One developer for B&W film, my film

[davidnewtonguitars]

Been here long enough to know there isn't one thing for everyone, but if:
My son & myself shoot, 35mm, Tri-x, T-max, Ilford HP5, FP4, and I just ordered some Bergger Pancro 400, shooting all at box speed, what one best developer for this "set" of films?

Up until now I have used Rodinal 1:100 stand, with ok results, especially with FP4. I have Kodak D76 in transit along with the Pancro 400.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

D-76 1+1 works well for all of Kodak's films and all of Ilford's films. I have not tried the new Bergger film, so can't comment on it, but for everything else, D-76 is the best all around developer.

If you prefer a liquid developer, then Try Kodak Tmax developer. I use it diluted 1+7 instead of the standard 1+4 dilution. To get developing times for the 1+7 dilution, multiply the 1+4 times by 1.5 (Example: so if the normal time for Tmax developer is 6 minutes, you develop at 9 minutes in the 1+7 dilution)

 

[Ronald M]

D76 1:1. I have been making from raw stock chems for 10 years now for $1/liter.
There is no difference to Kodak where you must mix a full gallon.

Mine goes into 125 ml bottles and lasts 6 months after which a very slow loss of activity occurs.

Let it rest 24 hours after mixing.

It works very well with Bergger 200 for years back. If 400 was in my camera, I would use it.

Works well with all K films, Delta 100, but not 400. Was great with first Delta 400, not new stuff. Current 400 needs Xtol or DDX where it is wonderful. Others have documented this when current version first appeared 10 years back.

Use stock, 1:1, or 1:3 to get variations in grain and sharpness.

 

[Ko.Fe.]

D-76 is old style I started with. Works with most regular films and regular speeds. I just find it not comfortable in its form to be used and switched to much more compact and flexible HC-110.
And I like Rodinal for low price, compactness and for low speed films. Less viscosity to deal with comparing to HC-110.

 

[lawrence]

As others have said, D76 is an excellent allrounder and the nice thing is that most, if not all, manufacturers quote development times for it. If I was to choose just one developer it would be D76 (or ID11, which is Ilford's equivalent).

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

Thanks so much!
Since I have dry D-76 on the way, I will try it on the 400 films, along with Rodinal for slow film.

 

[roscoetuff]

Haven't standardized per se on a film or developer, but am using mostly FP4 and HP5 with HC-110 and recently Pyrocat-HD which gives some very nice results. Fairly, HC-110 with high dilution (1:100) and minimal agitation can do the same. This is turning in very smooth, repeatable results for me that I'm very happy with not trying to change much. Surprisingly happy so that I'm not feeling there's a technical block in my "work" any more (although I'm going to be a lot less less aggressive with the squeegee than I've been). Might even throw out the other stuff I bought "just to try" 'cause I don't need the distraction? It's possible. (Bottle of Rodinal untouched; TFX-2 untouched; and FA-1027 used a bit).

I've bought some Bergger 400 and Fuji Acros but haven't shot them yet, and haven't developed the Pan-F I shot yet either.

Hemmed and hawed about ordering more Pyrocat-HD when I ran out... because some of the things folks write about it make you think you're working with Nitroglycerin... which you're not, but it kinds of makes you leery in ways HC-110 probably should as well... but no one talks about it that way. Anyway, I like the very high dilution chemistry and minimal agitation, and don't see much of that reported on with either XTOL or D76 as a tool for imaging... and there's only so much "figuring'" and guesstimating and experimenting of my own. So I guess that means HC-110 'cause "I can do the math." Like to stand on the shoulders of the giants who've already done the hard stuff and simply revise from there 'cause I'm not really equipped to do more than that.

FWIW, creativity... matters more than technique, but technique can get in the way if it's not smoothed out. Problem with changing equipment, film, developers is re-setting what you know... which I think delays stepping up the game or figuring out what variable to play with to improve. Maybe not for everyone. But for me, creativity comes with shooting a lot so that your (my) eyes begin to see stuff that's always been there... only now you realize what you can do with it.

 

[filmtwit]

D76 is great and will work well with allot of the films you listed, but I'd avoid using it with Tmax films.

I generally stick to Rodanel for slow films (100 asa or slower) and Hc110 for quicker films.

Hope that helps.

 

[rfaspen]

If anything, I'm learning that I'm not alone in my choices.

D-76 is very much a "general" developer. However, I'm not using it so much anymore.

Rodinal is darn versatile. And, a bottle will stay "good" for many, many years. I tried some of my 20+ year old stuff earlier this year and its as good as new.

HC-110 is the other versatile developer for me. Its only drawback is "activity". It seems to be too strong for certain films and its difficult to get development times less than 5 mins.

Not yet mentioned, but surprisingly versatile: Caffenol. Yes, Caffenol.

I've used caffenol on every film type I have in the freezer (that's quite a few) and it works well with nearly all of them. The films that didn't turn out great just needed fine tuning with dev times. Caffenol might be the developer we all use in the dystopian future 😱 World events are crazy these days.... and I'm prepared. Caffenol for developer, vinegar for stop (when appropriate), pool chems for fixer, dishsoap for final rinse (I know this isn't universally endorsed). Who needs Freestyle? Oh, yeah, the film.😱

 

[ChrisPlatt]

I sometimes use other developers, but I always keep HC110 on hand.
FWIW the Freestyle clone Legacypro L110 is less viscous than Kodak.

Chris

 

[Jake Mongey]

I personally use Ilford ID11 as a standard developer and it performs very well, however D76 is also an excellent choice

 

[Ronald M]

I think you should pick one film and use it for a year. Lots of time and effort will be used skipping around for little gain. Same with developers.

First off the film developer combo has to be tuned to your darkroom. Boring waste of time and if not done, nothing will be learned.

 

[jbrubaker]

D-76 formula for 1 liter?i

D-76 formula for 1 liter?i

D76 1:1. I have been making from raw stock chems for 10 years now for $1/liter.
There is no difference to Kodak where you must mix a full gallon.

Mine goes into 125 ml bottles and lasts 6 months after which a very slow loss of activity occurs.

Ronald - What is your formula for 1 liter of D-76? thanks ---john.

 

[Dpingr1]

Like a lot of people here, I've been down the try-everything roller coaster. (The Pyrocat period was especially interesting.) Every developer has its own character, but there's only so much time! Now I keep it simple -- D76 for everything over 100 ISO, and Rodinal for everything else. Find one or two you like, and stick with them for a while.

 

[Deleted member 65559]

I use a few films in 5x7, 120 & 35...more FP4+ than anything, then Tri-X and TMY-2. Pyrocat HD in glycol has been my pick for at least the last 5 yrs. everything gets wet printed usually on ilford FB warmtone & some remaining Forte

 

[02Pilot]

I'll second the recommendation to standardize on one (or possibly two) emulsions and stick with them. I bounced through most of what's out there before coming to rest on HP5+ and FP4+. My developer is Caffenol in two variants: C-H(RS) for normal development, and C-L for pushing via stand development; not for everyone, but I've quite pleased with the results.

 

[roscoetuff]

Dan: As a dude new to Pyrocat-HD, I wonder whether you can tell me more about "The Pyrocat period was especially interest...". Evidently you bailed on it... why?

 

[Dpingr1]

Dan: As a dude new to Pyrocat-HD, I wonder whether you can tell me more about "The Pyrocat period was especially interest...". Evidently you bailed on it... why?

Oh, I just decided it wasn't for me. I was very interested in the process for a while after reading about it in View Camera and other sources, and spent several months with Pyrocat-HD looking for differences in my prints. I did find the prints to have a certain sharp character, with VC paper especially, but I was (and still am) comparing everything to Rodinal, which is the look I like best. I eventually decided that all the precautions necessary with Pyro developers wasn't worth it for me, and went back to easier to use chemicals. Now I'm more interested in shooting than developing, and I get great results with the old standbys. By all means, stick with it if you like it -- to each his own. I think I still have an old box of PMK somewhere -- maybe I'll give that a try someday.

 

[davidnewtonguitars]

Thanks all. The reason I mentioned both myself & my son:
I shoot only the FP4+ at 125. I'm 65
He shoots only 400 speed B&W, is 22, and wants to try everything.
I am in charge of development, am trying to simplify, but didn't think Rodinal stand was good for everything.

 

[Phil_F_NM]

If you're going with D76 then give it a try and possibly commit to it.
I used it for a while but switched maybe a decade ago to HC-110 at dilution "H" and haven't looked back. Dilution H is 2x diluted Dilution B. 1:63 instead of 1:32. I don't stand develop but I use minimal agitation. This soup is forgiving in time and agitation. It's great for folks learning the process and it's great when you've got all the process down pat and want reliable development. The best part I love about using this dilution of this developer is you can mix it one-shot. Just get the ratio right with regard to how much you need for your tank or for your session and go. No replenishing stock to deal with, nothing to mess up there. For my 4x5 development I just take 1oz of syrup and mix it with 63oz of distilled water, then it's ready. The concentrated syrup lasts forever. I had a bottle of the old goo for six years before I was in college and a bit after. I was working mostly in digital and didn't do much of my own development. It had turned brown and nasty looking but it worked just as well as the day it was opened.

Phil Forrest