Re-use one-shot developers

[joho]

Doing an experiment with one shot developers like R09 with replenishment.

but have to write it out .....

 

[koraks]

Not worth it. Their practical lifespan is in the order of half an hour to a few hours. Even if you were to replenish a developer like this, you'd be shooting a moving target all the time because the degree of oxidation will vary strongly with the time and conditions of use.

Also, why try and save $0.10 on developer? Literally not worth it!

 

[joho]

you are correct !
just got the results not worth it ...

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

They're called "one shot" for a reason But there is nothing wrong with testing it out.

 

[cjbecker]

Some developers get the one shot name but don’t deserve it. Like hc110. I like to mix a tank of it in dilution c 1+19 and use it for a month then toss it. I only developer sheet film and I will never run through the capacity of it before the month is up.

 

[GregY]

Some developers get the one shot name but don’t deserve it. Like hc110. I like to mix a tank of it in dilution c 1+19 and use it for a month then toss it. I only developer sheet film and I will never run through the capacity of it before the month is up.

With the cost of film in every size, i have no interest in reusing developer...

 

[cjbecker]

With the cost of film in every size, i have no interest in reusing developer...

There is really no downside to using the developer like this. My mix is either a 1/2 gal or 1gal and I can be ready to develop without any setup. Just check temp and adjust time. I just developed 36 hp5 4x5 sheets over the span of 2 weeks in a mix of dilution c. All came out just as expected.

Edit: dip and dunk on hangers. Either Arkay 1gal ss with floating lid or a 1/2 gal yankee with floating lid.

 

[GregY]

There is really no downside to using the developer like this. My mix is either a 1/2 gal or 1gal and I can be ready to develop without any setup. Just check temp and adjust time. I just developed 36 hp5 4x5 sheets over the span of 2 weeks in a mix of dilution c. All came out just as expected.

Edit: dip and dunk on hangers. Either Arkay 1gal ss with floating lid or a 1/2 gal yankee with floating lid.

cjb.....it all depends. My developers of choice are PMK & Pyrocat.... so different animals altogether.

 

[Graham06]

Some developers get the one shot name but don’t deserve it. Like hc110. I like to mix a tank of it in dilution c 1+19 and use it for a month then toss it. I only developer sheet film and I will never run through the capacity of it before the month is up.

Here’s another data point for HC110. I have used 550 ml of HC110 B (1+31) as almost my only developer. I used to develop up to 3 rolls of 35mm film and a few sheets in an evening and then discarded it. In the last year I have been keeping it for up to a month in a 500 ml bottle for up to a month with no detectable problems (maybe 3 or 4 developing sessions) towards the end the bottle has an inch or so of air.

This is also starting from syrup that is years expired and darkish brown. Haven’t been trying to break any records; it probably lasts a bit longer.

A test before using it is to dip a piece of film in full light half into developer and note the time it takes the light wet film to return to the same darkness as the dry half

Ilford multigrade 1+9 paper developer lasts less well. Half a bottle of unmixed developer dies in a few years. A tray of 1+9 from a year old half bottle will behave differently at the end of a long day and will be dead if left uncovered overnight. I have stored fresh 1+9 developer in a full bottle overnight for a few days but make fresh test strips each day. You can’t trust a calibrated Analyser Pro or a test strip you made yesterday with this level of imprecision. I should probably throw away my current half bottle.

There is a noticeable difference between uncovered trays, half full bottles and bottles filled to overflowing

 

[Sirius Glass]

One shot developers by definition are good for one development, but may still be active enough to get more properly developed film.

 

[joho]

The idea comes from the old days with Rodinal [agfa] where if a 2d use was immediate \ there was the original first tank 1,2lt. as the first developed 10 min -- there was a #2 tank where less contrast was required for 12min - then dump... all in 24 min.
but for say 4day storage and re-use it will not work.