Positive developers - experience

[Dietmar Wolf]

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

 

[Ian Grant]

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

 

[Dietmar Wolf]

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

 

[Ian Grant]

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

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

 

[Photo Engineer]

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