Reformulated: Kodak HC-110

[Ted Striker]

If you look at B & H's web site, you'll see that there's a new entry under HC-110. Now labeled "New Formula" it appears in 2019 Kodak has made a very substantial change to the HC-110 formula. So substantial a change that former Kodak engineers consider this a different developer, very unlikely to have the same long shelf life that HC-110 is known for. I'll link the thread below where they talk about it.

HC-110 has been my go to developer for the past 10 years. Aside from DD-X, it's all I have ever used. You can still get the old formula now, but for how long, no one knows. I hardly shoot film now so my current liter of HC-110 will last me many, many, many years. But should I need a new developer, I will no longer turn to Kodak for this need as I am uninterested in this new formula.

https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/new-hc-110-formula.169322/

 

[Shac]

Ted - thanks for the heads up. Like you I rarely shoot film and should have enough of the old HC-110 to last me.
Cheers
David

 

[p.giannakis]

The HC-110 is my main deveoper too so i would be interested to see how the "New HC-110" compares.

 

[Ted Striker]

The HC-110 is my main deveoper too so i would be interested to see how the "New HC-110" compares.

My current opened bottle of HC-110 is many years old. It is extremely dark red and semi gelatinous. I used it to develop 2 rolls of Neopan Acros today. It was, as usual, 100% spot on. This developer is indestructible. Sadly, that property is likely lost as judged by the former Kodak chemists in the thread that I linked to.

I dont like this reformulation. If it were so good, Kodak would have told us why and how it is improved instead of this stealth move.

 

[Ted Striker]

Ted - thanks for the heads up. Like you I rarely shoot film and should have enough of the old HC-110 to last me.
Cheers
David

You are very welcome.

 

[yossarian123]

Dang. Now I'll have to go and buy up the stock at Central camera.

 

[45govt]

Just bought a bottle of the original on B&H that is still in stock so no need for me to worry as what I have will last what 10 years, heck I may be dead by then.

 

[Corran]

Assuming you're using 1:32 that would be about 128 35mm rolls of film, 12.8 per year, or about 1 per month. Sounds like you just need to shoot more film.

 

[45govt]

True, but I also use Rodinal, T-Max, Paranol S, Pyrocat HD, and have some Superfine to try.

 

[brbo]

Is the US HC-110 now the same as European HC-110?

 

[Freakscene]

Is the US HC-110 now the same as European HC-110?

The European and US HC110 used to be the same thing but at different concentration. What has happened is that Kodak has reformulated HC110 to remove the need for a manufacturing step that involves bubbling sulfur dioxide and hydrobromic acid gases into the organic alkali. It now resembles the Legacy Pro HC110 copy and the main functional difference is that it now has water in it whereas it previously was a non-aqueous liquid. Whether this means that the European and US product will be different is unclear, or if the US product will be the new formula and the European product will be the old product, as some have suggested, is unclear.

Edit:
European HC-110 was Kodak Cat# 500 1466. It was discontinued some time in the mid-2000s. It was thinner than American HC-110 syrup but was not watery.

I never liked the tonality HC110 gave, so it’s no loss to me, but I can understand the angst that changes in products cause the people who use them. This type of thing will be common as demand dwindles and suppliers consolidate.

Marty

 

[p.giannakis]

Marty, does that in your opinion affect its shelf life?

 

[Ted Striker]

Marty, does that in your opinion affect its shelf life?

Absolutely. HC-110's legendary shelf life was due to its total lack of water. It is no longer a water free product and so shelf life will be dramatically lower. The presence of water allows for many side reactions between the various chemicals to occur. This shortens shelf life.

Kodak really should be commenting on this change.

 

[CharlesDAMorgan]

Agreed - shelf life and open bottle ageing are vital bits of information. I nearly had two films entirely ruined by almost off developer that was well within its shelf life, photos I'd never be able to take again.

So many people use this developer with certainty about its ageing - if a formula is changing that changes that, they need to be told.

 

[Ted Striker]

Seems that this change to HC-110 is not alone. Dektol and XTOL now have 2019 versions. Reading further production is also moving back to the US.

This must be related to the Tetanal bankruptcy. They previously made all of Kodak's chemicals. Ilford must be having issues too.

Seems that the "new" Tetanal is losing a ton of business. How they will survive is anyone's guess.

 

[raydm6]

Is there a way to tell the difference in packaging between the old and new? Wondering if the bar code/UPC number is different?

 

[sepiareverb]

We are being told it is a new formula, right on the bottle. Different catalog number as well.

 

[Ted Striker]

Is there a way to tell the difference in packaging between the old and new? Wondering if the bar code/UPC number is different?

My understanding is that the old formula is made in Germany. Look for that.

 

[brbo]

Seems that this change to HC-110 is not alone. Dektol and XTOL now have 2019 versions. Reading further production is also moving back to the US.

This must be related to the Tetanal bankruptcy. They previously made all of Kodak's chemicals. Ilford must be having issues too.

Seems that the "new" Tetanal is losing a ton of business. How they will survive is anyone's guess.

Couldn't care less about HC-110, but Xtol, too?! Argh...

New Tetenal should be back in business, but Kodak dropping them even if their alternative is obviously worse seems odd.

For example the Tetenal RA-4 kit, previously unavailable for some time, is available again. Maybe with (temporary) lower production capabilities they are concentrating on products with higher margins (sold under their own brand) and Kodak didn't think that they will be able to produce stuff for them soon enough (cheap as before?)?

 

[Ted Striker]

Couldn't care less about HC-110, but Xtol, too?! Argh...

New Tetenal should be back in business, but Kodak dropping them even if their alternative is obviously worse seems odd.

D-76 too. All of these Kodak chemicals now have 2019 version formulations. Seems that there has been a wholesale move away from Tetanal.

I'm not sure why D-76's formula would need to change.