Sodium Sulfite solution

<p>I've gotten some of the best negatives ever using stand development with HC110 1:125. At this high dilution tho, the grain is excessive for 35mm so I want to experiment by adding a sodium sulfite solution. My Darkroom Cookbook has been lost in the mists of time but I believe there was something about mixing a SS solution to add to a developer. What % should I use and how do I calculate the amt of anhydrous to add to a gallon of H2O?</p>

<p>When I developed Tri-X, I liked Rodinal 1:75 for sharpness & 12 g of sodium sulfite to tame the grain.</p>

<p>12g to how much water?</p>

<p>I have achieved fine grain and sharp images by developing 35mm Tri-X in HC-110 Dilution B. The disadvantages are a short developing time (harder to achieve consistency) and less-than-full emulsion speed. I used to rate my Tri-X at only ASA 125 with that developer. You can try getting finer grain at your higher 1:125 dilution by using a 2% sodium sulfite solution, but you will lose some sharpness and the grain may look mushy. An alternative for a high-dilution fine-grain developer is Kodak Microdol-X, but I don't know if it's available anymore. At 1:3 dilution it gives very fine grain and beautiful tonality, but again at the expense of at least one stop in emulsion speed.</p>

I use HC110-B at box speed for Tri-x and Plus-x but extend developement to 5 minutes.

<p>RE: How much water?<br>

I used Paterson 3 reel tanks & would use the Rodinal at 1:75 & sometimes at 1:100 for standing development. As some mentioned, lower ISO ratings like 200 for Tri-X were required. By the way, I first heard of these one shot developer techniques from Walter Heun in a Leica Schule weekend class who advised us to minimize the wet time.</p>

<p>The Covington innovations website (http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110/) has a section on HC-110. About a third of the way down under "unusual uses for HC-110" They briefly mention that grain can be reduced with sodium sulfite and give a 5% dilution as a starting point. It also states that HC-110 is a pretty solvent developer "as is" but they may be referring to the standard A and B dilutions and not the higher dilutions you are using. I never tried adding sodium sulfite to my developer before but I think it will also shorten your developing times so you may need to experiment beforehand. Also, Steve Anchell (author of the darkroom cookbook) has a website and forum. Maybe you could contact him there if it is still active and get some info.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Here's another thread from a while back that may also help. Deals with Rodinal but should give you some ideas.</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/black-and-white-photo-film-processing-forum/002bJj</p>

<p>I use a 12% solution (120 gm per litre of solution).</p>

<p>I've gotten many sharp images from HC110 using normal and stand development. Is it possible that you problem maybe as simple as a better lens or camera shake? How sharp are the edge markings on the film?</p>

<p>@ Tom Halfhill, Kodak stopped offering Microdol-X some time ago but that does not mean that it is not made any more. You can still buy it, as well as D76R and possibly some others that Kodak discontinued.<br>

<a href="http://www.freestylephoto.biz/749710-LegacyPro-Mic-X-Film-Developer-to-Make-1-Gallon">http://www.freestylephoto.biz/749710-LegacyPro-Mic-X-Film-Developer-to-Make-1-Gallon</a><br>

<a href="http://www.freestylephoto.biz/category/12-Chemicals/Black-and-White-Chemicals?mfg[]=228&attr[]=30-143">http://www.freestylephoto.biz/category/12-Chemicals/Black-and-White-Chemicals?mfg[]=228&attr[]=30-143</a></p>

 

<p>Hello George. The only time I remember that adding Sodium Sulfite to a developer for fine grain was with a 9% for the Edwal FG7. I never could get this developer in my country so I had no experience. Sodium Sulfite is used as a restrainer to develop in high temperatures (tropical) but adding to much SS needs a compensation of exposure. I had an old book of Kodak, I will search if I find something. Another option, if someone have the book, is to search in the Negative of Ansel Adams. Please, let us know how worked if you try this experiment. </p>

<p>The only thing that I could find is in the web so take it with a pinch of salt. Do test is mandatory. Honestly I doubt you will find something better. You must to know the formula of the developer to play adding some chemical. I searched in my old books and I didn't find any mention of what you are searching. I copy here the phrase that could be of your interest and the link of the website. Please share your experience. Commonly nobody follow this posts when after find the solution or something. I think is a good idea to update this if you was successful or not, both paths could save time for others fans of the darkroom. Good luck. Now, to dinner<br>

"It has been suggested that HC-110 might benefit from dilution with a sodium sulfite solution (perhaps 5%) as with Edwal FG7. Bear in mind however that HC-110 apparently already has considerable solvent action."<br>

http://www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110/</p>

<p>My first experiment was a semi-failure. I added 1tbs sulfite/500ml HC110(1:125) which I believe equates to 4.5% solution. (Can someone help me with the math? If 3tsp(1tbs) SS = 22.8g then diluting in 500ml = 4.5%, correct?)</p>

<p>Stand developing TMax400 at EI 400 for 1hr resulted in about a stop too much density. I'll try again by increasing the HC110 dilution. Again, the whole point is to reduce grain with 35mm film; 120 film comes out great without sulfite.</p>

<p>In the presence of a nail, everything looks like a hammer.....</p>

<p>Spend $5 and get some metol. Mix your sulphite and metol and make d23. Spend another $5 and get some Sodium Metaborate and make some 2 bath thornton. If you can't find it, B&H will ship this stuff anywhere.</p>

<p>Bath A -<br />Metol 6.5 gms<br />Sodium Sulfite 80 gms<br />Water to 1 Liter<br /><br />Bath B -<br />Sodium Metaborate 12 gms<br />Water to 1 Liter<br>

<br>

Stand develop for 3.5/3.5 for iso and 4.5/4.5 for iso 400. You'll get images like this....<br>

<br>

<img src="http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3799/10414199883_b3c9b06cfd_c_d.jpg" alt="" /><br>

<br>

It's sharp, tonnes of detail and is just peanuts to make.</p>

<p>George, if you want less grain stand development is not your way. I understand that long times in the developer will increase your grain and the compensating effect. Why you want to use long times? If you need a compensating developing you can dilute HC-110 as Ansel Adams did. He wrote something in The Negative book. I guess that you could get better results if you cut your development time, maybe a 15 or 20 % and put your developing negative inside a solution of borax to end the developing in this second bath. This will restrain the highlights and avoid to get more grain. What is namely fine grain in packaging generally refers to solvent developers, this mean less sharp negatives (or to purist, less acutance) cause the action of a lot of sodium sulfite. I don't remember that HC-110 was a grainy developer so I don't understand well your experiment. I doubt that you can found any interesting with this combo. More taking in account the fact that all of us really don't know what the hell have the HC 100 soup, we don't know the ingredients so we can't suppose how will react this solution. I second the d-23 style of developers as was mentioned by Peter Carter if you want excellent detail and compensating effect. Or common developers diluted 1:1 like D-76, ID-11 or Xtol. They are proved that can avoid exaggerated grain and get standard tones. HC is a fine developer too by itself. If you are getting too much grain so you are overdeveloping or underexposing, both sides increase the appearance of grain. Hope this help you. The type of film must be taking in account too when you select the developer.</p>