Positive developers - experience

Hello.

Today, I developed my first time with dektol. It is really amazing what a print developer can change in quality and tone. I am very happy.

My question: I read that Ansco-130 should be even a bit better and has a longer life. Is similar available to buy or do I have to mix it myself?

Second: What about Formulary 130 or BW-65 developer from photoformulary.com Does anyone have experience and can recommend it, especially in regards to dektol (quality and life)?

(I dont want to buy Amidol)

Thank you very much, Dietmar

What are you using a positive developer for ? Do you mean print developer ?

The conventional meaning of a positive developer is for film/lantern slides for projection to differentiate from a negative developer. I guess you mean print developer, and yes the choice of developer can make a huge difference to the tonal range and image colour.

Ian

I am so sorry. Translation error. Print developer is of course right. Could any admin change the title? Thanks!

Dietmar Wolf said:

I am so sorry. Translation error. Print developer is of course right. Could any admin change the title? Thanks!

Click to expand...

Dietmar, I guess you realised I wasn't being critical of your English, it's just if you come across a Positive developer formula in a book or manual it's usually for cine-film positives, or B&W slides and in older books lantern slides.

Of course a print is a positive, but convention is to call the developer a Print developer.

Ian

Just FYI, to add further to the confusion there is such a thing as a positive developer or a direct positive developer.

There are Reversal F and reversal P materials which were once sold by Kodak among others. They used either an incorporated chemical or a developer that contained a reversing agent. The developers with the reversing agent were positive developers.

In addition, some monobaths used with a donor and reciever used what is called a positive developer, as the result was a direct positive image similar to that produced by Polaroid.

So, there is a lot of confusion out there about this type of nomenclature in English.

PE