Kodak HC-110

[Peter Schrager]

SYRINGES

If anyone wants a large 2oz. syringe please PM me. My dentist got me a box full
and I'm more than willing to send them out for anyone who needs them. There is NO other way to use HC-110
Best, Peter

 

[Mike Kennedy]

WOW! 27 responses and nor a nay sayer in the bunch!
Looks like HC-110 is a clear winner.
Thank You
Mike

 

[Tom Stanworth]

Mike,

Film speed isn't that great though....

Tom

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

WOW! 27 responses and nor a nay sayer in the bunch!
Looks like HC-110 is a clear winner.
Thank You
Mike

Guess you didn't read my post...

 

[esanford]

Don't tell me we're going to have a "Church of HC-110????

Well since Kodak is probably going to take it way, I would view that as sort of a crucifiction and an ascension of sorts.... This would clearly make it a candidate for a new religion....

 

[Gerald Koch]

Mike,
Film speed isn't that great though....
Tom

HC-110 was formulated so as not to produce a speed increase even though it contains a Phenidone derivative (Dimezone). Kodak was interested in producing a developer that photo finishers could use to replace its other developers D-76, DK-50, ... .

 

[Donald Qualls]

Okay, here I am at last. Yes, I use HC-110 for everything -- I've even developed prints in it (though it's been about 30 years since I did that). I use high dilutions -- Dilution G (Saint Ansel's Brew, 1:119 from syrup) for medium and large format, and Dilution E (1:79) for 35 mm (that's the highest dilution that will get the required 3 ml of syrup into a 35 mm single-reel stainless tank). I love the stuff -- with reduced agitation and extended development, I get full box speed (which most photographers would seem to consider a speed increase over the 1/3 to 1 stop downrate they give many/most films).

Grain isn't excessive -- I just made my first prints in 24 years, and the nice, crisp Tri-X grain at 8x10 minimum crop from 35mm (after Dilution E processing) is barely visible to the naked eye (when I don't have my contacts in and get my myopic eyeball close enough to focus on the print surface), which I don't consider an increase from D-76 for this film (old TX, not the new 400TX). Medium format TMY comes out with the kind of smoothness I usually hear people rave over for specialty soups and much slower films; when you crop enough to see grain, it's soft little pebbles rather than anything gritty.

The only thing better than free HC-110 syrup would be inheriting a freezer full of old, pre-DI printing paper *and* getting a bunch of free HC-110...

 

[Charles Webb]

A most interesting thread, I thank all who participated and a special thank you to those who took the time to share their knowledge with me personally.

I have followed the "Stand,Semi Stand) threads from the beginning, since it is a technique I have never tried, experimented or gave much thought to.
I now see this technique as a very valuable addition to an image makers tool kit.

Thanks again!
C Webb

 

[George Collier]

Another vote for HC110, great stuff. See this link, go to about halfway down the page, a good selection of dilutions and guidelines (see the blue or red type, depending on Euro or North American). Pick one and test it. I use something close to D for continuous tray processing for sheets. I am currently experimenting with it for stand development with tubes. Times running between 8-10 minutes, depending on temp. for continuous.

http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110/

 

[fparnold]

I don't think we need a full blown Church of HC-110, but a designated feast-day would be nice.

When shooting Delta-100, I personally think I get better shadows with XTol-1:1, but there is certainly nothing wrong with HC-110. Works well with Tri-X, and certainly behaved more than adequately with Agfapan 100 in sheets. Primary advantage is that it's virtually unkillable, and can be mixed in small batches from concentrate, though I preferred to make up a liter or so at a time, rather than deal with syringes.

On the other hand, now my local store stocks XTol, D76, and D19, and doesn't HC-110, so that does cut the decision-makingn process down somewhat.

 

[modafoto]

I use HC-110 and Rodinal side-by-side and find them a great pair. I soup my HP5 and Tri-X in HC-110 when pushing them. Great tones and grain