Where to get Diafine online?

Anyone knows? I've searched ebay for weeks now, and the 1 time it turned up, it say CONUS shipping only..too bad, since I'm in Malaysia Anyway, I know Freestyle has it but it seems they're charging too much (USD38.50 via USPS Priority Mail!!!) just to ship me the Diafine powder pack (to make 1 gal). So that's out of the question. Sigh...

The reason I'm eager to try Diafine is it's tolerance to temperature..it's pretty hot here at the moment, 30C at night.

Hope someone can help me out. Thanks!

-Dani-

I was going to say Freestyle, but I guess not. Adorama carries it as well. Don't know what their shipping will be like.

http://www.bkaphoto.com

Brandess has it, but they recently merged with Omega/Satter.

Freestyle is probably your best option. Why don't you order some film, neg sleeves etc as well. You'll probably find the postage doesn't go up by much & the overall cost per item should be pretty reasonable. That's what I do in Sydney.

I mixed up my own from a recipe on here APUG and it works brilliant.

You could also try Cachet AB 55, another two bath, panthermic compensating developer. It used to be that Calumet carried it...have not checked as of late.

Thanks all for your response.

TimGray: Checked Adorama too, seems like their shipping is quite a bit higher than Freestyle's.

Jeff: Thanks for the link, had a good time browsing thru what they have. But I can't find their shipping quote..?

goldie: Good idea! I've thought about that as well, but being the starving student that I am, I'm looking for the cheapest option

Athiril: Fabulous! Let me see if I can find that recipe...the cost of chemicals here are expensive though. Just a few weeks ago I thought of making my own batch of film developer (Beutler), and I asked Merck (a major chemical company) to give me a quotation, the total cost came to about USD200! Metol is especially expensive. Figured I might just as well stick to commercial developers then..

frotog: Thanks for the tip..but I doubt if Calumet ships here. Is Cachet AB 55 better or really similar to Diafine?

Metol is always expensive... but your mistake is asking a chemical company, they'll overcharge you 10 ways from sundown

You need to get in touch with a photo-chemical supplier.

IIRC, all you need is Hydroquinone, Phenidone (0.2g for 1 litre of "Diafine") (so just a 10g bottle of it will do), Sodium Sulphite (pool shop supplies), and I think metabisulphite (brewing ssection in upermarket) and sodium tetraborate (borax - supermarket)

making my own batch of film developer (Beutler), and I asked Merck (a major chemical company) to give me a quotation, the total cost came to about USD200!

Click to expand...

Now you're talking about chemicals for analytical grade, which are over 10x more expensive for what you really need for this purpose. Soda (household) deca hydrate can be also used and can be found in the supermarket for 0.70 Eurocts a kilogram (1000 grams). Metol and Sodiumsulfite only a few Euros.

Only then a DIY developer can be interesting. Otherwise you can better buy the commercial variant: Tetenal Neofin Blue or order Beutler A+B in a complete package at some photographic internet re-sellers.

best regards,

Robert

Just my 2 cent but other developers that are low activity work just as well at hot temperatures with modern films. From my experience at least - I have developed film at 85 or 90 F when I was traveling in very hot climates and found the usual high dilution's of standard developers to work very well - they are a little different in characteristics but that may actually please you. Here are some developers and dilutions to try (I have used these with very good results at high dilutions/high temperatures with the added bonus of reasonable development times.

HC 110 - 1+100
HC 110 - Dilution G (1+119)
Rodinal 1+100

The only thing to watch out for is that you have the min developer for the given film area.

Use this formula to translate development times

New time = Old time × exp(-0.081 × (New temp °C - Old temp °C))

I have not tried Pyrocat HD at more than 75 F but my suspicion is that it would work very well at higher temps.

RB

Athiril: Ahh, I see...thanks for the tip! I'll probably send you a PM here later on to ask about those chemicals in more detail. I'm doing my PhD in a local university, so I just asked my faculty's lab for the name of the company that supplies them chemicals..didn't knew it was a mistake

RobetV: Thanks for your input Robert! I never knew there's an analytical grade of chemicals. Now I know better..thanks! I doubt if I want to purchase Neofin Blau or Tetenal, I'd rather make my own..much more interesting By the way, would you mind telling me some of the more reliable internet re-sellers of photographic chemicals/supplies who are able to ship not just to the CONUS?

rwboyer: I'm impressed..that's some pretty deep knowledge...thanks so much for sharing. Now I think I have to get a hold of some HC110 or Rodinal, if all else fails.

To buy raw photo chemicals these come well recommended:
www.artcraftchemicals.com
www.bostick-sullivan.com
www.chemistrystore.com
www.digitaltruth.com/store/cart/Raw-Chemicals-p-1-c-33.html
www.photoformulary.com
www.techcheminc.com

CBG: Very helpful, that..thanks! The list of links you gave is much appreciated too, I will check them out. A friend has already recommended me artcraft, I have emailed the proprietor asking about shipment to Malaysia and it's associated costs. Many thanks again!