which "Darkroom Cookbook"

brucemuir · Nov 4, 2009

Hello,
I've been doing my own B&W processing for say 5 years now and mostly have gone with commercially available developers/chemicals but would like to start learning what the individual components/chemicals do and their effect etc.

I've used D76, HC 110 and am experimenting with PMK at the moment.

I'd like a recommendation for which Darkroom Cookbook I should get but don't want the info to be limited to just negative developing because I'd like to try some b&w reversal processes.

I know about the Tmax Direct positive kit & the Ilford instructions but would like to understand fully what is going on and then possibly tailor my own process to my needs.

Does the Film Developing Cookbook cover b&w reversal and would that be my best bet?

I already own "The Negative" but would like something more in depth.
(i need to revisit "The Negative" as well)

I'd be interested in hearing what people find is the most useful text and why.

Thanks.

Ian Grant · Nov 4, 2009

The Darkroom Cookbook 3rd Edition is the best it's up to date has formulae like Pyrocat HD, articles by Sandy King, Pat Gainer etc and covers both film & paper chemistry including toners, intensifiers, etc.

Reversal is only covered in the DCB 3rd Edition, and not Steve Anchell's previous books

Ian

brucemuir · Nov 4, 2009

Thanks for that info Ian.

Alexander Ghaffari · Nov 4, 2009

Ian, I was wondering. I want to buy that book, but I cannot tell if the 3rd edition omitted anything at all from the 2nd edition. I understand that things have been added, but have any formulae been omitted from the third edition? Thank you for your help.

Ian Grant · Nov 5, 2009

It's much more comprehensive, maybe one or two formulae are omitted but certainly nothing of importance. I can only think of one which didn't work well with modern warm-tone papers which was replaced by one which does.

Ian

Alexander Ghaffari · Nov 5, 2009

Thank you, Ian. I shall purchase that book.

L Gebhardt · Nov 6, 2009

Alexander Ghaffari said:
Ian, I was wondering. I want to buy that book, but I cannot tell if the 3rd edition omitted anything at all from the 2nd edition. I understand that things have been added, but have any formulae been omitted from the third edition? Thank you for your help.

For some reason FX 2 was eliminated in the third version.

Anon Ymous · Nov 6, 2009

L Gebhardt said:
For some reason FX 2 was eliminated in the third version.

IIRC, there was a comment in the book about the availability of Pinacryptol Yellow, an ingredient in the formula. If you search, you'll see that it is available, although the price is very high at about €40 for 1g. Yikes! Of course, you'll also need some glycin, another expensive chemical, so it has to be something really unique to justify the cost and hassle. Is it?

Ian Grant · Nov 6, 2009

The comment is on page 40. Pinacryptol Yellow was unavailable for a while and only became available at the PF earlier this year again, although I have about 10-15 1gm glass vials of the stuff back in the UK, and possible a larger jar

No book can contain every possible developer formulae I have atleast 1200 in my own collection, but the DCB does have a good balance of Film & Print developers as well as fixers, toners etc.

Ian

Michel Hardy-Vallée · Nov 7, 2009

If you really want to understand the reversal processes, you want to read Grant Haist's Modern Photographic Processing...

which "Darkroom Cookbook"

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