pushing HP5 with RHS/AM 74 developer?

[daniele_vittorio]

Hi,

I exposed a roll of Ilford HP5 at 1600 ASA, so i'll need to have it push-developped for 2 stops.

My lab uses Rollei RHS developer, which is said to be equivalent to Amaloco AM 74.

Is pushing HP5 with RHS/AM 74 a good idea?!

I am quite doubtful for two reasons:

n° 1: I heard that RHS/AM 74 in general gives only mediocre results with HP5.

n° 2: RHS/AM 74 being a fine grain developer it is said to be unsuitable for push development.

I would be very grateful for any advice or experience on the issue!

 

[piu58]

When you push the most important point is protecting the highlights. Usually this is managed by a high content of sulphite in the developer. Amalco 74 is a concentrated developer which needs to be diluted, 1+7 normally. This lead to a sulphite content much below 100g/l which is recommended for a push developer. Most likely you will get blocked highlights.
A traditional push developer is Microphen. It is based on Phenidone (like Amalco 74), which gives 1/2 a stop in comparison to the Metol in older recipes. And it has a high sulphite content if used undiluted.

 

[daniele_vittorio]

Thanks for your very sophisticated reply, Uwe!

I would love to go for Microphen in order to achieve best results. However, being quite a novice to the analog world, I am bound to my local labs for developing (and thus to their developers).

The other lab in my vicinity uses Tetenal Neotenal developer. Is this better suited for pushing HP5 than Rollei RHS/Amaloco AM 74?

 

[piu58]

I don't know Neotenal, but one can read that is a tank developer which comes in fluid form and has to be diluted 1+5. That means we have a low sulphite content too. I I'd to choose I'd selected Am 74.

 

[daniele_vittorio]

Thanks a lot for your advice, Uwe! I'll go for Rollei RHS/AM 74 then!