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Life of Ansco 130 at full performance

Jarin Blaschke

Member
Allowing Ads
Joined
May 30, 2013
Messages
378
Location
London and wherever
Format
Multi Format
Hi:

I mixed some Ansco 130 (Wimberleys version) about a week ago, but was unable to use it. It’s in a full brown jug.How long would I expect it to work at it’s full potential? The next time I print, I want to make fair repeatable test comparisons between it and another developer, so it’s not a matter of being “useable” but demonstrating its full tonality just like freshly mixed developer.

Thanks!

-Jarin
 
I get the Ansco 130 from the Photographers Formullary , although it is not the Wimberley version, but should be close enough. It has extended tray life compared to Dektol and produces a little deeper blacks , I use it once in a while for making super duper show off prints, lately the prints have been just duper prints, but I think some super's are on the way.

Mike
 
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i am still using a 4 liter batch thats been in its tray for over a week and it works like new, regardless of color. I would use yours with no worries
 
It's extremely stable, in my experience. I use a slight variant with benzotriazole as the restrainer (deeper blacks for me) but that shouldn't affect shelf life...? I've been surprised at the ability to put tray covers on it and print the next day and repeat results on my densitometer. I checked it as I thought my eyes were fooling me.
 
last time i had some and used it the developer was a year and 1/2 old and processed perfect film and beautiful prints ( both postive prints and paper negatives )
i've never used Wimberley, only the formulary version. probably next to caffenol its the best developer out there ... black as ink works beautifully
 
In truth developers begin to die the moment they are mixed. How fast or slowly they do so depends in part how they are stored. So any answers are conjecture.