D76 "Stock", or "1:1"...

[LeicaVirgin1]

Greetings Tom-

What are the advantages & dis-advantages of using 400tx w/D76 @ "stock", or "1:1"?

I've always used it as a STOCK solution in my development of 400tx/Tri-X.

I'm just want the best outcome.

Thanks in advance for reading my post.


Best,

-LV1

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Diluted 1+1 gives slightly better sharpness and better highlight gradation at the cost of very slightly more grain. I prefer it. The diluted 1+1 D-76 is considered by many to be the 'classic' developer for Tri-X.

 

[Sid836]

Kodak Tri-X is a grainy film that offers lots of sharpness. D-76 1+1 would give a well balanced sharpness/tonality negative. You could try 1+3, but that would pronounce the grain.
I would use 1+1 too.

 

[John Bragg]

1:1 is said to be more consistent, as there is no loss of activity and every film is developed in fresh developer. I have always prefered one shot developers for those reasons. It is also marginally sharper as the solvent effect or the sulphite is mitigated by the extra dilution.

 

[telenous]

Advantages/disadvantages as above.

But if you use 1+1 remember to use the recommended amount of developer per roll or compensate timewise accordingly. Otherwise you might end up with varying degrees of underdeveloped negatives:

(from Kodak's data sheet J-78, Oct 2002)

"If you use D-76 Developer diluted 1:1, dilute it just before you use it, and discard it after processing the batch of film.
Before using the diluted developer, make certain that there
are no air bubbles in the solution. If air is coming out of the
solution and forming bubbles, let the solution stand until the
bubbles dissipate. Don’t reuse or replenish the diluted
solution. You can develop one 135-3 roll (80 square inches)
in 473 mL (16 ounces) or two rolls together in 946 mL
(one quart) of diluted developer. If you process one
135-36 roll in a 237 mL (8-ounce) tank or two 135-36 rolls
in a 473 mL (16-ounce) tank, increase the development time
by 10 percent (see the following tables)."

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/j78/j78.pdf


As usual, best will be to experiment a bit, see what works for you.

.

 

[Mablo]

I like to use D-76 stock in room temperature (24C ). No hassle with water temp. I also prefer shorter dev times. I don't see that much difference between stock or diluted.

 

[Ronald M]

Kodak Tri-X is a grainy film that offers lots of sharpness. D-76 1+1 would give a well balanced sharpness/tonality negative. You could try 1+3, but that would pronounce the grain.
I would use 1+1 too.

Very sharp, very much large and sharp grain. 16 min at 68 for 1:3 for condenser or scanner. You need 16 oz total for 4 oz D76, 12 oz water.
8 oz will have insufficient developer.

1:1 is a nice balance of sharpness and small grain.

stock less grain, less sharp.

Any developer made gets sharpness, fine grain, high film speed. Pick any two. One is always lost.

 

[Ronald M]

Kodak Tri-X is a grainy film that offers lots of sharpness. D-76 1+1 would give a well balanced sharpness/tonality negative. You could try 1+3, but that would pronounce the grain.
I would use 1+1 too.

Very sharp, very much large and sharp grain. 16 min at 68 for 1:3 for condenser or scanner. You need 16 oz total for 4 oz D76, 12 oz water.
8 oz will have insufficient developer.

1:1 is a nice balance of sharpness and small grain.

stock less grain, less sharp.

Any developer made gets sharpness, fine grain, high film speed. Pick any two. One is always lost.

Look at Chris Crawfords pic and see how they are supposed to look.

 

[mcfingon]

My preference is to use stock ID-11 (much the same as D76) and re-use it. I reduce the published time so that highlights don't blow out when scanning. I find that after a number of re-uses that the grain drops and sharpness increases. I re-fill the fluid lost after each development by the same quantity of fresh stock unused developer. I find this economical and good quality. Result below in many times re-used ID-11 with Delta 100 film at full speed (100).

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

These are all Tri-X in D-76 1+1. The last two were on 120 film, the rest in 35mm.

 

[Sid836]

D-76 1+1 works wonders



Also consider D-23 (no hydroquinone)


Virtually the same sharpness.

 

[Tom A]

I think I started using D76 in the late 50's and initially as a stock solution (about 7 min/trix) but switched to the 1:1 mix very quickly. D76 does change with storage, more active, rather ugly grain and with the stock and reuse this was quite pronounced. The 1:1 avoided this, always fresh "soup" and the slight change in the storage of the stock seemed to be taken care of with the dilution. I have tried it as a 1:3, but did not like it and 16-17 min is a long time to agitate!
If there ever was a universal developer/film combination it has to be D76/TriX. It is not perfect - but it can usually pull stuff from the film that is printable.
TriX @ 400/D76 1:1 for 10 min - or even 11 mn. Abut as good as it gets

 

[mfogiel]

If you are so sensitive about your Tri X results, try Spur HRX - same great tonality as D 76, sharper, smaller grain.

 

[Sid836]

Try D-76 1+1 with 60" initial agitation, and 10" every three minutes after. Prolong the development time by 50% and you will be amazed by the tonality and the sharpness delivered. Not recommended for long expired films.

 

[mdarnton]

My experience is the opposite of Tom A's, perhaps because I shoot much less film. I have used both straight and 1:1 over long periods and just don't see a whole lot of difference, except that D76 is prone to change its activity and contrast over the first weeks or months before stabilizing. If you are using 1:1 this can put you mostly in a time period where results vary from week to week and contrast all over the place, which is irritating. (This was not the case when I worked at a newspaper and went through a gallon much more quickly.) So now that I don't develop a whole lot of film, I replenish and results are more consistent. I'm on two years with my current batch.

 

[GarageBoy]

And this is why I save up 4 rolls, and 1:1 them with a 1 Liter pack

 

[Ronald M]

My experience is the opposite of Tom A's, perhaps because I shoot much less film. I have used both straight and 1:1 over long periods and just don't see a whole lot of difference, except that D76 is prone to change its activity and contrast over the first weeks or months before stabilizing. If you are using 1:1 this can put you mostly in a time period where results vary from week to week and contrast all over the place, which is irritating. (This was not the case when I worked at a newspaper and went through a gallon much more quickly.) So now that I don't develop a whole lot of film, I replenish and results are more consistent. I'm on two years with my current batch.

Way late to respond, but I have tested and found D76 1:1 to be stable for 6 months IF you mix and decant to batch size bottles immediately upon cooling. If you keep taking some out of a liter bottle as required, it will be screwed up in a week. Activity first goes up, then down and is unpredictable. I know Kodak says 6 weeks, but it ain`t so.

I have been using the decant method for decades and run tests with studio lights and grey scale and some props that would show problems.