Another magic bullet. Seemingly the more obscure the better.
I still use Polydol this very day. Back in the 80's, I inquired about Polydol after it was discontinued back in 1984. I remember a Kodak rep, Ruth Leach, telling me that Polydol IS the Microdol-X formula, with the addition of Sodium Carbonate. I just don't remember what that PH level was. But I can positively and truly confirm that it is Microdol-X with Sodium Carbonate added. P-Methylaminophenol Sulfate is its only developing agent. Polydol Developer was formulated back on October 13th of 1961.The long discontinued Polydol (powdered) developer was used by portrait photographers and gave superb tonal values. Although the formula was proprietary, does anyone know at least which developer(s) were used in the formula? - David Lyga
I agree with you about DK-50 and think I could get by with very easily if it were the last developer on earth. It's a very versatile developer and does a fine job even with modern emulsions. As to what you say about Polydol being the same as Microdol-X with sod. carbonate added and it imparting that brownish stain/color to the negative? The Polydol that you are using is it old stock or homemade? If homemade does the homemade also impart the same brownish tone? I'm just curious since PE says Kodak Microdol-X contains some ingredient that has never been published. So, if homemade it's probably not the same as what Ruth Leach told you about. Just curious! JohnWI still use Polydol this very day. Back in the 80's, I inquired about Polydol after it was discontinued back in 1984. I remember a Kodak rep, Ruth Leach, telling me that Polydol IS the Microdol-X formula, with the addition of Sodium Carbonate. I just don't remember what that PH level was. But I can positively and truly confirm that it is Microdol-X with Sodium Carbonate added. P-Methylaminophenol Sulfate is its only developing agent. Polydol Developer was formulated back on October 13th of 1961.
Also, the brownish image tone it produced in negatives gave more printing contrast that can be seen with the naked eye and a very wide array of tones. You did not lose the 1 stop in film speed as Microdol-X does when using it full strength. I used DK-50 1:1 as a backup if I ever ran out of Polydol. That developer needs to be put back on the market as it's fantastic with the newer emulsion films. I can't emphasize that enough!
I agree with you about DK-50 and think I could get by with very easily if it were the last developer on earth. It's a very versatile developer and does a fine job even with modern emulsions. As to what you say about Polydol being the same as Microdol-X with sod. carbonate added and it imparting that brownish stain/color to the negative? The Polydol that you are using is it old stock or homemade? If homemade does the homemade also impart the same brownish tone? I'm just curious since PE says Kodak Microdol-X contains some ingredient that has never been published. So, if homemade it's probably not the same as what Ruth Leach told you about. Just curious! JohnW
While I may be wrong, I don't think Polydol existed until after 1950 along with Microdol-X. That is Microdol-X, not Microdol which was around during WW2 and maybe before.......Regards!My 1970 Kodak Darkroom Dataguide describes Polydol as "A long-life, high capacity developer designed for portrait, commercial, and school photography." Features include "good speed-grain ratio, superior tonal reproduction characteristics, and stable replenishment properties for consistent negative quality throughout its use."
Apparently, it also included a preference for the Oxford comma..
Interestingly enough, when I review suggested development times, for some films like Verichrome Pan and Panatomic-x the recommended times are longer than for D-76 1:1 whereas for other films like Tri-X Pan and Plus-X Pan Professional the recommended times are shorter than for D-76 1:1.
There is no reference to Polydol in my 1940 materials.
Regarding DK-50, +1, although I don't think it is that hard to mix from scratch........Regards!I still use Polydol this very day. Back in the 80's, I inquired about Polydol after it was discontinued back in 1984. I remember a Kodak rep, Ruth Leach, telling me that Polydol IS the Microdol-X formula, with the addition of Sodium Carbonate. I just don't remember what that PH level was. But I can positively and truly confirm that it is Microdol-X with Sodium Carbonate added. P-Methylaminophenol Sulfate is its only developing agent. Polydol Developer was formulated back on October 13th of 1961.
Also, the brownish image tone it produced in negatives gave more printing contrast that can be seen with the naked eye and a very wide array of tones. You did not lose the 1 stop in film speed as Microdol-X does when using it full strength. I used DK-50 1:1 as a backup if I ever ran out of Polydol. That developer needs to be put back on the market as it's fantastic with the newer emulsion films. I can't emphasize that enough!
Yes, it's not much harder to mix than D-76, but with just a couple more added chems. More folks here who mix there own should really try this developer. It works a treat and used diluted is just as good a the high-definition Beutler developer. When my existing Xtol replenished system starts going south I'm going to try DK-50 as a replenished system developer. I don't use 35mm hardly at all anymore so a little bolder grain/added sharp grain is actually a plus for me. We'll see further down the line. JohnWRegarding DK-50, +1, although I don't think it is that hard to mix from scratch........Regards!
I agree with you about DK-50 and think I could get by with very easily if it were the last developer on earth. It's a very versatile developer and does a fine job even with modern emulsions. As to what you say about Polydol being the same as Microdol-X with sod. carbonate added and it imparting that brownish stain/color to the negative? The Polydol that you are using is it old stock or homemade? If homemade does the homemade also impart the same brownish tone? I'm just curious since PE says Kodak Microdol-X contains some ingredient that has never been published. So, if homemade it's probably not the same as what Ruth Leach told you about. Just curious! JohnW
Another magic bullet. Seemingly the more obscure the better.
Did you change this from last night?Ok then lets work on this and figure out a good home-brew version of Polydol; Metol, Sodium Sulfite and Sodium Carbonate (perhaps some Potassium Bromide me thinks). Sprinkle in some magic Photo Engineer mercapto dust and we've got it!!
My guess:
Metol 5g
S.Sulfite 80g
S. Carbonate (Mono) 25g
Pot. Bromide 1.0g
Photo Engineer Magic Mercapto Dust 0.0001% in an Everclear solution.
I'm calling it Probabble-dol
That is not quite clear - it would be nice if Ilford behold on a single developer agend conception from metol.Hmm pretty certain that Ilford Perceptol does only contain Metol with no Pheindone.....
The Polydol that I use is new old stock, packaged in a can with a net weight of 1 pound. The brownish image tone makes it better and gives a brilliant contrast and a wide tonal range, than some of your typical developers with the flat or charcoal type of image tone on its processed negatives. As with Ruth Leach, she told me to add Sodium Carbonate to the Microdol-X from Kodak to bring its PH balance up to Polydol's PH.
In my years of experience, film developers that use P-Methylaminophenol Sulfate (aka Elon or Metol) as its primary developing agent, it will produce negatives with that brown image tone which gives a better printing contrast and a wide tonal range that meets the naked eye. A few Metol-Quinone developers will do this as well, but not as well as with the Metol exclusive based developers, such as D-23, DK-20, D-25, Microdol, Microdol-X, and Polydol.
When I mix Microdol-X, it has a slight Peach/Light Tan color; if not, clear like water. When I mix the Polydol, it is a bright yellow color, like HC-110 Dilution B, whereas the coloring looks identical to Lemonade!
Another note on those Metol/Elon exclusive developers. Those developers yield a wide forgiveness range with overexposures, as it will not block or bleach out the highlights as with other developers. As long as you don't water Microdol-X by diluting it, Microdol-X gives a one stop loss in film speed, which means that whatever film that you shoot, you must shoot that film at ½ of that film's ASA/ISO rating. If you want full film speed with Microdol-X, then you dilute that developer 1:3, and it has a 1/4 stop overexposure forgiveness, but with longer development times.
The only developer that mimics Microdol-X today is Ilford's Perceptol. However, it uses Phenidone instead of Elon/Metol (p-methylaminophenol sulfate). It doesn't give that really unique brownish image tone that acts as a developed-incorporated filter like Microdol-X and Metol/Elon developing agent exclusive developers do. Prints from these negatives are not flat, but produces pure blacks, pure whites and EVERY shade of grey in between. The DK-50 achieves that, and now, Kodak discontinued the DK-50 back in 2012. These discontinued developers work far better than these new brews that they keep on coming up with!
In most cases that I've also experienced, the developer you use will determine your film speed and how you expose your film, which is why many film manufacturers today use E.I. (Exposure Index) instead of the typical ASA/ISO ratings.
It is quite clear. The only developing agent in Perceptol is metol.
Sure. Here are some links regarding Polydol.Werewolfman — can you post some of that Polydol history here in this thread? And any other info you think we’d like to read? Thanks!
Very interisting thank you much too by the way.View attachment 197068 View attachment 197068 View attachment 197069 View attachment 197071 View attachment 197068
Sure. Here are some links regarding Polydol.
https://trademarks.justia.com/721/30/polydol-72130689.html
https://collections.museumvictoria.com.au/items/2186218
https://archive.org/details/aa143-PhotoLabIndexCompactEdition
You're welcome. In one of those links I've shared, you can download The Compact Photo Lab Index for free in PDF. Every Kodak film in that book has times listed for Polydol among all of the other film developers. Those times are almost the identical times for D-76, but usually 30 seconds longer. ALSO, you can dilute Kodak Polydol Replinisher 1:1 and use it as a developer as Kodak recommended this for tanks holding 4 gallons, as their packaged developers made 1, 3½ and 10 gallons, in order to top it off to capacity with no change in their processing times. So, a 1 gallon can/package of Polydol Replinisher actually makes 2 gallons of Polydol Developer! I've tried this and IT WORKS!Very interisting thank you much too by the way.
With regards
Werewolfman, you are a champion! I have long wanted a version of the Photo Lab Index as a reference tool...
From my experience one should allways see formulations as a base/starting point. But to reformulate a good formula is sometimes no need. In very much situations one can't make it better.I remember buying the Photo Lab Index in around 1970 at the Technical Book Store (long gone) in Swanston Street Melbourne. I was reading it in the train on the way home and was disillusioned to find two major mistakes before I arrived at my station (20 minutes). Others were found subsequently. Since then, I have often read of similar experiences. So, read it with interest but check the formulas before mixing, I suggest.
Werewolfman, you are a champion! I have long wanted a version of the Photo Lab Index as a reference tool - back in the days when I was younger and more into experimental darkroom work (I'm now returning to this in my retirememt), I had several copies of the original books, but in one of my (many) moves at the time they were lost and I haven't been able to replace them here in Australia.
All of 724 pages to peruse, oh my...!
The M&M Leica Guide books have been useful to me as well, altho by no means as detailed as this latest treasure you have given us. I have almost all the LG editions from 1935 through to the early '70s and keep adding to my lot one by one, as I find them.
The formulas will be especially useful to me, as we no longer have access to many Kodak (and other) fine darkroom products in Australia. Not even Kodak HC-110 is available here, which to me is nothing short of sinful.
It makes me want to cry to browse thru some of the older books and see how many wonderful photo products we have lost over the decades. They call it "progress"...
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