looking for overview of developers and their use and effect

hi all,

 

I'm looking for overview of developers and their use and effect on all film types.

 

Film developers and print or photo developers.

 

Does there exist a guide for that?

 

Thx

Most of the textbooks on development are quite old by now, and few of them describe practical film-developer combinations.

 

Also, and surprisingly, the actual mechanism of development is still not well known on a microscopic scale. The 'best guess' seems to indicate that chemical development targets development centres on the surface of the AgX crystal. This initiates a cascade effect whereby metallic silver is extruded in filamentary form from the crystal body.

 

Following extrusion, the filaments of silver can follow a straight or curled path. If these filaments shoot out straight from the crystal surface, they give a more noticeable 'grain' effect than if they curl up into tight balls. The path of filaments is affected by the density of surrounding gelatine, which in turn is affected by the pH and temperature of the developer.

 

This filamentary extrusion process means that the negative image is actually displaced microscopically from the originating crystal location, and thus can also affect resolution and sharpness.

 

Granularity can be modified by the addition of a silver solvent in the developer. Most common of these solvents is sodium sulphite, which also has a preservative (anti-oxidant) effect and extends the life of the developer.

 

A silver solvent causes 'physical' development to take place. The mechanism of this is to deposit silver out of solution onto the development sites of other AgX crystals, thus adding to density while restraining filamentary silver growth.

 

The balance of chemical and physical development in a developer obviously affects the character of the image to a degree, and again, temperature and dilution play a part in this.

 

Just taking the above developer variables into consideration, you can see that the situation becomes far from simple and straightforward. Add the variables of film silver-content, crystal structure and orientation, gelatine density, proprietary emulsion 'ripening' additives and procedures, and you can see that the combination of variables quickly multiplies into a very big number.

 

So. Is there a simple guide to developer and film combinations? Err, no!

 

My advice would be to choose one or two films, choose a developer, and use them until you know their characteristics inside out and backwards.

 

Constant experimentation with film and/or developers trying to find a non-existent 'perfect' combination is just a waste of time IMO. When your time could be far better spent actually taking pictures, or improving your composition or lighting skills.

Edited September 26, 2018 by rodeo_joe|1

While I'm not aware of any way to get all of this information in one place, I would suggest that you can find what you want.

 

Pick a film and do some research on that film and various developers. Usually, the either the film or the film developer combination are choosen first. Most photographers have a tendency to stick with one or two films and MAY have different developers for different uses.

 

For example, when I was shooting a lot of B&W film, I stuck to Tri-X in 35 and 120, processed in PMK and TMX and TMZ in TMax. I very rarely wandered from these.

Came across this some time back - Massive Development Chart - thought it useful. Link Massive Dev Chart Film Development, Film Developing Database

Came across this some time back - Massive Development Chart - thought it useful. Link Massive Dev Chart Film Development, Film Developing Database

 

Sandy . . . I thought about pointing the OP there as well but the chart only provides development times for different combinations not the characteristics that the OP asked about.

I thought about pointing the OP there as well

Yeah, I almost added that disclaimer, but it is worth knowing about if he didn't.

One that I don't know well is the 'tone' of photographic paper.

 

While films are pretty much silver bromide, paper was for a long time silver chloride,

and later mixed chloride/bromide. As well as I know it, silver bromide produces

a 'cold tone' image, where people like a warmer tone. Silver chloride (traditional

for contact printing papers) and mixed chloride/bromide for faster enlarging papers.

 

There is also some effect from the developer, with some different recommendations

for colder or warmer tone papers.

Also interesting are tabular (hexagonal) grains.

 

Normally silver bromide and silver chloride form a cubic crystal structure,

(similar to NaCl) as a cubic lattice with alternating Ag and Br.

(Crystallographically, this is face-centered cubic, as each of Ag and Br

form a face-centered cubic lattice.) Cubic lattices can grow equally well

in all directions, and form grains that are somewhat spherical.

 

AgI forms a hexagonal lattice, such that the Z axis is different from the

X and Y axis. Also, some mixed halides, such as a mixture of AgBr

and AgI, also form hexagonally. Such crystals tend to grow on the edges,

forming flat tabular grains. They also dissolve (when fixing) on the edges,

an so slower than cubic grains. One advantage of hexagonal grains is

that they have a larger surface:volume ratio, so more surface for sensitizing

dyes. (Mixed halides will form one lattice of silver ions, and in interspersed

lattice randomly selecting from the available halides.)

 

Because of such differences, some developers are preferred for tabular

grain films, and others for cubic grains, though all should work on

all grain forms. I believe tabular grains also develop from the edges,

which might have some effect on the silver grain shape.

This was a perennial even constant topic for the photomagazines. They went at this every way they could but, of course, those magazines are no longer with us. I think some 'last-of-the-film-era textbooks" may work out if you can find them in your library. Research libraries will have kept older magazines and they may provide a source.

 

Here's the start of one such article from September, 1972, Modern Photography -- maybe before you were born?

 

The problem of course is that the films have changed, etc.

 

Lieven, if your end intention is to scan the film, then it barely matters which film or developer you use.

 

Reason? You can digitally change the tone curve to almost anything you like. All that's needed is to choose a film/developer combo that gives you a long 'straight' region to the density vs exposure curve.

 

T-max films developed in T-max developer fit the bill, as do chromogenic films and the C-41 process.

 

Since you can get T-max films in100, 400 and 3200 EI ratings, they should be all you ever need.

 

Ilford's Delta films should offer an alternative, but unfortunately they just don't cut it for me. However, I've never tried Delta films in T-max developer.

You can redo the curve, if the result is within the curve range of the film.

Constant experimentation with film and/or developers trying to find a non-existent 'perfect' combination is just a waste of time IMO. When your time could be far better spent actually taking pictures, or improving your composition or lighting skills.

 

The chemist in me loves experimenting with different developers as well as trying oddball films and what have you.

 

When it comes down to it, though, I reach for one of two films-either Tri-X or FP4+, and one of two developers-D76 or HC-110. The two films of course are quite different in the size of grain, amount of contrast, and tone characteristics(although when looking at films as a whole, are still probably more alike than different).

 

The difference between those two developers is much less pronounced, and there are times where the choice comes down more to convenience than specific properties-i.e. if I have fresh D76 already mixed I can use it out of the bottle or do a 1:1 dilution. If I don't have D76 mixed or if what I have is more than a few months old, I can prepare the amount of HC-110 I need immediately before developing from a concentrate that seemingly never goes bad.

 

I have other developers on hand, and they certainly have their place-like doing stand development in Rodinal. I also have a freezer full of different emulsions, some of which is fairly "standard" but I keep a lot on hand because it's no longer made(Plus-X), some of which I use when I want the finest grain or best resolution practical from a well-behaved continuous tone film(TMX and Delta 100) and others just because it was cheap/free(the few hundred sheets of Ektapan).

I wouldn't mind having a good answer to this question either. As with many hobbyists, I tend to stick with what I was taught and tend not to stray unless there's a REALLY good reason. I tend[ed] to use D76 for Tri-X and HIE both. I only switch to Technidol for Tech Pan because you really HAVE to if you want to get lower contrast. Also I don't have much room for a lot of different chemicals in my condo. But what I *should* be doing is to choose the right developer for the right effect. Maybe if I did I'd find something I like a lot better. Same with fixers.

I have the space (or I would if I were tidier), but I do so little now, that if I kept more than a couple of developers they'd go off with age before I used them. I keep HC110 and Rodinal always. I have a couple of bottles of Neofin Blue left (tiny bottles; each one does two rolls); and I think I have a box of ID-11 (as dry powder that will keep for ever, I think).

It's important to keep notes of what you get with a developer, at least if you try a new combination of film, developer, time, temperature, and dilution. The maker's notes often seem to differ from what I get myself; I guess this reflects me doing something different (agitation, probably). Even if you can find other people's experience on the 'net, they're all fools on there...

.. but I search here, or on the Large format Photography Forum, or at Flickr, if I'm thnking of trying something new.

 

If you're new to film, I'd find one general developer, and use it at a normal dilution. Concentrate on giving your film a consistent development, so you can see the effects of anything you try out with the camera.

I would suggest "The Film Developing Cookbook" by Anchell and Troop. I don't think it will be directly useful to you, but it does discuss, in principle, various classes of developers. It is written at the level, roughly, of an advanced b&w film photographer.

 

I don't know of anything that would be a better overview. But it IS something like 20 years old now.

 

I wish that it would have had better references, but allegedly much of the info was based on off-the-record discussions with people in the industry. It was discussed on this site years ago, much of it contentiously; look for historical posts by Bill Troop, one of the authors.

Same with fixers.

 

Fortunately, you don't really need to experiment much with fixers.

 

They come in hardening and non-hardening, as well as rapid and "standard"(hypo). Aside from the convenience of a ~5 minute fixing time, you really need rapid fixers for T-grain films and there's no real downside to using them(aside, perhaps, from longer wash times with FB paper). Likewise, if you NEED a hardening fixer you should use it, and I don't know of any detriment to using a hardening fixer where it's not needed.

 

So, I'd argue that really your average home darkroom is served fine by a hardening rapid fixer, which covers most of the common liquid concentrates on the market. If you want to you cheap hypo(that Kodak sells in a bag like D76 and Dektol to be dissolved in water), just bear in mind that you may not be happy if you ever shoot T-grains, and you should also follow it up with hypo clearing agent(sufficient wash time will suffice for rapid fixer).

 

In addition to "traditional" film developers, I do keep Dektol on hand. It is necessary if you print, as a film developer will not do a good job of developing paper. Dektol can be interesting as a film developer, but it can be a bit cantankerous and needs a fair bit of dilution to get a reasonable developing time.

I wouldn't mind having a good answer to this question either. As with many hobbyists, I tend to stick with what I was taught and tend not to stray unless there's a REALLY good reason. I tend[ed] to use D76 for Tri-X and HIE both. I only switch to Technidol for Tech Pan because you really HAVE to if you want to get lower contrast. Also I don't have much room for a lot of different chemicals in my condo. But what I *should* be doing is to choose the right developer for the right effect. Maybe if I did I'd find something I like a lot better. Same with fixers.

 

As for TP, from the data sheet HC-110 (F) isn't all that much more contrast, and is a lot easier to find.

 

Since I have both, I should try it some day.

(snip)

 

In addition to "traditional" film developers, I do keep Dektol on hand. It is necessary if you print, as a film developer will not do a good job of developing paper. Dektol can be interesting as a film developer, but it can be a bit cantankerous and needs a fair bit of dilution to get a reasonable developing time.

 

I had thought so, too, but it seems to be one of the recommended developers for TP, and doesn't indicate a dilution.

Since none is indicated, I presume stock strength.

I’ve played around with a few combinations, and they all look much the same to me! I agree with Joe, stick to one combination until you have it nailed down, variety will slow your progress.

Yeah, I almost added that disclaimer, but it is worth knowing about if he didn't.

It's also worth knowing the much bigger film development chart of Darkroom Solutions: darkroom-solutions.com.

I would suggest you have at "The film developping cookbook" (1998). You will not only find film-developper-time combinations but also film caracteristics.

 

A bible IMO.

you might find some answers in these links below.....

 

 

Choosing a B&W Film Developer | La Vida Leica!

An Ultimate Guide to Every B&W ISO 400 35mm Film on the Market

You might be interested in the first volume of Modern Photographic Processing, Grant Haist, 1979. It's a deep dive; you'll need some knowledge of chemistry to get the most out of it. Amazon lists only the 2nd volume ($500 new / $200 used) but you can find both for nothing on the internet. Edited December 23, 2018 by leo_papandreou|1

It seems that there is also "The Darkroom Cookbook" by the same author.

 

It looks like "The FIlm Developing Cookbook" isn't so cheap in the usual used book places.