Split D-23 The unsung hero?

fhovie · Sep 8, 2005

Well - I got lazy - I had this roll I needed to develop and I did not want to temper my water and do precise timing and all that. What is on the roll is not that important. So I grabbed my Split D-23 that was mixed up TEN MONTHS AGO and used 3 times stored full in airtight amber bottles. I spooled up my reel and poured in solution A. I didn't watch the time real close - I agitated it once in a while - somewhere around 4 or 5 minutes I swapped out for solution B. I used the same hap-hazard timing - I never checked the temp - I suppose it is near 80F. Another 4 or 5 minutes and dump, wash and fix. The images look great! I can't wait to print them. Split D-23 is completely trouble free and if cared for (full amber bottles) lasts a very long time mixed and ready to use. No need for a thermometer or a timer, it compensates for a few stops of under or over exposure and clamps runaway highlights. Because the bulk of the development happens in Solution B which acts as a very dilute developer, the grain is crisp with reasonable accutance. In my mind - it really is an unsung hero. I would not put it ahead of P'cat for work I care about or use it for LF film, it is a godsend for old TLRs where all exposures are a guess. It actually rewards lazyness - my kind of soup!

Claire Senft · Sep 8, 2005

I think rewarding laziness is an over statement. I would replace "rewarding" with "tolerant of".

Gerald Koch · Sep 8, 2005

Split D-23 is actually a misnomer. It is a "two bath" developer. To fit the definition of a "split" developer there should be little or no development occuring in Bath A. Of course there is development in Bath A because it is essentually D-23. To have a true split developer development must be prevented in Bath A. This can be done by lowering the pH or by adding a large amount of sucrose to Bath A.

jim appleyard · Sep 8, 2005

It took a bit of playing with, but I agree, D23D (orDD23) is a good one. I tried the various types found in "The Darkroom Cookbook", but always had flat results. Someone suggested on one of the photo websites that D23D might not work well with todays films due to the thin emulsions; not thick enough to soak up enough bath A. One solution suggested was to increase the amount of metol by 1.5.

I did this and still a bit flat. Next up upped the level of Sod. Carb. from 4.5 g. to 9.0 g. I also upped the time to 4 min. in Bath A and 8 min. in B. This has given me good negs. I think your temp of 80F and a shorter time did the same thing.

Play around to suit your needs.

fhovie · Sep 8, 2005

Gerald Koch said:
Split D-23 is actually a misnomer. It is a "two bath" developer. To fit the definition of a "split" developer there should be little or no development occuring in Bath A. Of course there is development in Bath A because it is essentually D-23. To have a true split developer development must be prevented in Bath A. This can be done by lowering the pH or by adding a large amount of sucrose to Bath A.

I didn't name it - or invent it - the formula follows - I don't believe much development happens in bath A - Bath A is not D23 which is (100g Sodium Sulfite, 7.5g Metol, 15g Sodium Bisulfite, 1L water) I know that it doesn't seem to care about time or temp in either bath which would indicate there is very little development happening until it sees bath B.

a.k.a.: Split D-23
bath A
85g Sodium Sulfite
6.5g Metol
1L Water

Bath B
12g Sodium metaborate
1L Water

Here is an example of what I just developed with it:

dancqu · Sep 8, 2005

fhovie said:
... D23 which is (100g Sodium Sulfite, 7.5g Metol,
15g Sodium Bisulfite, 1L water)

The formula for D23 is 7.5, 100, grams metol, sodium sulfite.
The formula you've mentioned, IIRC, is one of Steve Anchell's
and is his Divided D23. The bisulfate is there to reduce
A bath activity.

Actually your formula is very close to that of D25. Up
the sulfite to 100 and you've D25.

Good point that divided being a low sulfite developer.
That A bath's 100 grams of the same has in part always
blocked my further consideration of D23 or it's A-B.

Do you use that full strength? I worked with an 8 - 80
formula for some time. Dan

Donald Miller · Sep 8, 2005

Frank,

Thanks for sharing your experience with this.

Lee Carmichael and I were talking about D23 yesterday and it is remarkable that you have come up with your results. Thanks again.

Donald Miller

fhovie · Sep 8, 2005

dancqu said:
...
Do you use that full strength? I worked with an 8 - 80
formula for some time. Dan

Yes - It is full strength and the B bath is good for at least a dozen rolls. The A bath lasts for an undetermined number of rolls - I toss it at 12 but I am certain it could go to 20. Just replace the B bath at 12 - it gets real yellow and it think the ph starts to drop. Now I know that shelf life is really great as well.

gainer · Sep 8, 2005

If you haven't heard it's song, you're not as old as I. Some joker wrote a piece for Petersen's Photograohic in April of 1973 called "Kitchen Tested Soups" which told how to mix several of the variations you have mentioned using measuring spoons. I believe his name was Pat Gainer, my alter ego. He didn't invent them, just showed how to mix them without scales.

fhovie · Sep 8, 2005

gainer said:
If you haven't heard it's song, you're not as old as I. Some joker wrote a piece for Petersen's Photograohic in April of 1973 called "Kitchen Tested Soups" which told how to mix several of the variations you have mentioned using measuring spoons. I believe his name was Pat Gainer, my alter ego. He didn't invent them, just showed how to mix them without scales.

Hi Pat - I sure do love that PC-TEA for prints - it is now the paper developer I use (other than Amidol for AZO) - thanks for all your input

Joe Lipka · Sep 8, 2005

Been using Divided D23 since 1990. Started using it for large format film as the developer of choice for platinum palladium printing. Not really great for enlargements because of the sulfite, but really nice separation needed for platinum printing. There are an abundance of variations on D23, quite a few of which are included in a technical article Ed Buffaloe and I wrote. The article can be found on Ed's site, www.unblinkingeye.com

Maine-iac · Sep 9, 2005

gainer said:
If you haven't heard it's song, you're not as old as I. Some joker wrote a piece for Petersen's Photograohic in April of 1973 called "Kitchen Tested Soups" which told how to mix several of the variations you have mentioned using measuring spoons. I believe his name was Pat Gainer, my alter ego. He didn't invent them, just showed how to mix them without scales.

I'm one who's old enough to have read and still remember that article, Pat. It ruined me for life. Here I am 30+ years later still using teaspoons and still futzing around with supermarket and drugstore chemistry. I've finally settled in pretty much on one film and one paper developer, but when the itch comes, I amuse myself with fiddling up some new ones. I haven't touched my balance scales in years, and have never regretted it.

Larry

Gerald Koch · Sep 9, 2005

fhovie said:
I didn't name it - or invent it - the formula follows - I don't believe much development happens in bath A - Bath A is not D23 which is (100g Sodium Sulfite, 7.5g Metol, 15g Sodium Bisulfite, 1L water)

This is the formula for D-25 not D-23. However, there are a lot of versions for this developer. The one that I have is from Camera Arts, Sept 1989, pp 12 - 15 and contains no bisulfite. Bath B is 1% anhydrous sodium carbonate.

D-23 contains just 7.5 g Metol and 100 g of sodium sulfite.

waynecrider · Sep 9, 2005

Isn't D23 considered a lower contrast developer? I thought I came across this when reading up on split and low contrast developers in the Film Developing Cookbook. There were a few formulas noted that seemed to be able to be used as split developers but with lower contrast results, if anyones interested.

edz · Sep 9, 2005

Gerald Koch said:
This is the formula for D-25 not D-23. However, there are a lot of versions for this developer. The one that I have is from Camera Arts, Sept 1989, pp 12 - 15 and contains no bisulfite. Bath B is 1% anhydrous sodium carbonate.

D-23 contains just 7.5 g Metol and 100 g of sodium sulfite.

Both D-23 and D-25 have 7.5g Elon (Metol) and 100g Sodium Sulfite per litre. The only difference is that D-25 gets 15g Sodium Bisulfite. Its interesting to note that the regenerator DK-25R is for both and contains 10g Metol, no Bisulfite BUT 20g Kodalk (Sodium Metaborate).

jim appleyard · Sep 9, 2005

waynecrider said:
Isn't D23 considered a lower contrast developer? I thought I came across this when reading up on split and low contrast developers in the Film Developing Cookbook. There were a few formulas noted that seemed to be able to be used as split developers but with lower contrast results, if anyones interested.

If you look at page 44, (I believe I have a 1st edition; not actually sure if there are others) the authors address this problem. FWIW.

Split D-23 The unsung hero?

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