justin_ng1 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Im still thinking.. what developer should I choose? Im currently using hc110. Been using that since I started developing my own black and whites. Im currently thinking of xtol and d76. I want something that gives less grain, and probably less contrast. Any ideas? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirteenthumbs Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Developer temperature and agitation technique have as much or more to do with grain as the film type. Constant rotation with equal time in each direction works well for fine grain as does two turns after each inversion cycle reversing direction every other inversion. Xtol will give finer/smoother grain than D76. Some films show less grain if given an extra stop of exposure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_shriver Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 HC-110 is really practical, so long as you mix directly from the syrup to make working solution each time. The syrup is essentially eternal, never goes bad. If you want less contrast, check that you're agitating according to Kodak's directions. If that doesn't help, reduce your development time, but you may need to reduce your exposure index as a consequence. If you want to see how developer can affect grain, do get one pack of D-76. Develop two rolls. One with 8 ounces (assuming stainless steel tank) of full-strength D-76, according to those times. Another with 8 ounces of D-76 and 8 ounces of water in a 16 ounce tank, and use the D-76 1:1 times. The full strength D-76 will have a strong solvent effect, and your grain should be softer. The D-76 1:1 loses it's solvent effect, and you will see "crisper" grain. (You can also use 4 ounces of D-76 and 4 ounces of water for D-76 1:1, but you have to increase the developing times 10%. See the J-78 data sheet on D-76.) Downside of D-76 is short life of stock solution. For more detail on developers, see The Film Developing Cookbook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandy Vongries Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 You might want to get hold of a Kodak Master Darkroom Dataguide or Kodak Black & White Darkroom Dataguide. I would imagine they can be bought on line inexpensively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conrad_hoffman Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 +1 on what John says about HC-110. What I'm going to say is probably heresy, but the differences between developers when film is developed to the same contrast, are very small. That also assumes we're within its correct temperature range and the rest of the process is done properly. Choose your developer based on convenience or any other thing that makes you think highly of it, then put your time into establishing the right exposure and developing times to get the results you want. I'm not a Zone System user, but the calibration done for that, or even making some "ring arounds" will go a long ways towards success. There are developers that can make a larger difference in grain and other properties, but they aren't off-the-shelf. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wouter Willemse Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 I've tried a number of developers, but more and more come to the conclusion that getting a bottle of HC110 was a very good decision. I've not yet found a film that doesn't work well with it, it's reliable and easy to handle. I'm not expert enough (yet), so having something that simply works well and reliable is a sure plus. Out of the other developers I tried, each powder-based one I have had to mix up, I ended up tossing out quite a bit, since the volume I shoot isn't big enough to consume all of it, and it expires. I really like Perceptol with Delta 100, and it looks different enough from HC110 / ID11 to my eyes, but since it expires quick enough, it becomes a bit costly to use compared to HC110. Either way, without knowing which film you actually use, it's also pretty hard to recommend a developer, as not all combinations work equally well. My gut idea for less grain and contrast would be FP4 (in HC110, works fine). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 I guess I have to try HC110. I don't consciously remember ever having used anything but D76, usually 1:1;, but the problem of having too much to use up for the quantity of film I shoot...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conrad_hoffman Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 Like John said, mix directly from syrup, don't make up the stock solution. Get a syringe that's marked in cc and calculate the dilutions. No doubt there's already a table for that somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bgelfand Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 What film are you using? The choice of developer, especially when considering grain and contrast, is strongly influenced by the type of film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodeo_joe1 Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 Chopping and changing film and developer is a pointless exercise. Stick with a combination - or two - until you know exactly what result you'll get. If you want finer grain, then a change of film will do far more than any change of developer. FWIW, T-max 100 gives the finest grain I know of, without getting into unreliable combinations of copy film and weird developers. As has already been said; too much contrast is down to overdevelopment, pure and simple. Check your measures, temperature, timing and agitation. Although agitation affects evenness of development far more than density IME. Overdevelopment will also exaggerate grain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
conrad_hoffman Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 Overdevelopment will also exaggerate pain- in the darkroom when you have to print it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Gammill Posted August 19, 2017 Share Posted August 19, 2017 An observation that I've made (not everyone will agree) is that HC110 seems less affected by variation in the pH of the water you mix with. Of course, if that's an issue, just use distilled/deionized water. An with HC110 you're not limited to Kodak's dilution recommendations. Others have experimented and have come up with useful dilutions. I like dilution H for Ilford films, but tend to use dilution B with Kodak film. Also, HC110 usually produces less fog with expired films. One plus for D-76/ID-11- you can find the formula to make this developer from raw chemicals and make only what you need so shelf life is less than a problem. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justin_ng1 Posted August 22, 2017 Author Share Posted August 22, 2017 Thanks for the comments and information :) I'll stick to hc110 now due to restricted reasons. I'll either use xtol or hc110 in the future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Bowes Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 Once you have nailed HC110, take a walk on the "wild side". . . try one of the premixed Pyro developers from Formulary, or mix your own (510-Pyro, Obsidian Aqua). All the desires you listed above are in these "brews". Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen_h Posted August 30, 2017 Share Posted August 30, 2017 Seems to me that D76 only makes sense if you use a replenisher. The rated capacity without replenishment is one 35mm 36 exposure roll for 250ml, so four rolls per liter. Rated capacity for HC-110 is one 35mm 36 exposure roll for 250ml of dilution B. That makes 128 rolls per liter of concentrate. -- glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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