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What is your Favorite General Purpose Film Developer?

dmdair

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Just wanted to see what Film Developer you use for general purpose black and white film developing? I like D-76 1:1 for must films, what about the rest if you?
 

brian d

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D-76 or Adox APH 09
 

Ken Nadvornick

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DIY D-76d at 1+1.

Nectar of the Gods...



Ken
 

Gerald C Koch

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HC-110 1+49
 

MattKing

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johnnywalker

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hc-110 dilution H or B, or ID-11 1+1
 

EASmithV

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HC-110 1:60 for 4x5 and 8x10, Rodinal Stand Dev for 120, and D76 for pushing Tri-X 35mm
 

Roger Cole

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General purpose? I suppose D76. I always keep it in stock. Any film you want to try, there's data for it. (I use it 1+1 one shot only, don't do enough film to replenish.)

I also use T-Max RS, mainly for Kodak films as I haven't bothered working out times for others, and Diafine when I want the compensating effects of two bath development or when Tri-X at EI 1000-1250 is just right but it's not dim enough to justify TMZ or Delta 3200. I develop both of the latter in T-Max RS at up to 3200 with results I like.

I have some Rodinal and plan to give it another try. I never got it to work to my satisfaction last time I tried it. Heresy, but there you go.
 

mablo

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Rodinal although I don't think of it as a 'general purpose developer'.
 

John Austin

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Very ancient, very replenished D76d, made up on the 3rd May 1985 and kept going ever since - But kept going carefully with test patches at zone VIII and XI to make sure everything is going well every week or so

I use the alternative replenishment method whereby a fair bit of fresh D76d is used with the D76d replenisher - 70ml of replenisher to 80 inches square each (a sheet of 10x8", 4/5x4 or 1/120 or 1/36-35mm) of mix instead of just the 28ml of D76dR - (See "76 Years of D76, Ryuji Suzuki, Silvergrain.org)

I use a narrow measuring cylinder with a piece of tape glued to it with the number of films to be replenished marked up the tape, for three sheets I top up the the third line and so on

Recently I bought a step wedge via APUG to calibrate a densitometer I had been given - This gives me much greater information on the state of the developer, a crucial thing when using old replenished dev' - Replenished dev' has to do a lot of work it to keep it young and healthy, like all us
 
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Ed Bray

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My go to developer in the past has been Ilford LC29 but after using Caffenol CL with a semi-stand process that will be my first choice for anything going forward other than if I need something in a hurry, as the 65 minute dev time is the only downside so far (apart from the smell).