Most Commonly Used B&W Film Developer

[Juan Valdenebro]

Juan: Didn't mean to slight Microphen by any means. Clearly I left out plenty of good stuff. Caffenol and a variety of good stuff, too. Worked off the Ilford-Kodak equivalent sheet on the web (and didn't add the ECO equivalents). My apologies.

FWIW, I'm glad folks mentioned the other developers... like Beutler and D-23 and hope that will continue. Would've liked to have seen FX-1/FX-2/TFX-2 and a slew of others as well (I have a bottle of TFX-2 I bought on a lark). The Barry Thornton Dixatol (Ultra) / Exactol Lux and some of the other good old stuff is of interest as well. But I keep going with what works and is dependable.

Oh, no, your pole is great! Indeed, Microphen is inside it (DD-X equivalent...), and yes, impossible to name so many developers...
By the way, the quotation at the bottom of your posts is wonderful!
Thank you for your kind words!

 

[Perks]

I have recently tried Xtol after a couple of years with D-76 for Hp5+
I really like it, as it does what it says on the tin, greater speed, less grain, sharper and more preserved highlights. The tonality is different, and i like that too.
I have so far only used the recommended inversion sequence, but have cut down on the recommended times.
I only scan (at this stage) and whilst I cant say I prefer the tonality to D76 (I like both looks) for my 400 speed needs (often pushing, harsh sun and contrast) and workflow I will be using Xtol for the foreseeable future.

 

[jamin-b]

Lately I have been doing everything in HC-110, 1+100 semi stand development, rating at box speed. I know this may not be optimal, but i have been pleased with the results with Tmax 100 and 400, Ilford Pan 50, FP4+, HP5+ and Tri-x (at 250 or 400). Semi stand for me means agitating for the first 30 seconds or so and 5-6 inversions each 15 minutes after, for a total of 45 minutes development.

 

[roscoetuff]

Juan: Thanks! Flaherty was the documentary filmmaker. Did "Nanook of the North" and then a piece on Louisiana's bayou life in the 1950's.

jamin-B: I'm doing the HC-110 in 1:100 but low agitation (1st 60 seconds, followed by 10 seconds every 3 minutes... typically for a total of 18-24 minutes depending on temp). Works very well. Might try your Semi-Stand sometime just to free up more of my own time. Good part about low agitation is there's none of the dreaded streaking, bromide drag or whatever issues (so far).

FWIW, would sure love to see the poll numbers cross the 300-350 range to give a bead on things. Assuming good poll numbers are 700 to 800 here, and perhaps 50% are active and active developers to boot, that might be a good goal. Biggest suprise so far is the ZERO for pyrogallo type developers... which kind of supports those who suggest it's an internet buzz with fewer followers than it seems. "One of those things that makes you say, 'Hmmmmmmm'."

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I suspect that some pyrogallol users switched to pyrocat as I did...

 

[giganova]

Ilford DD-X for all my b&w films. Fabulous developer!

 

[Craig Schroeder]

PyroCat MC has been what I've settled on with some Xtol used a bit, too. The PyroCat has eased my film scanning struggles but gives up about a stop in film speed for best results. The tonal transitions seem smoother and the edge effects add some snap back to the image, especially eyelashes and other hard edges. Shelf life and activity levels are very consistent for my erratic usage, too.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I voted "other" as I use Perceptol diluted 1:2.

Erik.

 

[Dogman]

I didn't vote since it's been years since I used film. But I probably used more Agfa Rodinal than anything else during those several decades I spent with film, mainly using Tri-X. I diluted the Rodinal 1:75 with a sodium sulfite mixture, as detailed by Bill Pierce in a magazine article sometime in the 1970's. That Tri-X/Rodinal combination was my standard.

When Rodinal became hard to find locally, I used Edwal FG7 for a time and then switched to D76 simply because it was so universally available.

I don't think the current Adox Rodinal is the same formula as the Agfa Rodinal I used. Even Tri-X is different now.

 

[Erik van Straten]

I don't think the current Adox Rodinal is the same formula as the Agfa Rodinal I used. Even Tri-X is different now.

Yes, TriX is different now, but the active substance of Rodinal, para-aminofenolhydrochlorid, is unchanged since the 19th century.

Erik.

 

[Pioneer]

...I don't think the current Adox Rodinal is the same formula as the Agfa Rodinal I used. Even Tri-X is different now.

It is unlikely you could tell the difference in photographs developed in the current versions against photographs developed in the old formula.

EDIT - As Erik points out, it still uses the same active developing ingredient.

 

[roscoetuff]

Surprised no one has listed Perceptol. Outside of Barry Thornton's "Edge of Darkness", maybe it doesn't get much play. I'm thinking it should, but maybe we're all Kodakicized? My next Kodak cousin to give a trial to might well be some D-23 like ol Pioneer Dan.

Should've bumped up Pyrocat-HD by one... as I'm using it and liked it enough to order a 2nd batch. Still a little leery of the stuff which is why the poll here came to mind to see what folks are actually using. Not sure that everyone is avoiding Pyrocat-HD per se, but FWIW, I see that on APUG and Largeformat and some other site I forget, Pyrocat-HD has more or less replaced the Barry Thornton signature developers: Dixatol/Exactol. He did get some pretty nice results.

In the end, I need to do some testing. Decide what I like as "keepers", what's easy to work with, and junk the rest. Just saying.

 

[Nokton48]

Surprised no one has listed Perceptol.

Don't use Perceptol, cause it can't be replenished. But I love the look I get from it! Use Leagcy Mic-X instead, basically the same thing. Add replenisher which I make using the Mic-X and the Kodak instructions. My stock solution is FOUR YEARS OLD and still gives lovely results. Takes about fifty rolls to get it properly "seasoned". Very economical way to beautifully develop BOKU film stock of all kinds.

001 by Nokton48, on Flickr

 

[Skiff]

I don't think the current Adox Rodinal is the same formula as the Agfa Rodinal I used. Even Tri-X is different now.

Well, Adox Rodinal is the original Agfa Rodinal formula!
The same formula used by Agfa Germany in their chemical plant in Vaihingen before they stopped production of photo chemistry there (the plant is still operating by the way, but producing other chemical products).
Adox has their own photo chemistry production now.

 

[webOSUser]

I've been using HC110 and the 'Massive Development Chart' Android application for all of my B&W processing. It seems to be working well enough.

 

[ChrisPlatt]

I'll admit I've had dalliances with others, but when they go bad - as they inevitably do - I always come back to HC110.

Chris

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

I have to admit that I've only developed a dozen rolls of film after a 41 year hiatus in the darkroom.
So I tried Rodinal, and now D76. The prints from Tmax in D76 are pretty nice, I think I will go that route for a while.

 

[roscoetuff]

Nokton: What dilutions are you using for Mic-X? And how are you using this? Perceptol's a one-shot. Most seem to be. Just curious.

 

[Nokton48]

Nokton: What dilutions are you using for Mic-X? And how are you using this? Perceptol's a one-shot. Most seem to be. Just curious.

I don't dilute it, I use it straight and replenish it. My stock solution is over four years old!

I use this developer for 16mm to 8x10" film

35mm is Eastman 5222 Double-X motion picture film.

 

[pet905]

I have settled with Rodinal and XTOL as my developers. Rodinal for slow film and XTOL for 400 ISO film.

Peter