Ready to try a new developer... Suggestions?

I'd just stick with Rodinal. It's a great developer, I prefer it to HC-110. But I'm shooting 120. If I were shooting 35mm I would probably be using Xtol. ID-11 and Rodinal are the only two developers I use.

Consult http://filmdev.org/ if you'd like to get an idea how a given film looks in a given developer.

That said, I've been developing for about a year and have been just been having fun experimenting with most common developers before I settle down into something. Besides Rodinal, HC-110 is indeed a great choice. It's highly concentrated, and mixing it up direct to working solution is more convenient than sticking with Kodak's own directions for mixing into stock. Beware, though: HC-110 is rather active, so you may want to use a different developer, or the unofficial "dilution H," if the developing time is going to be less than five minutes. D-76, previously mentioned, is the gold standard of developers. Although D-76 isn't a liquid concentrate, stock solution will last at room temperature about six months, so it's nearly as convenient and is the gold standard of developers, good for developing nearly everything out there.

Right now I'm finishing off a bottle of Ilford Ilfosol 3 (a decent all-purpose liquid-concentrate developer), and am about to start playing with DD-X.

For what it's worth: Agfa Rodinal = Adox Adonal = Compard (or Rollei) R09 One Shot (which is what I use) = Fomadon R09. All are available via Freestyle. Just don't get something with "Special/Spezial" in the name: that's the lesser-used Rodinal Special formula, a different product completely.

http://caffenol.blogspot.com/

i mixed 1500cc of it in december
and was processing film and prints in it
with no change in consistency through march20
( probably 50sheets of paper and 50sheets of 4x5 film )
didn't replenish it, just kept using it.
i made another 750cc and removed some of the old and added the 750cc
and processed film in it a few weeks ago ...
and it worked as good as any "conventional" developer ...
probably the raw chemistry
( coffee, washing soda and vit c powder ) cost me less than 5$
and it lasts for a long time whether you mix it from dry ingredients or reuse it ...

have fun !
john

jnanian said:

http://caffenol.blogspot.com/

i mixed 1500cc of it in december
and was processing film and prints in it
with no change in consistency through march20
( probably 50sheets of paper and 50sheets of 4x5 film )
didn't replenish it, just kept using it.
i made another 750cc and removed some of the old and added the 750cc
and processed film in it a few weeks ago ...
and it worked as good as any "conventional" developer ...
probably the raw chemistry
( coffee, washing soda and vit c powder ) cost me less than 5$
and it lasts for a long time whether you mix it from dry ingredients or reuse it ...

have fun !
john

Click to expand...

Well I've been happily Caffenol ignorant till now but I guess that's going to change. I really did not need to know this..

Id say just try some plain ol D76!

Since just about everything is compared to it, it would be wise to get a feel of it.

Kodak tests and evaluates all film developing times with D76, all the graphs are made with data from D76.

Besides D76, you can try Xtol which is relatively recent on the scene (for developers that is), or go the mix your own route for anything else (only a few basic components make up the bulk of the developers out there just quantities differ).

Also Ive read a lot about 777, people have reviewed it well, Ill have to try it sometime after my Xtol stock runs out.