Factory-made or home-made chemicals?

[tho60]

I wonder whether you prefer using factory-made chemicals or brewing the solutions on your own. Of course, I started with factory-made chemicals (Foma products), but about a month ago I purchased raw chemicals and produced a lot of developers and fixers. However, I did not abandon using Foma chemicals at all. I have brewed five developers: KT-74 (a Rodinal-like, M.Q. based developer, my own formula), Kalogen (a Rodinal-clone from 1917), PaR-09 (Parodinal, paracetamol-based concentrate), a fine-grain developer “Tildy” (named after Zoltán Tildy, a Hungarian photographer), and a “retro” developer ST-2 (the Soviet equivalent of Agfa-12). I also mixed two hardening fixers: FF-10 with alum and vinegar, Agfa 309 with formaldehyde; both are very malodorous and irritant. Tildy developer requires a hardening fixer. I am trying to find the best matching developers and fixers for Fomapan films. In short term, this effort might lead to confusion, but in long term, I will discover a lot of opportunities at a very low price. For example, PaR-09 or Parodinal costs about the 25% of Fomadon R09’s price. Although I had to make a bigger investment to enjoy this advantage (scales, bottles, chemicals etc.). I have found great pleasure in mixing the solutions and experimenting. What is your opinion?

 

[Nokton48]

Some of the developers I am interested in using can only be mixed from raw chemicals. And I also enjoy the mixing part. And in time it is much more reasonable in price than buying fabricated commercial developers. But some can only be bought from the stores. An example that comes to mind is HC-110.

So I use both types.

 

[nikon_sam]

I'm good using factory stuff when it comes to developing negs...but I might be willing to do something crazy when printing...not saying I have but I'd be more willing there...

 

[giganova]

My films are too important for me to conduct experiments with home-brew chemicals. I leave it there the experienced companies to give me products that deliver consistent results. I admit, though, that I read a book about alternative processes that I find intriguing.

 

[burancap]

No factory type replacement, but I have been very pleased experimenting with Caffenol and its variants. I really like the low volatility and low noxiousness that it has offered, not to mention the results.

 

[oftheherd]

There was a time in Korea when I enjoyed experimenting with mixing my own chemicals of different types. It was kind of fun, made me feel like I knew a lot, and gave me acceptable to good results. I don't have time to take photos like I want anymore, much less to mix my own chemicals. I envy you that.

 

[bence8810]

I tried mixing my own paper developer but honestly didn't see too much of a difference worth enough to continue. Since the amount of chemicals I bought will last me about 100 sessions I still manually mix it but as soon as they run out I'll go back to liquid based developers that only need to be diluted. Much simpler.

The reason I gave this a go was that I wanted to get higher contrast out of my prints (non variable grade paper) but it didn't work.

For negative development I wouldn't even bother.
Ben

 

[KenR]

I generally use HC-110 but recently have been using D96 with Eastman 5222. This is not available prepackaged, so I bought the individual chemicals from Photographer's Formulary. Otherwise, I don't think it pays to spend the time to mix your own, although it only takes about 1/2 an hour to mix up 2 liters of the developer.

 

[02Pilot]

I happily use home-brew Caffenol as my sole developer. Once you dial it in, it's just as consistent as any other developer.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

As of now Kodak, Ilford and some small production (ECN2) for me.
But at some point I would have to figure out how to mix...
I have done Caffenol already.

 

[Tom A]

The idea of "factory mixed" chemistry is actually fairly recent. In the old days. you mixed your own. There are advantages and dis-advantages to "brew your own" or pre-packaged. It is quite easy to make your own and once the initial investment is done - it is considerably cheaper. You also have the advantage that you can dial in a specific film and developer to your liking - rather than relying on what the manufacturer is intending. An other factor is that most pre-packaged developers are designed to sit on a store shelf for a long time and is formulated for this purpose.
I don't think I have bought a pre-packaged developer for the last 25-30 years. at least not in any quantity (Rodinal/VC 110 are exceptions - those are easier to buy than to mix on your own).
Once you got the hang of it - it is easy.
At the moment I am on a Pyrocat HD kick - great developer and very cheap to use (around $0,10/roll) and also Beutler which I don't think is available commercially - and works extremely well with slower films.
Just get Anchell/Koops "The Film developing Cook book" and start the process.

 

[Pioneer]

7.5 grams of Metol, 100 grams of sodium sulphite and 1 liter of distilled water. It is hardly more difficult to mix this up when I get ready to develop than it is to mix up pre-packaged developers.

I know exactly what is in the mix every time. One less variable to worry about; I have enough of those already. I am not concerned that the manufacturer has changed something and neglected to let me know.

However, I do love HP5+ in Rodinal so I will most likely continue to buy this when I need it.

I have the formulas and chemicals to mix up my own emulsions. That is the next step.

 

[Sid836]

Homebrew D-76, D-23 and FX-1 is all I use. I mix them just a bit before I need them and they always deliver me the expected result. This also provides me the luxury to adjust the formulas being used to get closer to what I am having in my mind.
Pyro developers are next for me, but that will wait until I get the chemicals needed.

 

[danwilly]

I have the Darkroom Cookbook and went nuts, went so far as to make my own hypo check. I got into tinkering with different boosters in the developer but found the shelf life on the developer was too short to make it worthwhile. I came into a stockpile of D-76 at a garage sale and that will last a few years. But I still mix up the hypo and paper developer, pretty simple.
The Darkroom Cookbook has recipes for every known chemistry and like the previous poster noted, once you make the investment it is a lot cheaper and if it is one thing photographers like us relish, it is saving money.
Also, I mix a citric acid-based fixer, a lot friendlier than the nasty-ass acetic.

 

[mdarnton]

I've mixed my own developers for years---mostly only D76 and Dektol---for two reasons. It's cheaper that way, for one, and the other is that I never run out. One "package" of each ingredient makes years worth of developer. There's no risk at all--I don't understand that fear, except that it reflects success by large companies to program us to think we can't do anything ourselves and must buy their overpriced products and overprocessed foods.

A half hour to measure five ingredients rather than dumping one into a container? Someone's being VERY inefficient! Mixing D76 takes me a couple of minutes at the most.

 

[tho60]

If you make 1 liter of Parodinal, it be be enough for a long time even you make prints, for a fraction of price compared to factory-made Rodinal. Second advantage: you can mix such chemicals what you can purchase very rarely. E.g. St-2 developer.

 

[Fotohuis]

R09/Rodinal and HC-110 type developer are a bit more difficult to make and these developers are relative cheap to buy. Some special developers are not very difficult to make yourself. Some populair type developers like Pyrocat-HD, PC-TEA, Diafine type 2-bath, ID-68 type (Microphen), Beutler, Windisch W665 I am offering commercially but there is not so many interest in these type products. Partially they are made under lab circumstances in Odessa, Ukraine and shipped to the Netherlands. Together with the special 35mm film from Ukraine there is even a new brand for it in BeNeLux. Oher regular type developers are coming from Foma, Czech Republic in fact the Foton factory in Poland. Fomadon P W37 (ID11/D76 compatible) and Fomadon Excel W27 an Xtol clone. Easy for small users in a 1 ltr. powder packing and not heavy in transport like the Fomapan films. For Eur. 3,80 incl. 21% VAT you can not mix much cheaper yourself, the same for the Beutler, even cheaper: Eur. 3,50. But of course when being a larger and heavy user mixing yourself is always cheaper, especially when buying Sodiumcarbonate for less then Eur. 0,70ct / kg.

 

[sevo]

It really depends on where you live - if there is a raw photochemicals dealer within your range, both shipping restrictions and customs wise, it is quite easy. If you cannot get hold of photo quality components without hassle (and having white powders mailed to you from abroad can mean serious trouble in the wrong parts of the world), you'd be much better served with ready-made chemicals.

 

[Fotohuis]

Ordering R09/Rodinal Compard in Germany in 5 ltr. cans the price of the product will be around Eur. 5,00 / liter excl. German 19% VAT. But then you have a volume for approx. 1000 B&W films. Use it up within 5 years it is still 200 films each year for R09/Rodinal only development. 🙂 Too much for most analogue photographers .....

 

[miha]

Most developers can be mixed from scratch for less money. Rapid fixers, though, are best off the shelf as ammonium thiosulfate doesn't keep well in powder form. Of course, one can always use sodium based fixers.