What is your Favorite General Purpose Film Developer?

Jesper · Feb 26, 2012

Another Rodinal user

RalphLambrecht · Feb 26, 2012

Moopheus · Feb 26, 2012

Kevin Caulfield said:
FX-39, the duck's guts...

I've wanted to try this, but it seems none of the Paterson chems are sold here in the us.

Lately I've been using TFX-2.

markbarendt · Feb 26, 2012

Ian Grant said:
No both Pyrocatechin (Pyrocatechol) and Pyrogallol can be used in Pyro type developers in the same way as Phenidone or Dimezone or their close derivatives are used in PQ (Phenidone/Hydroquinone) developers.

The confusion is the term Pyro is used in general for staining developers containing either developing agent while the abbreviation is used in specific formulae for Pyrogallol.

Ian

Thanks Ian

resident K · Feb 26, 2012

Now PC-glycol & Rodinal

pgomena · Feb 26, 2012

I'm leaning solidly to Pyrocat-HD these days. It's versatile, inexpensive, and produces good, sharp negatives consistently. I can't ask for more.

Peter Gomena

steven_e007 · Feb 26, 2012

Rodinal.

It isn't that I think it is the best developer there is - it is just that I leave such long gaps between bursts of photographic activity that it is the only stuff in my darkroom that won't have gone off ;-)

nworth · Feb 26, 2012

D-76. Pyrocat-HD would be a second choice, but I don't usually have it around. I haven't tried Xtol, which might be a candidate except that I can't mix it from scratch.

Juri · Feb 26, 2012

I use a Rodinal equivalent R09. It's probably not very universal, but I haven't heard of anything that could beat the price, ease of use and keeping qualities.

moki · Feb 26, 2012

Rodinal 1+50 or 1+100 for stand developement. I just love the relatively coarse grain and how it works decently with every film.
I'd use Caffenol-C-M, but it's too much hassle to make, so it's only used for films that need the wider tonal range and potential for high sensitivity.

Everything I read about pyro developers sounds very interesting, but I haven't gotten around to try them yet. Are they better than Rodinal when I want all the perceived sharpness and grain I can get?

madgardener · Feb 26, 2012

I'm a newbie to developing but will chime in anyway.

I use the Arista brand film developer $1641, a small bottle costs $5 and will last me between 4-6 months. It works very well for my needs, but then again, at this point in the game, I'm just happy if an image shows up. It's not that bad, but I have been developing my hobby for 2 years and developing for 18 months, and one of the many pieces of advice given on here to newbies is to use one developer and stick with it until you know everything about it, then start to branch out. Ok, lecture off, lol

markbarendt · Feb 26, 2012

madgardener said:
I'm a newbie to developing but will chime in anyway.

I use the Arista brand film developer $1641, a small bottle costs $5 and will last me between 4-6 months. It works very well for my needs, but then again, at this point in the game, I'm just happy if an image shows up. It's not that bad, but I have been developing my hobby for 2 years and developing for 18 months, and one of the many pieces of advice given on here to newbies is to use one developer and stick with it until you know everything about it, then start to branch out. Ok, lecture off, lol

Afternoon Mad,

So after 18-months you must be about ready to branch out.

Dali · Feb 26, 2012

Home made D23 or ATM49. And Diafine for Tri-X.

Mike Reyburn · Feb 27, 2012

I use Xtol at 1:2 & 1:3 dilutions for all films, 35mm thru 4X5. Great all purpose developer!

Athiril · Feb 27, 2012

Xtol Replenished.

basicn · Feb 27, 2012

D76 1:1

Bigpaul · Feb 27, 2012

Rodinal 1:200 20C stand 60 mins

darkosaric · Feb 27, 2012

Rodinal

RalphLambrecht · Feb 27, 2012

d76,what else?

ooze · Feb 27, 2012

My benchmark is ID-11/D76 or XTOL, both diluted 1+1.

However, for the last year I've been very pleased with TMY-2, exposed around EI250 and developed in Perceptol, diluted 1+2 at 24 degrees Celsius...a tip I got from a Barry Thornton book. This is as close to a magic bullet I've been able to get

One thing I've never tried is using ID-11/XTOL stock. Somewhere on the web I read that FP4+ dev'd in ID-11 stock is significantly less grainy compared to 1+1. That's something I'd like to test myself (in 35mm).

RalphLambrecht · Feb 27, 2012

ooze said:
My benchmark is ID-11/D76 or XTOL, both diluted 1+1.

However, for the last year I've been very pleased with TMY-2, exposed around EI250 and developed in Perceptol, diluted 1+2 at 24 degrees Celsius...a tip I got from a Barry Thornton book. This is as close to a magic bullet I've been able to get

One thing I've never tried is using ID-11/XTOL stock. Somewhere on the web I read that FP4+ dev'd in ID-11 stock is significantly less grainy compared to 1+1. That's something I'd like to test myself (in 35mm).

graininess is in the film not in the developer.

Roger Cole · Feb 27, 2012

Diluting a developer with a fair amount of sulfite like D76/ID-11 will result in more apparent grain and more apparently sharpness. Using it full strength will look less grainy at the expense of some perceived sharpness. I find modern films more than fine grained enough so I usually want more sharpness more than I want finer grain.

Thomas Bertilsson · Feb 27, 2012

RalphLambrecht said:
d76,what else?

Xtol, of course!

Over the years, to me, I've come to find out that it matters little which developer one settles for.
As long as you learn how to use it properly, exploiting all of its capabilities and beyond its limitations.

I am far more likely to let my developer down, than vice versa.

werra · Feb 27, 2012

Rodinal 1+25 for 35mm, 1+50 for larger formats.

welly · Feb 27, 2012

Only ever used LC29. Once this bottle is used up (or perhaps even before), I'll be giving D76 a go (as appears to be recommended on this thread!)

What is your Favorite General Purpose Film Developer?

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