Agfa APX400S developer for full speed.

[fidget]

I have a couple of bulk rolls of expired APX400s (2005).
So far I haven't been able get the results that I like in ID11 at 400/320 and have to expose at 200 to get acceptable results. I presently use ID11 at 1:1 20'c for 14.5mins and get quite thin negs. Would more time developing help or can anyone recommend a long lasting dev that I could use to get to expose at 400?

Dave....

 

[Ororaro]

hc-110 worked beautifully for me.

 

[rich815]

Rodinal works great IMO.

 

[Uncle Bill]

I have good results with HC110 Dil B at 6min 20c. I have really nice results with D76/ID-11 1+1 and Diafine works pretty good too, you can rate it at 500 ISO in bright sunlight and go down to box speed if things get a little flat light wise.

 

[rich815]

....you can rate it at 500 ISO in bright sunlight and go down to box speed if things get a little flat light wise.

I'm curious why you do that? I've always shot my B&W films at slower than box speeds in bright contrasty conditions and pull back about 10-20% on the development time. For example, I'd shoot APX400 at 200, maybe 250, and then develop for about 20% less time than typical. I find this gives much more hope for shadow detail. It's the flatter, less contrasty lighting conditions in which I shoot full box speed and give full development time to give the best shot at decent contrast in such conditions. Shooting APX400 at 500 (in essence under-exposing it) and then developing normally would usually give more grain and poor shadow detail.