Ilford DD-X Concentrate Shelf Life

<p>Just curious how long the shelf life of Ilford DD-X concentrate is. I used some today to develop a roll of 35mm Acros; the last time I used this developer was June 2013.</p>

<p>Anyways, the developer was still in its original bottle, was somewhere between 1/2 and 3/4 full and it worked perfectly. Is the DD-X still within its normal life or did I get lucky?</p>

<blockquote>

<p>...the last time I used this developer was June 2013.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>It is now <strong>May</strong> 2013. I assume you made a typo (or you have a time machine <grin>). In which year did you last use the developer? 2012? 2011?</p>

<p>Ilfor says on their web site:</p>

STORAGE

4–20ºC (44–68ºF

ILFOTEC DD-X, ILFOTEC LC29 and ILFOSOL S developer

concentrates should keep in good condition for the

following time periods.

 

 

ILFOTEC DD-X

 

24 months in full tightly capped bottles.

 

6 months in half full tightly capped bottles.

 

 

ILFOTEC LC29

 

36 months in full tightly capped bottles.

 

6 months in half full tightly capped bottles.

 

 

ILFOSOL S

 

24 months in full tightly capped bottles.

 

4 months in half full tightly capped bottles.

<p>I've never had "failure" of DD-X to perform, even in opened bottles over a year old. No idea if I got totally optimal results.<br>

However, one bottle did crystallize, probably due to a cold winter in my basement.<br>

(On the other hand, Ilfosol S had a bad reputation for sudden death, with no warning.)<br>

<strong>Always</strong> "proof" your developer. Put a snip of the leader in the measuring cup, see that it turns black in a few minutes.</p>

<p>Thank you all for the replies. I had meant that I last used the developed in June 2012. Glad to see it still functioned!</p>

FYI I just opened a factory-sealed bottle of Ilford DD-X concentrate that I'd bought over 2 years ago - seems to work fine.

years as long as the bottle is closed tight. Run some with a test roll first.

I know this is an old thread. I found it when I was searching for an answer to the question posed here. I have a 10-11 year old unopened bottle of DD-X which was kept in my refrigerator all these years and was wondering whether I should still use it as I had run out of HC-110. Well, I just did. Developed a roll of Pan 400 and a roll of Tmax 400 with it. It worked fine. No issues. Hope this information will be useful.

I know this is an old thread. I found it when I was searching for an answer to the question posed here. I have a 10-11 year old unopened bottle of DD-X which was kept in my refrigerator all these years and was wondering whether I should still use it as I had run out of HC-110. Well, I just did. Developed a roll of Pan 400 and a roll of Tmax 400 with it. It worked fine. No issues. Hope this information will be useful.

 

Mostly I expect factory sealed bottles to last a while, but one rarely gets the seal quite as good after opening.

 

There are E4 kits on eBay, which are a lot more than 10 years old.

Along with any E4 film you might have also being pretty old.

 

I am not sure if keeping it cold helps. Thermal contraction might loosen the seal,

or at least I might wonder about it. I suppose it does reduce diffusion through

plastic bottles, though.