Favorite developers for skin tones in portraits

John Bragg

John Bragg

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Having a general muse about my workflow right now and I have found that one developer is a real standout favorite for skin tones. I have always loved the look that Jane Bown was able to achieve with Tri-X and whatever developer that was in general use within the darkroom at the Observer. Eamon McCabe often said that Jane used his well worked developer. I am using Ilfosol 3 and Ilfotec HC, but to my eye the Ilfosol has it. What I look for is a certain Plasticity and Microcontrast that brings out all the nuances in a well lit portrait. Above all else I need to retain all the high tones. What do you use ?


Philip by E.J. Bragg, on Flickr
 
I have to agree about Trix or HP5+, The Delta and Tmax films although I use them and like them are not my choice for portraits: too sharp maybe. I like HC-110H (the H is important to me) seems to soften the grain and as I scan now it is easier for me to scan.

This is Tmax 400 (old) in, I think, D-76:

2006 Rolleiflex (645 mask) Tmax400 by John Carter, on Flickr

I like that portrait but well it could have been better.

The same with this Delta 100 and I used HC-110H:

Delta 100 expired HC-110h by John Carter, on Flickr

TriX with HC-110H, I don't do many portraits but here is one with my choice combo:

TriX HC-110h by John Carter, on Flickr
 
Nice work John. Why oh why did Kodak mess with the formula of HC-110 ? Yes I know it has changed over the years, but not like the latest change. I have dabbled with Ilfotec HC but with my setup, it has more clumping of grain in certain places. Ilfosol 3 is more akin to X-tol.
 
I've been lucky with the 'new' HC-110. I actually find it easier to use than the old, but who knows if it is as long lasting. Everything is the same as to times, dilutions, temp, and agitation. So that went smoothly. Someone said they had some crystals form in their bottle. I checked mine and it did have some. I wrote Kodak and they sent me a new bottle, but I'm still on my original bottle with the crystals. They were nice enough to send me three rolls of film with it.

One roll was Tmax 3200, I had never used it: surprisingly good, but not my style.

Tmax 3200 @ 1600 HC-110H:

Tmax3200 HC-110h by John Carter, on Flickr
 
Changes to HC-110

Changes to HC-110

John Bragg said:
Nice work John. Why oh why did Kodak mess with the formula of HC-110 ? Yes I know it has changed over the years, but not like the latest change. I have dabbled with Ilfotec HC but with my setup, it has more clumping of grain in certain places. Ilfosol 3 is more akin to X-tol.
Click to expand...

Chemically, HC-110 was essentially identical from its introduction in ~1962, apart from minor differences in concentration and therefore dilutions, until 2019 when it was reformulated.

They changed it because they changed the manufacturer when Tetenal went bankrupt and the new producer couldn’t easily make the diethanolamine-sulfur dioxide complex, so they made a formula with water and sulfite. It is probably the same as the Legacy Pro L110 and produces results so close to the original HC-110 I doubt anyone could tell the difference, but the concentrate definitely doesn’t last like ‘original’ HC-110 did.

Marty
 
I've also experienced and read that Rodinal has an exceptional self life. One account that I read on the ever correct internet was that in 1950s while still cleaning up after WWII someone found a bottle of Rodinal within the rubble. After ten years it still worked.

I would assume that Rodinal's formula includes water and sulfite, or am I wrong about the whole thing. I just threw out a bottle of Rodinal that I had from 13 years, and it worked until the end.
 
charjohncarter said:
I've also experienced and read that Rodinal has an exceptional self life. One account that I read on the ever correct internet was that in 1950s while still cleaning up after WWII someone found a bottle of Rodinal within the rubble. After ten years it still worked.

I would assume that Rodinal's formula includes water and sulfite, or am I wrong about the whole thing. I just threw out a bottle of Rodinal that I had from 13 years, and it worked until the end.
Click to expand...

Different developing agents - Rodinal uses para-aminophenol and HC-110 uses hydroquinone and dimezone. But a lot of Rodinal’s legendary longevity is because Agfa used exceptionally well-sealing packaging. I have some Rodinal from the 1940s that still works fine. Some internet babble you’ll hear about early Rodinal being magic because it used lithium salts rather than potassium or sodium is just babble. The cations don’t participate in development or change the characteristics of the developer if you keep the active component concentrations the same (mostly hydroxide). I tried it, and ended up with a litre of very normal but expensive rodinal copy.

Marty
 
charjohncarter said:
I've been lucky with the 'new' HC-110. I actually find it easier to use than the old, but who knows if it is as long lasting. Everything is the same as to times, dilutions, temp, and agitation. So that went smoothly. Someone said they had some crystals form in their bottle. I checked mine and it did have some. I wrote Kodak and they sent me a new bottle, but I'm still on my original bottle with the crystals. They were nice enough to send me three rolls of film with it.

One roll was Tmax 3200, I had never used it: surprisingly good, but not my style.

Tmax 3200 @ 1600 HC-110H:

Tmax3200 HC-110h by John Carter, on Flickr
Click to expand...

I recently tried TMAX P3200 (@3200), developed in HC110 B, and was pleasantly surprised. My roll(s) was a gift also:

https://emulsive.org/articles/5-fra...-carl-zeiss-50mm-f-1-8-ultron-by-mark-j-wyatt
 
Ccoppola82 said:
I think for portraits specifically I would use D23. I am liking the results from Vestal divided D76 though for 35mm.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I was wondering about D23. I like its simplicity. I used Perceptol years ago and I liked it very much. It was too expensive though as I used it one shot and diluted 1:1. D23 is just simply Perceptol without the salt.
 
In the seventies I was in my teens, I used DK-50 for 35mm press work. Now in 2021 I am setting up a 3 1/2 gallon B&W 8x10 sink line using Kodak Hard Rubber Tanks. I have four tanks with floating lids and a wash tank. Very nice. I had a carpenter build a custom table for holding the tanks.

I bought out a camera store closing got about a dozen DK-50 packages. DK-50 Replenisher I got on Ebay. This stuff is old but presumed still good?

I know DK-50 is a classic deep tank developer. Perfect for large format.
 
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