Paper developer like hc110

Marco Buonocore · Jul 8, 2006

Hello all,

I on the look out for a new paper developer. I've used Dektol/D72 in the past, as well as Agfa Multicontrast... Both had a tendency to go a bit brown once the bottle was half full.

I know, I know - I should try and print more, and finish up those bottles before they get sludgy... But I'm only able to get into the darkroom once a week, or less.

What I'm ideally looking for is a paper developer that has the same keeping qualities as Rodinal or HC110 - something that can sit on my shelf for ages.

Any ideas?

If it makes any difference, I lean more towards warm tones, and I'm not fussed about how long it takes for the print to come out.

Thanks!

Ian Grant · Jul 8, 2006

Ideally you should look at a PQ developer, they have farlonger shelf lives than MQ developers loke D72/Dextol.

Try Ilfords ID-78 it has an excellent shelf life. See (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

It is not commercially available.

Ian

Konical · Jul 8, 2006

Good Morning, Marco,

You might try LPD liquid. It's very handy and can be mixed to give different tonalities. I don't know if it last as long as HC-110, but I've had no problem with it.

Konical

Jim Jones · Jul 8, 2006

I use Kodak Polymax-T, and dilute just enough for a day's work. The concentrate seems to last a long time in a partly used bottle. Maybe it would last much longer if divided into smaller full sealed containers when initially opened.

Ole · Jul 8, 2006

I use Ansco 130. After about six months it is dark as coffee, but still works great. I used one batch for a full year (working solution) just to see how long it lasted - and finally threw it out when I could no longer see if there was a print in the tray or not.

kwmullet · Jul 8, 2006

Marko,

I did a little research last year and got lots of help on apug finding divided developers for paper and film. I plan on doing this once I get my darkroom back up, because it basically never goes bad unless you contaminate it.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I"m wondering what effect bromide buildup would have, but maybe that happens in part "B" which is easy to replace with fresh water and Arm and Hammer Washing Soda (I think...)

-KwM-

doughowk · Jul 8, 2006

I 2nd the Ansco 130 recommendation (I get mine from Photographers Formulary). I keep the working solution in a brown glass bottle, top off with distilled water after every session, and the color remains a light amber for quite a long time. I like it on Forte Fortezo for a warm color; but also does fine with Kentmere Bromide for a cool tone.

Bob Carnie · Jul 8, 2006

Ian
Thanks for this link, it contains info I have been looking for.

bob

QUOTE=Ian Grant]Ideally you should look at a PQ developer, they have farlonger shelf lives than MQ developers loke D72/Dextol.

Try Ilfords ID-78 it has an excellent shelf life. See (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

It is not commercially available.

Ian[/QUOTE]

Markok765 · Jul 8, 2006

I just top up the bottle with water, put saran wrap, and seal it tightly, or if i printed a lot, i would throw away the dev. did you know my stop bath went bad after 4 films and 60 sheets of 5x7?

gainer · Jul 8, 2006

You could use HC110. I used to use 1 oz syrup + 1 tbs sodium carbonate per quart.

I have heard that Rodinal at 1+10 or 1+15 makes a good paper developer.

srs5694 · Jul 8, 2006

I've been using Ryuji Suzuki's DS-14, which is a mix-it-yourself formula. It can be used with a replenisher (DS-14 minus the potassium bromide); when I finish a printing session, I pour the developer back into its bottle and then top up with the replenisher. I'm currently finishing my second liter of replenisher (I use one liter of developer in my tray) and I've not noticed any change in print tones, although it's been a while since I printed my test/comparison negative. The developer has gotten darker over time, but it still works. I don't know the limit of the replenishment, but even if it's only 2 units of replenisher per 1 unit of original developer, that's very economical.

If you prefer to buy a pre-mixed developer, Tektol Standard is an improved DS-14, but DigitalTruth doesn't seem to sell a separate replenisher. (The instructions indicate you can use the developer itself as a replenisher up to a point.) I've got a bottle on my shelf but I've not yet tried it.

JBrunner · Jul 8, 2006

I 3rd the Ansco 130 suggestion. It is a great developer, second (a close second) only to Amidol, in my opinion. I too use it until it is so dark I can't see into to the tray.

Tom Hoskinson · Jul 8, 2006

gainer said:
You could use HC110. I used to use 1 oz syrup + 1 tbs sodium carbonate per quart.

I have heard that Rodinal at 1+10 or 1+15 makes a good paper developer.

Take a look at the Shaw's Hydroquinone/Rodinal Warmtone Developer.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Tom Hoskinson · Jul 8, 2006

Tom Hoskinson said:
Take a look at the Shaw's Hydroquinone/Rodinal Warmtone Developer.

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

Also take a look at this:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

unregistered · Jul 8, 2006

Marco Buonocore said:
Hello all,

I on the look out for a new paper developer. I've used Dektol/D72 in the past, as well as Agfa Multicontrast... Both had a tendency to go a bit brown once the bottle was half full.

I know, I know - I should try and print more, and finish up those bottles before they get sludgy... But I'm only able to get into the darkroom once a week, or less.

What I'm ideally looking for is a paper developer that has the same keeping qualities as Rodinal or HC110 - something that can sit on my shelf for ages.

Any ideas?

If it makes any difference, I lean more towards warm tones, and I'm not fussed about how long it takes for the print to come out.

Thanks!

You can certainly use HC-110, D-76, Rodinal or any film developer to dev. prints. You will get a different look and tonal range than with a normal paper developer though. I've used D-76 and Rodinal for some images because I wanted the look they produced.

Markok765 · Jul 8, 2006

What kind of look was it, compsred to the ilford multigrade, WT, universal ect..

BBarlow690 · Jul 8, 2006

I'll go in a different direction. Mix Dektol in gallon lots, and decant into 16 oz plastic water bottles. Divide evenly between 8 bottles, and "top off" with a little water in each to eliminate any air. Screw on the tops. They'll last a long time.

To use, empty a bottle into a tray, and fill the bottle with water twice, adding each fill to the tray. Voila! 1 1/2 quarts of working solution, perfect for 8x10 printing. After each printing session, dump it and use fresh the next time. Nothing oxidized, nothing wasted. I've had Dektol at least a year in such botttles with no ill effect. The little you add to "top off" makes no difference in a 1:2 dilution. If you think it might, don't fill the bottle completely with water.

I also second Ansco 130. For that, use liter plastic bottles to make an easy 1:1 working strength dilution. Keep a 2-liter bottle and reuse the working solution - I find it lasts a long time. I'm still using up three-year-old stock solution, and it's just fine. My working solution bottle is about 6 months old. I'll use it for proofs, but "splurge" on a new bottle for fine prints.

unregistered · Jul 8, 2006

Markok765 said:
What kind of look was it, compsred to the ilford multigrade, WT, universal ect..

Its too hard to describe. Just try it yourself...if for nothing else but the experience.

Markok765 · Jul 8, 2006

I do have a gallon of d76 that i doont use since using rodinal stand.........

nworth · Jul 9, 2006

There are a lot of good commercial liquid developers for paper out there now. LPD has been mentioned. Ilford Cooltone and Warmtone have reasonable (not long) open bottle lives. Formulary BW65 is a two part mix that lasts a very long time after opening.

You can actually extend the life of most home brew paper developers by using the two part approach. The key is to keep the alkalai (carbonate) in a separate solution, and to keep the other components slightly acidic. You do that by substituting some of the sulfite (about half) by bisulfite. You can mix the carbonate solution more concentrated than usual. When you combine the two stock solutions to make the final developer solution, you add enough additional alkalai to bring the pH up to the regular developer value.

dancqu · Jul 9, 2006

Alexis Neel said:
You can certainly use HC-110, D-76, Rodinal
or any film developer to dev. prints.

Mr. Gainer and yourself have made a good suggestion.
Marco won't be way out in left field giving HC-110 a try
on prints. After having gotten Ansco 120 results from
D-23 I wonder if there is any film developer which
will not also work well as a print developer.

My work with them shows that those for film are less
active and need some sodium carbonate to speed them
along. That carbonate is easy to come by.

If any care to try their film developer on paper I suggest
testing with 5x7 paper in that size tray. As little as 125ml
of solution is very easy to work with. Test by putting a
few small prints through developers of varying dilution
and activity. Go for the greatest dilution and least
added carbonate that will fully develop ONE print.
You'll then know the limits. Dan

Marco Buonocore · Jul 12, 2006

As usual, you've all provided some great bits of information. I've tried HC110 as a paper developer, but not with sodium carbonate. Perhaps I can give it another go.

Otherwise, the Ansco 130 sounds pretty much exactly what I'm after. I'll have to whip up a batch next time I'm in the darkroom.

Thanks for all your input!

dancqu · Jul 12, 2006

Marco Buonocore said:
I've tried HC110 as a paper developer, but not with
sodium carbonate. Perhaps I can give it another go.

Otherwise, the Ansco 130 sounds pretty much exactly
what I'm after.

I've given it some more thought. I'm not about to buy
some HC110 to test as a print developer but think it may
be very good as a print developer. It is not so loaded with
sulfite as are some film developers.

I've tested a few film developers on paper including
ACU-1. With a little carbonate added it gave surprisingly
high contrast on paper. Ansco 120 is another. An already
carbonated print developer similar to Beutler's and FX-1 film
developers. You need to add that carbonate save for those
already supplied. Ansco 120 and 130 action, I'd expect,
will be similar. Dan

jim appleyard · Jul 12, 2006

Some fun reading here:http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110/index.html

Scroll down to "Unusual uses for HC-110" and it will give you a dilution for using it as a paper dev.

Gerald Koch · Jul 13, 2006

If you are willing to mix your own then I would recommend Kalogen in the APUG formulas section under non-staining film developers. This is a universal developer for films and papers. When used with papers it is diluted 1:12 to 1:15 with water and the image tone can be varied by adjusting the amount of benzotriazole in the concentrate. It produces prints very silmiar to those produced by D-72 and the concentrate lasts for a very long time.

Paper developer like hc110

Marco Buonocore

Ian Grant

Konical

Jim Jones

Ole

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kwmullet

doughowk

Bob Carnie

Markok765

gainer

srs5694

JBrunner

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Tom Hoskinson

Tom Hoskinson

unregistered

Markok765

BBarlow690

unregistered

Markok765

nworth

dancqu

Marco Buonocore

dancqu

jim appleyard

Gerald Koch

Paper developer like hc110

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