What developer?

[kknox]

I have been mixing 1 gal of developer at a time. I do not use it fast enough and it turns brown, I have to throw it out. What do you all use that I can mix like 2 rolls at a time that keeps un mixed for an extended time. I went to develop 4 rolls tonight and my unmixed concentrate is bad. I like fine grain if you have any suggestions for what to use with 400 film & I also have some Neopan 1600 to develop. I would like to buy just one type of developer. Thanks

 

[Clovis]

Rodinal and HC110 both keep for a long time in concentrate form.

 

[Lflex]

I second Clovis' suggestion. I have been using both because they are very easy to use, economical and seem to last forever in concentrated form. HC-110 will give you finer grain than Rodinal and is probably preferable if 400 and above is your prefeered ISO range.

 

[nikon_sam]

Rodinal and HC110 both keep for a long time in concentrate form.

I got rid of the D-76 and down to HC-110 and Rodinal...I'm much happier not having to worry about a stock solution going bad...😀😉

 

[kknox]

Thanks I ordered HC-110.

 

[Frontman]

For ease of use, I like Microdol X in the small pouches suitable for making 1 liter. Microdol is a fine-grain developer which works well with all the black-and-white films which I have tried with it. Another reason I like it is that it is a one-part developer, so you don't need to mix two different pouches of powder. 1 liter of stock solution is good for ten 36 exposure rolls of film.

Another plus for mixing 1 liter at a time is that it takes little time to heat up or cool down.

 

[Ronald M]

I use a little rodinal now and then. My bottle is from 1998, 12 years old, and works fine.

I took it out of the plastic and put it into glass 1998. It may actually be older.

How can I remember? I put a date on the bottle.

 

[charjohncarter]

Rodinal and HC110 both keep for a long time in concentrate form.

Another agreement vote for Clovis.

 

[40oz]

D-76 comes in 1 liter packages. But HC-110 is a good idea also.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

D-76 comes in 1 liter packages. But HC-110 is a good idea also.

Where do you get them? All I can find anymore are the one gallon size, and like the OP my D76 goes bad before I use the whole gallon.

I like Rodinal with some films, but if you want a good concentrate liquid for fast films, its hard to beat Tmax Developer. It keeps a long time even if half-empty and gives nice image quality.

 

[gilpen123]

Bad for us here as we don't have much choice. D76 is the only developer being sold commercially and it does turn bad before I use it up though I still use it until it really turned dark brown. I mix 1 pouch to make a stock of 3.8 liters and normally on the 2nd week or so it starts to turn yellowish turning darker and darker in the next 1-2 weeks.

 

[sepiareverb]

Ilford DD-X keeps well too, though nowhere near as long as Rodinal or HC-110. But at 1:4 you'll go through it faster...

 

[Ronald M]

Rodinal or HC110 are classics. I mix D76 a liter from raw chemicals as necessary. In full stoppered glass bottle, it is perfect for 6 months. I store in 4 oz bottles, enough for 8 films. When one or two are left, I mix a new liter.

I have a bottle of Rodinal I decanted from the plastic original to glass in 1998, 12 years ago, and it works just fine. I tried it last month. I did plus x 1:75 for 11 minutes just as I did in 1965. Same time works too.

HC110 is 2 or 3 years if you get it fresh. Mix 1:31 from stock very carefully. It is viscous goo and good technique is required. It goes from yellow to orange as it goes bad.

Digi has none of these problems!