Developing Chemistry

[Inphenity]

Hi everyone, I am going to buy new chemicals to develop my own black and white film again. I plan on getting some rodinal, because i have never tried it, and it seems to last a long time. For everything else i have always used kodak or ilford chemicals. I was just wondering what chemicals you folks would recommend? I plan on shooting mostly efke 25, HP-5 and Tri-X. I have heard that efke needs a hardening fixer, any truth to this?

thanks in advance

 

[bmattock]

Hi everyone, I am going to buy new chemicals to develop my own black and white film again. I plan on getting some rodinal, because i have never tried it, and it seems to last a long time. For everything else i have always used kodak or ilford chemicals. I was just wondering what chemicals you folks would recommend? I plan on shooting mostly efke 25, HP-5 and Tri-X. I have heard that efke needs a hardening fixer, any truth to this?

thanks in advance

I use Kodak Professional Rapid Fixer for everything. It never lets me down.

I like Diafine for shooting Kodak Tri-X at EI 1250, but not much else.

I like D-76, but if you're not shooting a lot, it can go bad fairly quickly.

There really isn't that much required. Lots to play around with, and I always like to do that, but the basics for me are Rodinal, D-76, Diafine, and Rapid Fix.

Oh, and Kodak Photo-Flo.

 

[Marsopa]

I've just started using efke, first roll with Rodinal looks great, in adition I find HP5+Rodinal a nice combo (others don't think the same). With respect tri-x I haven't used it but I will in a short time (just when I run out of HP5).

 

[Tom A]

First off, get Anchell and Troop's "The Film Developing Cook book". This will allow you to make your own "soups" and not only do you save money in so doing, but after a while you will learn how to make up developers that you can customize to your way of shooting/developing.
It is surprisingly easy, only capital expense is a set of digital scales and some basic chemistry (grand total less than $200 - and you will soon recoup that investment).
For films like the EFKE 25 I use home made Beutler developer - better structure than Rodinal and as it was formulated by Willi Beutler in the 50's for Leica to show the quality of enlargements possible from the 35mm negative - it works well even today with films like EFKE/Fuji Acros 100/ Tmax 100 etc.
There is also a lot of information available on the Net regarding "home brews" and "How to's"

 

[slm]

Although I haven't tried it with those films, I use HC110 a lot and like the results, and it also lasts forever.

 

[nikon_sam]

This is what's in the closet...

Kodak D-76
Kodak HC-110
Rodinal
Kodak Professional Fixer (powder form, mixed and used for film only)
Kadak Kodafix Solution (liquid form, mixed when printing)
Photoflo

Any other chemistry is for printing...

 

[kaiyen]

Efke doesn't need a hardening fixer if you treat it properly. And it's only when you are literally handling it - unless you agitate like a mad person that won't be a problem either.

 

[Inphenity]

thanks for the advice everyone, i will be looking into making my own soups. we have a store here in town that rents out gear and studio/darkroom time, and one of the guys that owns it makes his own chemistry so i have a local guy that can help me with that (ie loan me scales and give me tips on what to try). Ill probably end up going with kodak pro fixer, since its what i used in school. just to make sure i still remember how to do this the steps are Develop, stop, fix,stop, photoflo,and rinse right?

 

[mknawabi]

go for XTOL for some nice grain

 

[gb hill]

No need to use stop after the fix. I just rinse and then I soak by adding a couple of drops of photoflo, hang to dry. I have been using HC-110 for it's convience. I have some D-76, Perceptol (fine grain), & some Microphen(speed increasing) developers waiting to try. I also want to get some Rodinal.

 

[BTMarcais]

Inphenity- the order should go more like this: Developer, Stop(or water bath), Fix, Hypo-clear, Wash, Photoflo.

 

[charjohncarter]

From Freestyle Photo, I get their Arista line: orderless stop, orderless fixer, and hypoclear. They are liguid but have to be diluted, and I use them one shot.

 

[delft]

... just to make sure i still remember how to do this the steps are Develop, stop, fix,stop, photoflo,and rinse right?

Develop, stop, fix, rinse/wash, photoflo.
The stop stops the development.
The fix doesn't need to be stopped, but the chemicals need to be rinsed/washed away.
End with photoflo to let your negs dry up nice.
Give the negs time to dry up in a space with not too much dust floating around.

Good luck,
Dirk

 

[bmattock]

Don't need stop, don't need hypoclear. Just be prompt with the fix, and rinse thoroughly. Developer, fix, rinse, and photo-flo are all that is needed.

 

[Inphenity]

thanks again guys, ill probably go with the liquid arista chemicals, because i like being able to do one shot developing

 

[bmattock]

thanks again guys, ill probably go with the liquid arista chemicals, because i like being able to do one shot developing

Arista is fine, but I'm a trifle confused about the one-shot statement. With the exception of D76 used straight and then put back in the bottle, or Diafine, all the developers we have been talking about are one-shot, because they are diluted. And Diafine lasts longer than cockroaches.

 

[nikon_sam]

I mix up a one gallon bottle of Kodak Fixer (from powder) and use it just for film...after fixing the film I pour it back into the bottle...when it becomes exhausted I mix up another batch...Not too sure how long it last (how many rolls) but it seems to work out pretty good for me...

For prints I'll use Kodafix Solution (liquid) and mix up a one time use batch for that...(discard fixer when I'm done printing)

 

[Inphenity]

what i mean by one shot is i can mix up enough to do however many rolls i need to do and not have to worry about chemistry going bad if i don't shoot for a while

 

[bmattock]

what i mean by one shot is i can mix up enough to do however many rolls i need to do and not have to worry about chemistry going bad if i don't shoot for a while

I think perhaps we have a difference in definitions. One-shot developing typically means that you decant enough concentrated developer to make up enough to develop the film you intend to develop at that time. You develop it and then dispose of it (properly, of course).

Rodinal, HC-110, and some of the others cannot be used any other way - once you mix it, you use it or it goes bad quickly. They are one-shot by nature.

Other developers, like D76, are mixed from powder, stored in air-tight jugs, and then either diluted or used straight. If you use it straight, you can reuse it. If you dilute it, it's one-shot. Either way, it has a limited shelf-life.

Arista developers are used the same way.

Fixer, as mentioned, can be reused. Some claim that using stop bath makes fixer last longer. Could be, but I've never bothered - fixer lasts a good long time for me as it is.