There is a lot of crap all over the net about Diafine. I don't think there is any magic in this developer, even though it is very flexible. Here's what works best for me:
- expose the film at nominal sensitivity. Using the film at 2x or 4x its sensitivity always leads to poorer results (although somewhat usable).
- stick to 3 min. in solution A + 3 min. in B if you want repeatable results.
- don't use the developer for more than a few weeks, or at most a few months if you don't develop a lot. I have seen people using the same developer for years -- you know, this stuff never expires... The developer looked like mud and, needless to say, the negatives were all scattered with small white dots.
- no stop bath, only a short rinse after solution B.
I use Diafine for "field development" here in Asia because it can be used at high temperatures without affecting too much the contrast and without leading to unmanageably short developing times. When I can work in the comfort of AC, I prefer D76 though...
Cheers!
Abbazz