Tetenal Neofin Blau (Blue), anyone?

Smudger · Dec 24, 2011

As part of an estate purchase I acquired about 15 boxes of this film developer,neatly packed in small plastic bottles or glass ampoules.
"Designed for use with slow and medium speed films'.
The fluid is a very light straw color,with no precipitate.
Anyone used it?

Trask · Dec 24, 2011

Yes, quite a bit a number of years ago. I can send you some information on this developer if you PM me with your email address. I have some of my own waiting an appropriate use. Nice score -- it's hard to find anymore.

Jojje · Dec 25, 2011

Red one (rot) is not made any more. It is a very nice developer, compensating and fine grain. Neofin Blau is awkward to use with fast films as times get very long.
Agfa APX 100 developed in Neofin Blau:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jojjek/5115209384/in/set-72157625240019256/lightbox/
I get mine from Fotoimpex, Berlin:
http://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/fotochemie/schwarzweiss-filmentwickler/tetenal-neofin-blau-5-ampullen.html

37th Exposure · Dec 26, 2011

U.S. customers can get it at Freestyle Photo. It is listed on the website. I've been considering ordering a few bottles to try.

marcmarc · Dec 27, 2011

Isn't this a ready made version of Beutler developer? I seen to recall Beutler which is normally mixed at home was available at various times under the Neofin Blue name. I saw the kit at Freeestlye. It looked too confusing and I opened the box to see the directions and it was mostly in German I recall. I know Beutler is a developer that requires one to mix up a couple of formulas and then one dilutes them together for a desired contrast.

sandermarijn · Dec 27, 2011

marcmarc said:
It looked too confusing and I opened the box to see the directions and it was mostly in German I recall. I know Beutler is a developer that requires one to mix up a couple of formulas and then one dilutes them together for a desired contrast.

The manual is pretty terrible, even in English (I believe I have the instructions in multiple languages). You will have to experiment to find your own ideal time/dilution/capacity/etc. I've never understood why Tetenal make such a fine developer and then don't bother to tell us how to use it. Some sort of analogue photography puritanism maybe?

Jojje · Dec 27, 2011

Fotoimpex catalogue says: "Dieser Entwickler wurde
(...) von Tetenal zusammen mit Willi Beutler für die ADOX/efke Filme zusammengebraut."
This developer was configured by Tetenal's Willi Beutler scpecially for ADOX/efke films.

Christiaan Phleger · Dec 27, 2011

Hmm, Maybe that's why Neofin Blau didn't work well for me. Next time I'll try an Efke film. Anybody have any idea how long this lasts? My bottles are pretty old by now.

sandermarijn · Dec 27, 2011

RidingWaves said:
Anybody have any idea how long this lasts?

Long. I have some closed bottles from years (4?) ago. Sometimes I use one- can't see any decay going on. Just keep to the usual advice of using airtight bottles with not too much air in them. The original bottles are fine of course.

Alan Johnson · Dec 27, 2011

From the MSDS it contains both metol and phenidone. Crawley,BJP Dec 16 1960,explained why this combination gives a speed increase.Metol-phenidone-hydroquinone reduces overall contrast and allows the shadows to increase in contrast more by the time normal gammas are reached.

Christiaan Phleger · Dec 27, 2011

Mine are at least 20, maybe more.

Smudger · Dec 27, 2011

I can confirm the Beutler connection : the older packs (glass ampoules) say on the box "nach W.Beutler".
No idea of age from the packaging,but the leaflet has no film younger than Ilford HP4 -can anyone date the introduction of HP5 ?
Interestingly, the M.D.C has a time for Fuji Acros in this stuff " Stock -6 minutes". Which would make it the most expensive developer ever..

marcmarc · Dec 28, 2011

I've heard great things about Beutler and I've been tempted to try and mix up a batch of either this or one of the variants listed in The Darkroom Cookbook. I'd find it hard to believe that Rodinal could be replaced, but I've read that Beutler gives even higher accutance. If the Tetenal kit as sold by Freestyle can give me the same or better edge effects as Rodinal 1+100 and give me a reasonable number of developed rolls, I may be inclined to give it a try. I shoot mostly Pan F+ and Acros 100 these days anyway which should work well with this developer.

sandermarijn · Dec 28, 2011

marcmarc said:
I'd find it hard to believe that Rodinal could be replaced, but I've read that Beutler gives even higher accutance.

I've used both and find that indeed Neofin Blau is a tiny bit sharper (to the eyes) and less grainy (surprise surprise) than Rodinal. In the end I preferred the tonality, price and ease of use (in that order) of Rodinal. Neofin Blau to me seems ideal for those wanting to extract the utmost of detail from a 35mm negative.

Smudger · Dec 28, 2011

The understanding so far is that NF Blue is a modified Beutler formula for Tetenal.
A little taste from the leaflet -"a surface developer" -halation and diffusion are greatly reduced,and negatives of the highest degree of definition obtained...the Neofin technique demands short exposures.The speed of the film should be rated 1 to 1.5 stops higher than the time indicated by the manufacturer.Delicate negatives are desirable ".
I think we could all concur with that sentiment.
In the absence of any specific advice, I plan to experiment with Fuji Acros,cross-referenced with Rodinal and Xtol ,replenished.

Gerald C Koch · Dec 28, 2011

When I was in college, developing and printing my own film again, I didn't have much money. The Beutler formula was my main developer since it is about the cheapest of them all. My prefered film was Panatomic-X and this combo produced stunning results. It is important to avoid any over-exposure since this will negate the advantage of this developer.

sandermarijn · Dec 28, 2011

Here is the manual of Neofin Blau, for those who happen to be without. The times I tried worked out a bit long.

ath · Dec 28, 2011

Smudger said:
[...] experiment with Fuji Acros,cross-referenced with Rodinal and Xtol [...]

see here: (there was a url link here which no longer exists) what I've found.

Aron · Dec 30, 2011

If anyone is interested, I developed a roll of Delta 3200 (rated at around 1600) in Neofin Blau today. I couldn't find development times for this combo, so I chose to develop for 30 minutes (20 C) in standard dilution (one little bottle of developer plus water to make 500 ml) Neofin Blau with agitation every minute.

The negatives turned out to print well on grade 2,5 paper. Yes, there is grain at virtually any magnification, however, with Delta 3200 it's better to make the grain prominent (or natural), than mushy. I didn't make a proper test with multiple developers and EIs, because I rarely use this film, but to my eyes, this combination isn't more grainy than with Microphen or Rodinal, but it is quite a bit sharper.

Tetenal Neofin Blau (Blue), anyone?

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