Most Commonly Used B&W Film Developer

Most Commonly Used B&W Film Developer

  • Total voters
    417
Ted Striker said:
HC-110 was formulated to produce the same results as D-76 but in concentrate form as opposed to powders.

HC-110 is far easier to mix, is unaffected by oxidation so has a much longer shelf life than D-76. Plus, with the various dilutions, one can adjust the timing of their development far more than with D-76.

Basically using HC-110 gives you all the advantages of D-76 without the oxidation that you worry about.

Why bother with D-76?
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Because IME D76 gives better tonal range and better defined grain. YMMV.
I believe Herb Ritts lab developed his 120 TriX in D76. Ritts BW is the top when it comes to tonal range on film exposed under a bright sun.
HC 110 is good at raising ISO. D76 is the standard for 200 to 320 asa metered Trix. again... ymmv.
 
Ted Striker said:
Not even slightly difficult to mix into water. It is 100% water soluble and goes into water with even the most minimal agitation. The viscosity of HC-110 is higher than water but extremely low by any other standard. I use a simple 3ml syringe to add it to water. Takes about 45 seconds to measure, add, and mix into 20 C water.
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Clearly I ought to try a different syringe than the one I have now. I have a couple of blunt tipped 5 ml syringes that I bought originally to use with my fountain pens--refilling cartridges mainly--and they work very well for that. Probably the needle bore is too small to handle the HC-110.
Going to see if either a glue syringe or something from my local drug store or veterinary supply place has something better suited.


Rob
 
rbiemer said:
Clearly I ought to try a different syringe than the one I have now. I have a couple of blunt tipped 5 ml syringes that I bought originally to use with my fountain pens--refilling cartridges mainly--and they work very well for that. Probably the needle bore is too small to handle the HC-110.
Going to see if either a glue syringe or something from my local drug store or veterinary supply place has something better suited.


Rob
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Ah, that is the problem. You dont need to use a needle. I remove the needle from my syringe and throw it away. No need to use that!

Edit: Reread your post and it may be that you are not using a needle. Too early to post for me I thinK!
 
Ted Striker said:
Ah, that is the problem. You dont need to use a needle. I remove the needle from my syringe and throw it away. No need to use that!

Edit: Reread your post and it may be that you are not using a needle. Too early to post for me I thinK!
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Oh, for pete's sake. You did read my post correctly. I was using the needle that came with the syringe. of course I was. :rolleyes::bang::eek::D

What's really making me laugh at my self is that the syringes I have shipped with the needle dismounted and when I use them with my pens, I need to attach them. And again dismount them once I'm done using them. :D

Thank you, sir, for the epiphany this morning as I read your reply!

Rob
 
rbiemer said:
Oh, for pete's sake. You did read my post correctly. I was using the needle that came with the syringe. of course I was. :rolleyes::bang::eek::D

What's really making me laugh at my self is that the syringes I have shipped with the needle dismounted and when I use them with my pens, I need to attach them. And again dismount them once I'm done using them. :D

Thank you, sir, for the epiphany this morning as I read your reply!

Rob
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Excellent. Toss the needle and you will find HC-110 far easier to use!


Enjoy.
 
NickTrop said:
Back when I was big into b/w film I tried a bunch -- DD-X, Rodinal, Diafine, HC-110 (maybe XTOL too) but always came back to D-76. I got the most consistent results with it, negs always looked good, and it's easy to use. It was also available locally "then" and could walk to a nearby camera store and buy a pack if needed. The rest had to be ordered online. Very forgiving, almost impossible to screw up. Downside was it might oxidize but I bought these collapsable bottles that kept air out. Seemed to work. Rodinal has a virtually indefinite shelf life and was a little sharper (but really, not all "that") and lasts forever but not versatile and definitely more visible grain. Also it had to be diluted so much I never felt confident I got the ratio right (but always did). Diafine caused bromide streaks in some rolls. You can keep it. DD-X was good too but a bit pricey iirc. I didn't see what all the hubbub was about with HC110. It was "okay" but never got on with "the goo" and didn't see it as any better than D-76, so why bother?

So good ole D-76 it was for me.

So here's my "controversial" statement that will upset some. "I" think D-76 is seen as a "for kids" or "starter" developer. Something you use in HS photography class. Grown-ups use (fill in the blank) developer. Kinda like "real" photograhers shoot RAW. Baloney. (And I think that's why although the poll has D-76 in a virtual tie for first? Few people jumping on this thread talking up D-76. C'mon D-76 users. Come out of the closet. It's okay! We both know that this is the best developer out there... No need to be shy.)

Meanwhile, D-76 is perfect. Plentiful, inexpensive, easy, versatile, forgiving, consistent. You can push with it, pull with it mess with the dilution. Forget you have negs in the Jobo, pull them out a week later, they look fine.

Yeah. I'm on team D-76.

But I no longer fool with black and white film. But if I did?

THE MIGHTY

D. SEVENTY. SIX!

The rest you can keep.
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I have been using D-76 with Tri-X since I picked up shooting b&w film a few years ago now. It's a standard of course, but I remember specifically that Tom Abrahamson recommended this combo so I resisted adopting XTOL at the beginning - and right now I have some D-76 that is awaiting use. When looking back at my very modest archive the D-76/Tri-X combo has given the best results, hands down. I have also worked on the idea that each film type takes its own developer - so I have used XTOL with Fomapan 200 and 400 - often with good result and I have used Rodinal with Fomapan 100 and T-Max 100. In the later case I got better results with D-76 than Rodinal. Oh yes - HC-110 like Rodinal cannot be brought aboard a plane. I tend to bring chemicals back with me from the States to avoid the awful prices one is required to pay here. D-76 can be put into checked baggage.
 
traveler_101 said:
I have been using D-76 with Tri-X since I picked up shooting b&w film a few years ago now. It's a standard of course, but I remember specifically that Tom Abrahamson recommended this combo so I resisted adopting XTOL at the beginning - and right now I have some D-76 that is awaiting use. When looking back at my very modest archive the D-76/Tri-X combo has given the best results, hands down. I have also worked on the idea that each film type takes its own developer - so I have used XTOL with Fomapan 200 and 400 - often with good result and I have used Rodinal with Fomapan 100 and T-Max 100. In the later case I got better results with D-76 than Rodinal. Oh yes - HC-110 like Rodinal cannot be brought aboard a plane. I tend to bring chemicals back with me from the States to avoid the awful prices one is required to pay here. D-76 can be put into checked baggage.
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+1. You can take D-76 on a plane. Can't take HC-110. Tri-X and D-76, classic combo. Really, D-76 and anything. I really didn't see an improvement using any other developer. But you fool around with this stuff because it's fun to fool around with. Far worse things you can fool around if you're fooling around than developer and film combos.

Actually, my favorite film stock was Kodak BW400CN. No developer needed. Great tonality. May it rest in peace.
 
"All substances, which pose a risk of fire, corrosion or the development of toxic gases, are completely forbidden in the checked baggage as well as in the carry-on baggage."

It's not really flammable but it is toxic. Frankly as someone who flies frequently I hope they don't allow HC-110 or other liquid chemicals on the plane. You might get away with it, but I wouldn't bet on it. If they confiscate it costs you $28.50 for a one later bottle. In the meantime D-76 is only $6.95 to make a gallon.
 
Rob,

The pharmacy or veterinary supply place should have something that will make your HC110 measuring much easier.

Check the pharmacy for Oral Syringes. The one that I bought is a 10ml / 2 tsp syringe with a short piece of blue tubing. It worked well enough for measuring HC110.

Photographers Formulary has a 12 cc Micro Mixer. It is a 12 ml syringe with a short piece of 1/8 in tubing. It has worked better for HC110 as I generally use about 11 ml of HC110 at a time.

In both cases, the tubing is too short. I picked up Du-Bro Super Blue Silicon Fuel Line Part No 223 at a local hobby shop. It is 2 feet long . Six inches of the hose works well sucking HC-110 out of the bottle.

I cover the markings on the syringes with clear packing tape to prevent them from wearing off.

Steve W

rbiemer said:
Clearly I ought to try a different syringe than the one I have now. I have a couple of blunt tipped 5 ml syringes that I bought originally to use with my fountain pens--refilling cartridges mainly--and they work very well for that. Probably the needle bore is too small to handle the HC-110.
Going to see if either a glue syringe or something from my local drug store or veterinary supply place has something better suited.

Rob
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Ilford Perceptol for TMY2-400.

Erik.

49381307791_0e8a235171_b.jpg
 
Nice to see what others have as a favorite developer - but I won't be able to vote, because I regularly use both HC-110 and Rodinal.
 
HC110 and Rodinal -- cheap, easy and lasts a long time, though I go through at least 1000 ml of each every year. I do experiment with others just to shake things up a bit.
 
HC110 over D76?

HC110 over D76?

Ted Striker said:
HC-110 was formulated to produce the same results as D-76 but in concentrate form as opposed to powders.

HC-110 is far easier to mix, is unaffected by oxidation so has a much longer shelf life than D-76. Plus, with the various dilutions, one can adjust the timing of their development far more than with D-76.

Basically using HC-110 gives you all the advantages of D-76 without the oxidation that you worry about.

Why bother with D-76?
Click to expand...

I have not done a side-by-side comparison, but numerous members of this forum have most likely done so. If I recall correctly, HC110 is fine with 120 and larger format films but results in more *apparent* grain on the smaller format 135 films ... especially so for TriX. Again, I've yet to see any scientific comparison here, but perhaps others participating in this discussion might provide some link(s)?

TR
 
How do you all dispose of developer/fixer? At school they make a rather big deal of contamination risks and safe disposal into special tanks that then get taken somewhere, which is one of the things holding me back from home development so far.
 
Hc110

Hc110

I have standardized on HC110 dilution H for 35mm, 120 and even LF work. It is just so convenient that any theoretical or real drawbacks to it seem minor by comparison. Tmax400 for 11 min in dilution H with 6 twists every minute, then water as stop for 30 seconds and then fix for 10 minutes. Simple and always ready to go.
My problem with D76 was that whenever I would get around to having a few rolls to develop, my D76 was a deep oxidized brown - and so I would have to wait a day after making up a fresh batch, assuming that I had a fresh pouch around. Otherwise more delay in going to the one remaining camera store in my area or an on-line order. HC100 always available even a year or so after opening the bottle. You can't go wrong.
 
I voted for Pyrogallol types. I used PMK+ from Gordon Hutchings book "The Art of Pyro" for quite a while 30 years ago. One bottle lasted me through that entire period, it certainly must be the most economical developer known to Mankind. And Pyro negs have such amazing high values, I'm printing them now finally after all this time and really diggin' it.

Bought another bottle of PMK which should last me at least the next decade.

According to Kodak literature Pyro types were KODAK D-1. Well before D-76, D-92 etc
 
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