Out of HC110 - What else to try?

c.w. · May 19, 2009

So, the other night i noticed i'm getting pretty low on HC110. I've been using it exclusively since i started, since it lasts a long time and is pretty standard as far as developers go. So far i'm pretty happy with the results, using Dil. B one shot and whatever time is indicated on the box save for when i push.

My question is, what other developers should i try, if any? I only shoot about a roll every two weeks, so longetivity is a must. It would be nice to have something especially well suited to pushing, since they don't make Neopan 1600 in 120 and i'm really not in love with Ilford 3200.

Oh, and before you say it, i already plan to get a little bottle of Rodinol type developer for some low speed film i've got just to try it.

Andrew O'Neill · May 19, 2009

Xtol. Use stock or 1+1. Stock solution lasts longer than HC-110's stock solution from my experience. But I have to ask...if you are happy with HC-110, why try something else?

John Bragg · May 19, 2009

You could try Ilford,s equivalent of HC-110..... Ilfotec HC. By all accounts it behaves the same and is interchangeable in usage.

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/products/product.asp?n=32&t=Film+Developers

ntenny · May 19, 2009

Does anyone actually use a stock solution with HC-110? I always assumed everyone mixed straight from the syrup.

Anyway, I had some of the same questions, plus an affection for DIY techniques and low-toxicity developing agents, so I ended up buying the chemicals to mix a batch of PC-TEA. I'd been getting fine results with HC-110, but had settled on it more or less by accident and was curious how much difference I'd see. I ended up liking the results and switching for most uses.

-NT

Andrew O'Neill · May 19, 2009

You are supposed to make a stock solution from the syrup. From this stock solution you dilute it further to get dilution b, etc. I have heard of others taking a measured amount of the syrup and diluting with water. I've never tried this.

mikebarger · May 19, 2009

Andrew, your the first I read that actually uses the stock solution. Like Nathan, I when I use HC110 I use a child syringe to draw the required cc's and mix direct.

Mike

c.w. · May 19, 2009

Andrew O'Neill said:
Xtol. Use stock or 1+1. Stock solution lasts longer than HC-110's stock solution from my experience. But I have to ask...if you are happy with HC-110, why try something else?

Can't you only get Xtol in 5 liter packets? It would take me a year or more to get through 5 liters if i used it exclusively, which is longer than i've read it lasts. Although, i haven't read up a whole lot on anything.

I want to try something else because... i haven't ever tried something else. I'm just curious what all is out there. The only real reason i picked HC110 is because i had used it a few times before, and the concentrate lasts a long time (i've never made the stock solution BTW).

PHOTOTONE · May 19, 2009

Andrew O'Neill said:
You are supposed to make a stock solution from the syrup. From this stock solution you dilute it further to get dilution b, etc. I have heard of others taking a measured amount of the syrup and diluting with water. I've never tried this.

On the Kodak data sheets it gives dilution information for making working solutions directly from the syrup if you want to. I do this, as I mix up 3.5 gallons at a time of working dilution.

The bottle is not big enough to contain all this information on the label. You can go to the Kodak website and find the "complete" data sheet for HC-110 as well as other Kodak developers.

DanG · May 19, 2009

You could try Ilford DDX (1:4 dilution) Consult the Massive Developing Chart for times/films. WWW.Digital Truth.com

Dan Gordon
Calgary, Canada

PHOTOTONE · May 19, 2009

Most Fine Art photographers gravitate towards one film and one developer and become extremely skilled at extracting everything they can from the combination. It is a fact that as you learn your film and developer you get better negatives that are easier to print (for you). In his later years Brett Weston used HC-110b exclusively for his film negatives, and I certainly have never heard anyone complaining about his negative quality.

J Rollinger · May 19, 2009

Andrew O'Neill said:
You are supposed to make a stock solution from the syrup. From this stock solution you dilute it further to get dilution b, etc. I have heard of others taking a measured amount of the syrup and diluting with water. I've never tried this.

When i was using HC-110 i mixed 1+31 from the syrup = Dul B

pgomena · May 19, 2009

I always worked from the stock solution when I used HC-110. I'd mix the concentrate with distilled water and put the stock solution into a couple of plastic quart bottles. It started to turn a little brown toward the end, but it lost none of its potency. I'd mix the last couple ounces with my next new batch to "season" it a little. Great all-purpose developer.

Peter Gomena

jim appleyard · May 19, 2009

Get a copy of Anchell's "Darkroom Cookbook" and Anchell & Troops', "Film Developing Cookbook". You 'll find lots of recipes in there that you can homebrew yourself and you can make devs at 1 liter batches at a very low cost. If you save up a few rolls and do them all at once, you can easily go thru the dev you've mixed. Or, if you end up tossing it, you're not out a whole lot.

Christopher Walrath · May 19, 2009

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry9000/4.6.0.167 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/102 UP.Link/6.3.0.0.0)

I add 15cc to 465 mL of water for direct use. I also regulate the water I mi with to ensure it is at 68F so it is ready once I mix it, the stop and the fix.

As mentioned above, if you're happy, don't feel the need to use another. There's nothing wrong with having 'your' developer. Of course, if you want to experiment then by all means...

c.w. · May 20, 2009

DanG said:
You could try Ilford DDX (1:4 dilution) Consult the Massive Developing Chart for times/films. WWW.Digital Truth.com

Dan Gordon
Calgary, Canada

DDX looks interesting from it's technical data, since they say it'll last 24 months in a full bottle. I've already got a bunch of marbles to keep my paper dev in good shape, so throwing a few in the bottle after i'm done won't be a problem, plus it's only a liter of concentrate which shouldn't last too absurdly long at my rate.

Is DDX similar to the XTOL mentioned earlier, just liquid from Ilford instead of powder from Kodak, or is it substantially different? I've never used either of them.

jim appleyard said:
Get a copy of Anchell's "Darkroom Cookbook" and Anchell & Troops', "Film Developing Cookbook". You 'll find lots of recipes in there that you can homebrew yourself and you can make devs at 1 liter batches at a very low cost. If you save up a few rolls and do them all at once, you can easily go thru the dev you've mixed. Or, if you end up tossing it, you're not out a whole lot.

That sounds like a lot of work to go through for the low volume of stuff i do, just as an exparament. It would be neat though.

Also: Save a few rolls up? By the time i'm to the 28th exposure i'm taking pictures of my feet just so i can finally have some fun in the darkroom!

2F/2F · May 20, 2009

My only suggested alternative would be Ilfotec HC. Other than that, you can't beat HC-110 IMO.

dougjgreen · May 20, 2009

I mix from the syrup. I don't use it fast enough otherwise, and I'd be dumping half the stock solution out.

Thomas Bertilsson · May 20, 2009

Continue to use HC-110. Consistency is key to producing negatives that print well on your chosen paper(s).
Processing your film so you know the outcome really is a great start to consistently produce great prints.

jim appleyard · May 20, 2009

c.w.;801416 That sounds like a lot of work to go through for the low volume of stuff i do said:
It can be, but doesn't have to be. Take D-23: 7.5 g of metol, 100 g of sulfite to 1 liter of water. That's it! You can use it straight-up or dilute up to 1+3. The teaspoon method of 2.5 tsp of metol and 12.5 tsp of sulfite also works if you don't want/need a scale to weigh chems. Your liter will last 6 months in a full bottle.

The books make good reading as well. See if your library has them.

2F/2F · May 20, 2009

To prevent waste, I mix the stock solution 8 oz. at a time. Often I will mix two 8 oz. bottles worth at once if I will be doing many sheets/rolls. I don't trust being able to measure such small quantities of syrup exactly consistently each batch, even with a syringe.

I have used 6 month old stock solution from a half full 16 oz. Kodak plastic bottle (the kind that the syrup comes in), and it worked exactly as would be expected from freshly mixed stock. I was amazed! I had some "junk" rolls to develop (very old and I had no idea what was on them; only knew that they were marked "N"), and was just curious. I added one grade to the development, but it was totally unnecessary, as my contrast was too high in the end.

Uncle Bill · May 20, 2009

I started with HC 110 Dil B. but have since moved onto D76 1+1 and Xtol 1+1 plus Rodinal 1+100 for stand developing Tri-x pushed to 3200 ISO.

Of D76 and Xtol, I like them both a lot. I tend to use Xtol 1+1 in the winter months with Tri-x at 400 ISO and during the Summer I go 76 1+1 and rate Tri-x down as low as 250 ISO. Xtol is easier to mix up though at room temperature.

Out of HC110 - What else to try?

c.w.

Andrew O'Neill

Moderator

John Bragg

ntenny

Andrew O'Neill

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mikebarger

c.w.

PHOTOTONE

DanG

PHOTOTONE

J Rollinger

pgomena

jim appleyard

Christopher Walrath

c.w.

2F/2F

dougjgreen

Thomas Bertilsson

jim appleyard

2F/2F

Uncle Bill

Out of HC110 - What else to try?

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