 6, 2010

Lukas_87 said:
... don't know where I had my brain when I wrote that

possibly you smoked some of Daniel's plants ?

haryanto · Apr 15, 2010

in my country Indonesia, it's hard to find Disodium phosphate, can change it to trisodium posphate?

thanks
haryanto

kozesluk · Aug 13, 2010

haryanto said:
in my country Indonesia, it's hard to find Disodium phosphate, can change it to trisodium posphate?

thanks
haryanto

as far as I know, 1 % solution of TSP has pH of 12,1.
compared to pH around 9 of 1 % solution of disodium phosphate (smewhere it's said it is neutral).
maybe it can be substitued, but then you have to adjust the pH by adding some acid. i'm not a chemist, sorry.

pentaxpete · Sep 23, 2010

Hallo- I just JOINED this Venerable Site ! I love mixing my own ever since 1951 when the School Chemistry Master showed members of the School Photo-Soc how to mix up developers ! I tried this Formula today with some 1992 dated Kodak TMY 400 I downrated to 250ASA -- I mixed a x3 concentration, then I diluted it 1+3 with water -- was my maths corect as the test length of 120 film was severely under-developed at 10 minutes (guessed time) and I was careful to use 18oC not the usual 20oC. Regards to all the Experts on here, from Darkest Essex, England -- Peter.

fotch · Sep 23, 2010

Hello pentaxpete and welcome to APUG.

pentaxpete · Sep 23, 2010

I did the other half of the cut 120 film-- this time I rated the film at 200ASA and gave it 17 minutes instead of 10 minutes -- result -- better, but still a bit 'thin' and I think it needs at least 18 minutes dev time and rate at 160 ASA.

kozesluk · Sep 23, 2010

hello, for 3x concetrate you should make up the working solution by diluting it 1+2 with water (1+2 dilution = 1:3 = 1/3 concentration). however, don't be afraid to prolong the development further, this developer is softly working. maybe you will have to add more Disodium phosphate to it for 18 years old film (10-20 g maybe, maybe more).
good luck.

pentaxpete · Sep 26, 2010

Dear Mr Lucas : many thanks -- your MATHS is much better than mine ! I asked my boy and HE said it should be 1+2 not 1+3 as I worked out -- I am experimenting more with the developer, will try with some other films -- the FOG level on my outdated TMY 400 was very low , so looking promising ! ( just one worry -- MY bottle says 'Disodium Hydrogen Phosphate' -- is it the same as the ordinary 'Disodium Phosphate' ? )

kozesluk · Sep 26, 2010

I think it should be all right as long as your Disodium Hydrogen Phosphate is Na2HPO4 . 12H2O (CAS: 10039-32-4). It's the same I think (or hope).

Best Regards from the Czech Republic!

wootsk · Mar 4, 2011

I have nothing to say except thank you to the contributer.

Ing. Koblic MPB (outdated film developer)

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