Is European HC110 still different from the USA one ?

[GeorgesGiralt]

Hi !
I've bought a one litre package of HC110 (CAT501 0541) made in France, and they give dilutions as follow :
A : 1+15
B : 1+31
C : 1+19
D : 1+39
E : 1+47
F : 1+79
Long ago, when I used HC110, the European version was less concentrated and dilutions where, if I recall correctly, for B : 1+9 ...
So, Is still the European HC110 different from the US made ?
TIA !

 

[NikoSperi]

I've been getting my HC110 from Prophot in France, and many places in Italy... and have never seen the fabled "European" version.

It's something Kodak says to confuse you, like "New Processing Times Inside" for Tri-X

 

[bobfowler]

When I lived in West Berlin (1979-1982) the HC-110 I got locally WAS the Euro version. I'm not sure if it's still made as many from the other side of the pond have said that they get the "US" version.

In case you didn't see the earlier thread, I have tables of dilutions for both versions of HC-110 on my personal web page here.

 

[GeorgesGiralt]

I've been getting my HC110 from Prophot in France, and many places in Italy... and have never seen the fabled "European" version.

It's something Kodak says to confuse you, like "New Processing Times Inside" for Tri-X

Hi !
Well, long ago, in the late 70's or early 80's, it was different. Seems it is not anymore ! This makes me felling better, as, now, I'm sure it is the very same version in Europe and US.
Thanks for your input !

 

[Donald Qualls]

There still is a different version, sold as (effectively) stock solution with the old 1:9 dilution for B. However, from recent reports, it appears that many parts of Europe are now receiving the more concentrated version (which is better -- more economical and the concentrate keeps better). The "Euro" version was only ever sold in 500 ml bottles; if you have a bottle that size, the only way to be certain is to check the dilution table on the bottle label.

 

[gandolfi]

bob
I just visited you site and I saw this:
"mix what you need, as you need it, then dump it down the drain when you're done."

two things I have to say about this. the HC 110 may shine as a one-shot developer, but actually you can re-use it many times.
my students make one liter (B solution) and they develop more than 15 times with it- without problems...

the other thing: dump it????
that's not the way we do it here in Denmark. Take care of the invoriment....

 

[Christopher Colley]

the other thing: dump it????
that's not the way we do it here in Denmark. Take care of the invoriment....

This is not on-topic, but I heard once photographic materials are the largest use of silver. (is this true?)

http://www.aig.asn.au/PhotoGallery/century_mine_update.htm

I guess we could avoid things like that link if we REALLY wanted to take care of the environment and take up digital photography! ;-)

just ...thought to mention it! gotta do the full disclosure thing!

(i dump my developer with a lot of water) (what do you do in denmark with your developer and chems?)

 

[bobfowler]

bob
I just visited you site and I saw this:
"mix what you need, as you need it, then dump it down the drain when you're done."

two things I have to say about this. the HC 110 may shine as a one-shot developer, but actually you can re-use it many times.
my students make one liter (B solution) and they develop more than 15 times with it- without problems...

the other thing: dump it????
that's not the way we do it here in Denmark. Take care of the invoriment....

From Michael Covington HC-110 website:

"HC-110 is unusually environmentally friendly for the simple reason that it uses a small amount of chemicals. Less than 3ml of HC-110 syrup - which itself is not highly toxic - will develop a roll of film. Compare that to the quantity of chemicals needed in typical powdered developers."

If your students are mixing and using 1 liter batches of dilution B, they would use 31ml of concentrate to 969ml of water. Kodak says the minimum "safe" amount of concentrate is 3ml per roll (US version of concentrate), so they should have no problems using that liter to process 10 rolls, 15 is kind of pushing it.

I'm a big fan of fresh chemistry and one-shot processing. If I use 350ml of developer in an 8X10 Unidrum for 4 4x5 or 2 5x7 sheets, I'm only using 5.5ml of concentrate (dil H). That's well within Kodak's recommendation of 3ml per 80 sq in of film area. I'd rather err towards the safe side when it come to developer exhaustion.

 

[gandolfi]

"(i dump my developer with a lot of water) (what do you do in denmark with your developer and chems?)"..

In Denmark there is a limit on how small amount you're allowed to dump.
But the goverment tryes hard to urge ALL to dispose it in special places for that use.
For an amateur it is free to do so - we, as a shool, pay about 1.5$ pr liter developer/toner (it is quite expensive, I know)
Fixer is different, as we get the price for the silver back.

In my little school, we deliver more than 1000 liter a year. That can hardly be described as not a lot.....

We could all go digital - but why give the digital minded people arguments for leaving real photography?

PS: I forgot to say: we collect all the developers/toners in the same tank, so there might be stuff more toxic than HC110 amoung it)

 

[Maine-iac]

Hi !

Long ago, when I used HC110, the European version was less concentrated and dilutions where, if I recall correctly, for B : 1+9 ...
So, Is still the European HC110 different from the US made ?
TIA !

When I moved to France in 1994, I had been using HC-110 at 1:31 for years. So I bought a new bottle, and promptly ruined several rolls of film while I scratched my head and said some impolite words trying to figure out what happened. Then I read the label and saw the Dilution B was 1:9.

Since Prophot and other stores in Paris only sold it in 500 ml bottles, I could see this was not going to be satisfactory. That's when I switched to brewing my own Phenidone/ascorbic acid developer with some help from Pat Gainer, and have never looked back.

However, by the time I left France a decade later, the US version of HC110 was on the shelves in FNAC, a large retailer with a photography division. So I don't know if the already mixed stock solution is still on sale in Europe, but it is important to check the dilution tables. Don't assume it's the US version.

Larry

 

[Tom Stanworth]

In the UK, the 500ml bottle dilutes 1:9 for B and the 1 litre, 1+31 for B. Both are available (Silverprint).

Tom