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Old HC-110 vs new HC-110

campy51

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Is there much of a difference between these two formula? I wanted to try it since I read it has a long shelf life and I don't do a lot of film. I will be using HP-5 120 film most likely at box speed.
 
Vovanuhc said:
and someone has a recipe for HC110, preferably the last one.
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The original (the syrupy stuff) isn't easily made. It takes a reasonably well-equipped lab; not something found in typical home darkrooms. Maybe the modern, water-based versions can be replicated with more modest means. They likely won't have the same longevity as the original syrup.
For those interested, here's some stuff to read: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/new-hc-110-formula.169322
Things get pretty interesting especially around page 14.
 
campy51 said:
Is there much of a difference between these two formula? I wanted to try it since I read it has a long shelf life and I don't do a lot of film. I will be using HP-5 120 film most likely at box speed.
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Why not consider Ilfotec HC then? Its formulation and availability have been stable over the years, and it's intended to be a direct competitor/replacement for HC-110. I have never tried the Kodak developer, but those who did reported identical results, and it also lasts seemingly forever. Mine is pushing 2 years in the original bottle.
 
Seems to be a couple of versions, the newest under the Kodak brand, some concern that Sino Promise might not be making any Kodak branded products. The ILford version, and Freestyle offers a version under the Legacy label. I was going to buy the ILford version, that was during the worst of the Pandemic and could not find any, I bought the newish Kodak branded version, same development times as the old syrup HC110, good balance of grain, film speed, and contrast. I use Foma 400, Tmax 400, and a few rolls of TriX, all seem to do as well as D76, Clayton F76+ and Photographers Formulary version of D76. I have dumped all of the other developers I had on had, DK 50, MCM 100, and D76, HC110 and Rodinal are the 2 that I keep on hand. I use Rodinal for Foma 100 and Tmax 100.

Legacy Pro L110 is around $17.00 compared to $90 for the Ilford version.

LegacyPro L110 Liquid Film Developer - 1 Pint (Makes 2 Gallo

LegacyPro L110 Film Developer is a highly concentrated liquid developer. It is intended for use with a variety of black and white film. It can be used for replenished and non-replenished systems. Use LegacyPro L110R Developer Replenisher (#10191) to replenish.…
www.freestylephoto.com
 
The Ilfotec is $92 at B&H. I found a place that has the old 1 ltr bottle HC-110 for $40
 
Note that the Legacy Pro version is in a pint or perhaps 500 ml container, so double the price for sake of fair comparison to products coming in quart or liter bottles instead.

B&H sometimes dramatically raises prices on a temporary basis when a product is scarce, then lowers the price back down when its relatively common once again. So keep that in mind too.
 
FWIW, I spoke to someone at Freestyle recently about Old Kodak HC-110 vs. New Kodak HC-110 vs. Legacy Pro L110 in terms of shelf life and dilutions/development times and here's what I was told:

it is the same dilutions, same results for both HC-110 and L-110. The current versions of both are virtually the same.

The old syrupy version's main difference was the shelf life was much longer.
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BH shows HC-110 as 'No longer available'. I wasn't sure if that meant a particular formula was no longer available but a new version would be released soon or whether it was gone for good. I checked with them and they confirmed that "yes, the Kodak developer is no longer made."
 

Ilfotec-HC is listed at $92.95 at both B&H and Adorama, and $89.99 at Freestyle (which shows it as out of stock). Is that dramatically more than it was before? The equivalent amount of L-110 is about $32 for 1 liter and HC-110 is (was?) $43.99 for 1L (at Freestyle). When my supply of HC-110 runs out I think I'm going to give L-110 a try.
 
Mostly around $45 per qt earlier. Of course, cost and overhead of mfg might have subsequently gone up. Ilford is dramatically raising prices overall, whether permanently, I cannot say. All kinds of inflationary issues - hangover from pandemic distribution crunch, energy costs going up, scarcity of supplies, and a very expensive Euro war going on.
 

I have been using L-110 since getting back into film. I've been really happy with the results. I'd say it is comparable to HC-110. I'm not sure about longevity though, I try to use a bottle within a year of opening.
 

Legacy Pro is what all the schools use. I agree that especially for US users the L110 is a good choice.
 
I just purchased locally, Bellini HC110 in a 250ml bottle for €16. ( I am in the EU)
I never used the Kodak or Ilford version before, but I will report back when I have a few rolls shot.
 
Paul Howell said:
I bought the newish Kodak branded version, same development times as the old syrup HC110, good balance of grain, film speed, and contrast.
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That's good to know. I have an unopened bottle (that's got an expiry date of 9/23) that I've been reluctant to use since I didn't know how close it matched development times of the old syrupy stuff, and I'm a few rolls away from running out of the syrup.
 
foc said:
I just purchased locally, Bellini HC110 in a 250ml bottle for €16. ( I am in the EU)
I never used the Kodak or Ilford version before, but I will report back when I have a few rolls shot.
Click to expand...
Let us know if it's thick and syrupy or thin and runny.
 
campy51 said:
Is there much of a difference between these two formula?
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Many threads on this, but the one quoted by koraks is the mother lode.

On the 2019 reformulation, worth quoting The Film Developing Cookbook: "HC-110 was reformulated in mid-2019. The hallmark DEA-sulfur addition complex, which conferred its great stability, has gone; it is now a conventional developer."

TFDC says little about Ilfotec HC, other than confirming it is based on HC-110 (pre-reformulation). In other words, according to TFDC, if you want old HC-110, Ilfotec HC will get you closer.
 
And most importantly, there seems to be an even later than 2019 re-formulation, which may be closer to the pre-2019 formulation, and may have been made in two different parts of the world, and possibly in two different ways.
 
MattKing said:
And most importantly, there seems to be an even later than 2019 re-formulation, which may be closer to the pre-2019 formulation, and may have been made in two different parts of the world, and possibly in two different ways.
Click to expand...

This is why I'm giving up on Kodak-branded HC-110*. I really don't know what I'm getting at this point.

*It appears that Kodak may have given up on HC-110 already anyway.
 
Personal experience with Freestyle's L110, I have been using a bottle for probably 6 years. I make sure the concentrate has no air in the bottle or bag it's kept in. I am down to the last few milliliters and it's still working the way it did when I opened it. It's cheap, it works well, I use the recommended dilutions and times for HC110. What's not to like
 

I'm convinced, ordering some now...
 
Freestyle currently shows HC-110 in stock, and give the catalog number 1058692. According to info in the thread Matt linked above, that's the catalog number for the post-2019 version (which may be about the same as the old one, but I don't know.)
 
I bought my bottle from Freestyle, it is the post 2019, surprised that Freestyle still has it stock. Next purchase will the smaller bottle of the Legacy Pro version, I just dont shoot enough film at the moment to use a quart bottle within my comfort zone.
 
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