Liquidol Developer

[psvensson]

Liquidol

Photographer's Formulary's lastest newsletter announced this:

The New Paper Developer From Bill Troop and Ron Mowrey

Liquidol is a revolutionary new print developer that features exceptionally long shelf life, tray life, and high capacity, along with the convenience of a 1:9 liquid concentrate, thanks to the incorporation of a novel use of electron transfer technology not previously employed in print developers. This new technology allows us to approach more closely the elusive goal of attaining consistent tone and contrast throughout the print run, making this developer especially valuable for consistent batch processing.

Fine printers will also appreciate that this developer has considerably more flexibility in over- and under-development than most print developers. This feature is limited when using the many papers which include incorporated developing agents. But when using papers which do not have incorporated developing agents, demanding printers will appreciate the extra dimension of flexibility and control this developer offers.

Liquidol has been carefully designed to replicate the appearance of prints developed in industry-standard Dektol©, yet to provide enhanced shadow separation. Other advantages are the convenience of a liquid concentrate that can be diluted 1:9, dramatically enhanced capacity, shelf and tray life, and full development within 60 seconds at 1:9 dilutions.

Stability was a paramount concern during the design of this developer. Because of its exceptional capacity and tray life, we consider this developer to be highly economical.

http://www.photoformulary.com/DesktopModules/StoreProductDetails.aspx?productID=1014&tabid=9&tabindex=2&categoryid=33&selection=0&langId=0]

Interesting claims for a developer! I was just struggling with inconsistent results from Zonal Pro HQ Warmtone on MGIV - it turned out that two minutes of development was necessary for print-to-print consistency with that combination (times for Agfa MCP were much shorter), and that was pretty annoying. Perhaps Photo Engineer will stop by to talk more about the developer!

 

[Photo Engineer]

There is a description of this technology in several posts here on APUG.

I don't feel free to comment more on this now that it is released. Several people who have tested it or know of the general idea and have developed analogies might care to post their comments.

PE

 

[rmazzullo]

A good way to describe Liquidol....

The longevity of the new Liquidol developer can best be described this way: The 2 major components of the developer are a large amount of a non-developer type chemical, and a much smaller proportion of a medium strength developer compound. The smaller proportion of the medium strength developer is akin to 2 AA batteries powering a circuit, with the larger amount of non-developer chemical acting as a room-sized battery charger whose only function is to keep the 2 AA batteries fully charged for a very, very long time. The circuit is powered only by the 2 AA batteries.

Liquidol is "powered" by the smaller amount of the developer chemical, with the added benefit that the non-developer part not only "powers" the developer chemical, but enhances Liquidol's function as well, turning it into a developer of much higher quality.

Bob M.

 

[psvensson]

I take it the developer part is hydroquinone. That points to Liquidol using some other agent to reactivate the hydroquinone, which does sound pretty novel. AFAIK, in other superadditive setups, it's usually the hydroquinone that regenerates the other agent, like metol or phenidone.

 

[Photo Engineer]

Well, that is a good description Bob, but not exactly the case. It is a perfect analogy though.

The original concept at EK used a non-developer and a mild developer at low concentration, but I can't get the non-developer, so we used a substitute that is a very weak developer at the pH selected. The other ingredients are the powerhouses that keep being 'recharged'.

PE

 

[MattKing]

PE:

Do I assume correctly that the package shown in the Formulary link is a one liter package? It is hard to appreciate what quantity is involved when the only information is about weight.

Matt

 

[Photo Engineer]

Matt;

IDK, truly. Please contact them.

PE

 

[Snapshot]

I wonder if Photographer's Formulary will ship this to Canada? Anyone from an international distination buy liquids from them?

 

[KWhitmore]

I wonder if Photographer's Formulary will ship this to Canada? Anyone from an international distination buy liquids from them?

They will ship to Canada. That's where I bought my Pyrocat HD(liquid).

Kathy

 

[Discpad]

Is the Liquidol formula proprietary; or published now?

In any case, I'm ordering a 1 liter bottle from Photographer's Formulary.

Does it require HazMat shipping??

Too bad neither B&H nor Adorama even list it, let alone stock it.

 

[Peter Schrager]

has anyone tried this yet?? the formulary is making it and it seems worth checking out...some great claims are made
I believe PE had a hand in the development of this product
Best, Peter

 

[bdial]

I've been using it. It works well, I've used it with Ilford, Kentmere, Forte and Agfa papers. So far, I like it.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Who's using Liquidol?

What papers are you all using?

I'm planning to use Arista EDU Ultra VC RC in 8x10 at first, but I want some other good options. I don't really want to use RC paper for long.

 

[bdial]

I use Liquidol, and sometimes Ilford cooltone. The liquidol produces a longer tonal range than the cooltone on Ilford MG.

For paper I use mostly Ilford MG in RC and fiber, but I also have some Kentmere, Forte polywarmtone and arista graded

I do all my work prints on the MG RC then move to various fiber for the keepers.

RC is great for keeping life simple, it's cheaper than most fiber paper, easier to deal with in processing and has no problems with flatness when it's dry.

 

[rwyoung]

The Arist EDU Ultra VC RC is OK paper for proofing and snapshots. I use it mostly for that stuff and sometimes as the negative in pinhole cameras. I've noticed that it seems to have a lot of problems with metamerism (and I probably didn't spell that right). That is the effect where the colors & tonal relationships change as you change your viewing angle. Sometimes it is quite severe. Also seems to be quite thin but that is why I like it for pinhole negatives.

For what it's worth, I've been using Dektol and D72 1+2 and 1+4 for most everything for a while now. The Aristadol powder from Freestyle is D72. Doesn't seem to have some of the proprietary anti-oxidation goodies so it goes brown quickly. Less so with distilled water. Seems to produce OK but I've been doing a quick test print and timing the emergence when I start a session.
I second the recommendation for the MGIV RC for a little higher quality RC paper.

 

[Kirk Keyes]

These days I've been using Liquidol as my all-purpose developer. It last well unmixed in partially opened bottles, and holds up well when I've had long printing sessions.

I've used a couple bottles so far, one I bought and one that was sent to be as a test sample while it was being developed.

I'm using Ilford MGIVFB and RC with it.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Three threads merged.

 

[Chris Livsey]

I've read tales on the internet about the original bottles Moses brought with him still working perfectly.

I was always told the formula was found by analysis of the bottles Noah saved from the flood or is that an internet myth?
They also say he drank a little, well diluted daily, and lived to 950 (Generation 10 after Adam) but then they all did pretty well for longevity then so they needed a stable developer.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Genesis_patriarchs

 

[Murray Kelly]

Anyone tried it 1:30 with film?

 

[John Wiegerink]

Anyone tried it 1:30 with film?

What are you hinting at Murray? A "One developer does all" type developer! I have one empty wine bag left just in case. I have never tried Liquidol, but it is now on my "To try list" for sure.

 

[MattKing]

Anyone tried it 1:30 with film?

Why don't you "Start a Conversation" with Photo Engineer about that. He did, after all, share in the design of it.

 

[Photo Engineer]

It keeps for a LONG time. My first batches are still going, but then who am I to report on this. I'm too involved! I have tried it with film, but was unhappy with the results. It needs something, and I think I know what. I'm working on that as well.

Thanks guys.

PE

 

[Photo Engineer]

As it should, but no developer acts the same way. You might liken this developer to being in the same class as Dektol, and there is a specific way to move developers in the direction of a fine grain and high acutance developer. In that sense, it is more like in the family of the E6 FD. So it is not a film developer to my mind.

If you get good results, that is just a bonus. Go try things.

PE

 

[John Wiegerink]

It keeps for a LONG time. My first batches are still going, but then who am I to report on this. I'm too involved! I have tried it with film, but was unhappy with the results. It needs something, and I think I know what. I'm working on that as well.

Thanks guys.

PE

PE,
I, for one, don't care how involved you are. Please feel free to inform us as to how good Liquidol is. I have never used it, but it does sound as if it is a winner in the shelf life department. And if you figure out what it needs to be added for film development that would be an added plus.

 

[Photo Engineer]

There is a whole thread with photos on this here on APUG. Basically, I tested it in open trays against Dektol for 24, 48 hours out to 120 hours or 5 days. The Liquidol far outlasted Dektol. But, since I am involved and profit from this, I hesitate to go further with more discussion. I was warned before to limit the "advertising" on my own behalf. Since it is now the property of the Photographers Formulary, I highly recommend that you try it yourself. It was formulated with my best knowledge of developers when I retired. And I leaned heavily on what I learned from Grant Haist, Dick Henn, and Bill Lee.

In fact, as I write this, I have the ingredient list (not the formula) for Microdol-X sitting in front of me, as given to me by the inventor, Dick Henn.

PE