Beutler developer

I am a heavy user of Beutler, mostly for 100 ISO and lower sensitivity films. I have developed at different temperatures from 18 C to 24 C, correcting development time accordingly. Beutler is very good for compensating high-contrast subjects and films, and it is sharp, but definitely not a fine grain developer.

Some examples:

FP4+, Nikon F 50mm/1.4

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Pan F+ (120), Autocord

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TMax 100, Spotmatic (I do not remember the lens)

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Beutler works very well with TMax 100, which is a difficult film in D-76 or ID-11, easily blocking tones.
 
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Efke 25 at 32 iso. Beutler 1:1:10 7 min. Bessa R3M, Nokton 50mm f1.1.
This was the combination that Willi Beutler concocted the developer for. Leica asked him to come up with a developer that would show off the quality of their lenses. I think it was done in 1957. Still a very good developer.
 
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The Efke 25 film in Beutler 1+1+10
7:00 minutes
M7+Summarit 2,5/75mm.

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Beutler I am making in two small 100ml bottles. The result is very close to the not available anymore Amaloco AM50 which is a clone of Tetenal Neofin Blau/Blue which is still available but pretty expensive.
 
Efke 25 and Beutler 1+1+10 is one of the best combinations. The film was also sold under Adox CHS 25 and Rollei Pan 25. Unfortunately Efke stopped all production in August 2012.
But I still have some Efke 25/Rollei Pan 25 films left. Both in 135-36 and 120 roll film format. Nice in my film freezer at -10C.


Merry X-mas to everybody!
 
Not correct. Rollei Pan 25 V2 was Efke 25, Adox CHS25 was Efke 25 film too.
Rollei Ortho 25 was made by Efke Fotokemika too and now OrWo Filmotec did the job for Rollei-Maco.
RPX 100/400 is made for Rollei by Harman/Ilford. RPX 25 is not clear. Maybe Filmotec or Agfa Gevaert slow iso 40 Aviation type film like Rollei retro 80S (Aviphot 80 E1) and Rollei Superpan 200 = Retro 400S (Aviphot 200 E1.) Typical the Polyester type clear layer. 100 um (hence E1) only both for 35mm and 120 roll film format.

Best regards,

Robert (Dutch Rollei-Maco distributor)
 
Nice! Nearly large format fidelity with slow 35mm film.
The Beutler is clearly doing it's job.
BTW if you don't add the pinch of sulphite beforehand,
you can watch the metol oxidize (poof- like magic, turns grey and oxidizes) before your eyes.
Only recourse is to dump and properly re-mix.
 
Fotohuis said:
Printed on Fomabrom Variant 111 (fiber paper):

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Click to expand...

Print on MGIV Glossy looks much better at average, in the sense of shadow development. Fomabrom V111 gives a better look at show texture. But black selections look not as good as those on MGIV Glossy.

In any case, I would vote for MGIV Glossy or Fomabrom 111. Not Kentemere VC.
 
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Ilford SXF @ 200 in Beutler 1:1:8 for 11 min. M6 and Ultron 28mm f2.0
The Beutler can give a bit of an aggressive grain with older style 400 films, but with modern, thinner emulsion film the result is quite acceptable.
 
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Kodak Double X @ 320 iso, Beutler 1:1:8 11 min.
Not a very subtle combination, but very "defined" sharpness. Grain is visible, but not that ugly. If you pick the right subject, it works well.
Leica M2. M-Nokton 35mm f1.7
 
I was wondering if it would be possible to "tame the grain" of Beutler’s developer by substituting the sodium carbonate by an appropriate amount sodium metaborate. (For example, replacing the 50 g of sodium carbonate with 85 g of sodium metaborate.) I intend to try this, but I'd rather not re-invent the wheel. Has anyone tried it? Are there reasons not to bother making the attempt?
 
I believe that the mission of the strong alkali is (i) to get the layer of fluid next to the film depleted of metol quickly (compared to the transfer rate from the bulk solution) in order to give some compensating & acutance action; (ii) to get enough contrast from a metol-only developer. If you use a weaker alkali you will probably get less grain but also lose some of the contrast and acutance effect.

You will probably have to increase development time with a weaker alkali.

Another way to help reduce grain without losing the Beutler character might be to increase sulphite concentration, for instance approaching that of D-76.

I have never tried these ideas - just speculation. I am happy with Beutler as it is for some films. When I need smaller grain I use a fine-grain developer.
 
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