Performance of English vs Chinese Amidol

Alan9940

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• Jan 12, 2023

• #1

My current stock of Amidol is getting low and it seems that the only version currently available is Chinese Amidol. I used this stuff, once, many years ago but got black specks on my prints and I had to filter it with nearly every print. I quickly moved on to English Amidol. But, I don't know if we're ever going to see the English stuff again so, going forward, I'm wondering if anyone has experience with both versions? Is the standard development time of 1 min applicable to the Chinese stuff? Anything else I should know about it?

Thanks!

 

relistan

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• Jan 12, 2023

• #2

There was recently a thread about making a film developer from Chinese amidol becase the poster said that it stains paper and was looking for something else to do with it: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/amidol-film-developer.196245/#post-2627963

 

pentaxuser

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• Jan 12, 2023

• #3

Is this the print developer you are referring to? If it is then Greg Davis has a video on it but it may be that this is the English version as he mentions he has more of it than he will ever use but my tentative conclusion as to its origin ( English or Chinese ) may be wrong.

Anyway in case it has any relevance here it is :


pentaxuser

 

juan

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• Jan 13, 2023

• #4

Greg Davis is the person who organized the Chinese amidol purchase, so it’s probably the Chinese that he refers to.
I got good prints on Azo with the stuff - just had to filter it before use and do extended washing in a big tray with a motorized aquarium pump from the pet store. The pump kept the water circulating. I asked about the film developer because modern papers with amidol don’t have the magic Azo did.

 

pentaxuser

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• Jan 13, 2023

• #5

Thanks, juan. I must admit that I didn't listen to the whole video last night but did so several months ago on a previous visit to this video and if it is Chinese amidol then I don't recall Greg mentioning any issues with it

I could see a difference between amidol and his other developer but mixing this stuff from powder seemed like a lot of trouble to do it safely for the small improvement it made but that's just me

pentaxuser

 

juan

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• Jan 13, 2023

• #6

I followed the video link to youtube. In the comments, Greg says it is the Chinese amidol from photographer’s formulary and that he’s never had a problem with it. I’ve never mixed Ansco 113. Maybe I need to give it a try.

 

OP

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Alan9940

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• Jan 14, 2023

• #7

Thank you all for the responses. I had seen Greg's video before but will watch, again. I will try the Chinese Amidol, once again, as it has been so many years since I last used it.