Question about in house B&W processing at Kodak 1930 to 1950

[Samuel Hotton]

I would like to know what black & white film developer was used in house by the Kodak company to process customers negatives between 1930 and 1950.
With thanks,
Sam Hotton

 

[Curt]

Don't tell anyone or spread it around but they used Rodinal exclusively. And it worked best with Panatomic-X. Kodak made a lot of people happy and a lot of people rich. Now they team up with convicted felons and aren't worth a darn.

Curt

 

[Ryuji]

It's most likely MQ borate or MQ carbonate type developer. Phenidone wasn't available for industrial use then. Also, Rodinal is called "amateur developer" in photographic processing world, meaning that it's unsuitable for photofinishing establishment, because it can't be used in replenished tanks.

 

[Papa Tango]

Try D-76. It was the most common deep tank developer ever used in commercial labs. I still remember the one I worked in during the early 70s that the replenishment had been going on so long the the developer had this black, silverish oily looking sheen to it. Great stuff though...

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Try D-76. It was the most common deep tank developer ever used in commercial labs. I still remember the one I worked in during the early 70s that the replenishment had been going on so long the the developer had this black, silverish oily looking sheen to it. Great stuff though...

D-76 and maybe DK-50, DK-60a, DK-61a during the 1960s and 70s. Kodak D-23 and D-25 both appeared around 1944.

In the 1930s, my guess is Metol/Hydroquinone/Carbonate developers.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Don't tell anyone or spread it around but they used Rodinal exclusively. And it worked best with Panatomic-X. Kodak made a lot of people happy and a lot of people rich. Now they team up with convicted felons and aren't worth a darn.

Curt

Close Curt, but Kodak's P-Aminophenol Oxalate brew was Kodelon (1928).

 

[Gerald Koch]

Close Curt, but Kodak's P-Aminophenol Oxalate brew was Kodelon (1928).

Kodelon was the name of the Kodak developing agent. I don't know if Kodak ever made a commercial developer containing it. They did published some formulas.

Here is a formula using it.

Kodelon film developer for those allergic to Metol

Distilled water (50°C) ............... 750 ml
Kodelon™ ............................... 1.5 g
Hydroquinone .......................... 2.0 g
Sodium sulfite (anhy) ................ 50.0 g
Potassium bromide .................... 2.5 g
Sodium hydroxide ..................... 3.0 g
Distilled water to make ............... 1.0 l

The directions say to use it full strength and develop for 12 to 15 min.

 

[Jim Noel]

We used D-23 in our deep tanks because it did not need replenishment. All films were developed to completion, "Total Development", so that essentially every negatives was printable.

As the developer aged, more silver was available for re-plating the highlights enabling low contrast subjects to gain adequate contrast to make a good print.

 

[Keith Tapscott.]

I would like to know what black & white film developer was used in house by the Kodak company to process customers negatives between 1930 and 1950.
With thanks,
Sam Hotton

Kodak`s own D-76 probably using a replenishing system.
It wasn`t usual in those days to dilute it 1:1 using as a one-shot solution.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Kodelon was the name of the Kodak developing agent. I don't know if Kodak ever made a commercial developer containing it. They did published some formulas.

Here is a formula using it.

Kodelon film developer for those allergic to Metol

Distilled water (50°C) ............... 750 ml
Kodelon™ ............................... 1.5 g
Hydroquinone .......................... 2.0 g
Sodium sulfite (anhy) ................ 50.0 g
Potassium bromide .................... 2.5 g
Sodium hydroxide ..................... 3.0 g
Distilled water to make ............... 1.0 l

The directions say to use it full strength and develop for 12 to 15 min.

Yes, this is the Kodak DK-93 Developer recipe. I posted it here:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

There is also the Kodak D-13 (Kodelon-Hydroquinone) Tropical Process Developer

Water (about 125° F or 52°C) ............... 750 cc
Kodelon............................................ 5.2grams
Sodium Sulphite (E.K. Co.) .................. 52.5 grams
Hydroquinone .................................. 10.5 grams
Sodium Carbonate (E.K. Co.)................. 52.5 grams
Potassium Iodide ............................... 2.1 grams
Sodium Sulfate, Crystals..................... 105 grams
Water to make ................................. 1.0 liter

Use without dilution. Develop about 6 to 7 minutes at 85°F, or for proportionally longer times at lower temperatures. Rinse for 30 seconds and immerse for 3 minutes in a 5% formalin solution. Then wash for 1 minute, fix in an acid hardening fixing bath (Kodak Formula F-1) and wash for 15 to 20 minutes.

Source: Eastman Kodak Company Elementary Photographic Chemistry, 1928

 

[Earl Dunbar]

Why does everyone (except Jim) say "probably" and no one just contacts Kodak or George Eastman House to find out?

Jim: I haven't followed your posts; did you work for Kodak?

Sam: It's an interesting question. I was sorting through old family photos and negs the other night, and found an entire roll of developed but uncut Panatomic X taken during WW II. What exactly is your reason for asking.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Why does everyone (except Jim) say "probably" and no one just contacts Kodak or George Eastman House to find out?

Excellent recommendation Earl. Let us know what you find out from Kodak.