Fuji Super Prodol vs. Microfine: Which for a beginner?

I'm about to start processing my own rolls of Neopan 400. Here in

Japan, perhaps not surprisingly, most of the major stores carry Fuji

chemicals. For a beginner, which would be a safer bet: Fuji Super

Prodol or Fuji Microfine? How different are they? Are the choices as

simple as "large grain" vs. "fine grain?"<P>

There isn't much information on the Web about them. The Fuji site has

a little bit on that, but in Japanese. Has anyone had any experience

with these two?

There's a tiny bit of info at:

 

http://silvergrain.org/Photo-Tech/film-dev-JP-formulae.html

Yes, I saw that, but what does it all mean? It's all chemistry to me. ;-)

<P>

"Microfine is a ultrafine grained developer supplied in dry powder package. This formula somewhat resembles a cross of D-25 and Microdol. The developing agent is metol (3-7%). The solution contains a large amount of sodium sulfite (70-90%), some sodium chloride (7-15%), and a small amount of sodium phosphate monobasic (0.5-1.5%) to make the solution pH very weakly alkaline."

<P>

"Super Prodol (SPD) is a rapid processing, push process developer provided in dry powder package. The developing agent listed is hydroquinone (3.9%) which is probably augmented with phenidone or its derivative. The developer contains 70-90% of sodium sulfite, and buffered with metaboric acid (3.4%) and sodium carbonate (3-7%). This formula resembles Crawley's FX-37. This developer is likely to contain bromide restrainer or possibly other antifoggant."

Super Prodol sounds like a more general purpose developer to me.

 

The "fine grain" strong solvent developers are not what one would normally use for 400 speed film.

Isn't Microdol X 1:3 used for Tri-X? This combo is one of the best as far as I am concerned.

I have both of these developers in stock. I find that Microfine gives excellens results with ACROS. The package contains starting point developing times for Neopan 400 but I don't think it is recommended for that film. It would probably reduce the effective film speed. Some people like to dilute Kodak Microdol-X or Ilford Perceptol 1:3 and use it with fast film. You can do that but you will not have much of an advantage over more standard developers which also use less sodium sulfite. The developing times are also quite long with this method. Someone must have experimented with Microfine using a 1:3 dilution but it is not easily available in the U.S.

 

Super Prodol can be used for normal speed or pushing and is more of a general purpose developer. You can use it more economically by diluting it 1:1 according the instruucions on the bag.

My first choice would be Fujidol-E, Fuji`s ascorbic acid/phenidone developer. It`s a standard developer, like D76, yet gives noticeably finer grain. I use it 1+3, with a minimum of 100ml stock developer.

 

Second would be Microfine 1+3. Microfine is an excellent developer, although like Perceptol or Microdol-X the film speed drops to about EI200 or even less when used straight. It`s a particularly good developer to use in the hot summers in Japan because it has only metol as the developing agent and so can be used at higher than normal temperatures. I've used it as high as 28 degrees, although not with Presto 400. Dilute it 1+3 to get reasonably processing long times at these temperatures. Use a minimum of 100ml of stock developer.

 

SPD would be my last choice, unless I were pushing Presto 400. Rougher grain. It tends to give a 'double gamma' with many films: an exaggerated toe and a flat, rolled-off shoulder. Speed gain over D76 is at most 1/3 stop, probably less.

Robert, here's a dumb question: What's 1+3? Does that mean 1 part developer + 3 parts

water?

Yes. 1 part stock developer plus three parts water. Fuji`s suggested time for Presto 400 in Fujidol-E 1+3 is 8 minutes, EI400: not too long, not too short. For 1+1, it`s 5.5 minutes, which is too short for me.

Forgot to say the above times were for 24 degrees.

I think I should add more about Fujidol-E and Microfine. (Again, I don`t like SPD).

 

Fujidol-E was designed to mimic standard developer D76/ID11, but in a more modern formula using ascorbic acid and phenidone. Generally, developing times are very similar. Tonal distribution is also very similar. Film speed generally the same: for me EI 250 or 320. The biggest difference is Fujidol-E usually provides noticeably finer grain than D76/ID11. However, D76/ID11 is perhaps very slightly sharper looking in certain situations.

 

Microfine is similar to Microdol-X and Perceptol, but slightly more active: developing times are generally a little shorter. Used full strength, it gives very fine grain, some loss of sharpness, and a very noticeable drop in film speed (I rate Presto 400 at EI 100). Used 1+3, the film speed goes up, but not quite as high as Fujidol-E or D76/ID11. I rate Presto 400 at EI 200 in Microfine 1+3. At 1+3, it loses its very fine grain quality, but is still finer than D76/ID11 1+3, and about the same as Fujidol-E 1+3. Microfine 1+3 is very sharp looking, sharper than Fujidol-E 1+3.

 

Either developer should give you excellent results.

Thanks Robert for your comments. I just bought a pack of Fujidol and will soon process my first roll. ;-)

Promicrol = Prodol?

i have used promicrol a lot in the seventies with resplenishment. its a wonderful developper. then they could not get the agents anymore. or where they too expensive? what is the situation? i think i had seen it somewhere on the net. maybe there were/are restrictions or costs importing it in switzerland. the same was with diafine. which can be get again.

promicrol replaced

http://www.google.ch/search?client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Ade%3Aofficial&channel=s&hl=de&q=promicrol&meta=&btnG=Google-Suche