Your prefered developer for HP5+

I will be getting a 100' roll of HP5+ from adorama sometime this week.

I have used it before to shoot a lot of street. Right now I have a

gallon of T-Max developer on hand but i'm considering going with

something else. I want to get an idea of the following:

1. at what speed do you shoot HP5+ ?

2. What developer / dilution / temp / agitation do you use

3. What are negative qualites that result? like coarse / fine grain,

ect

 

thank for relplying

I love this, I just loaded 2 roll's of 120 HP 5+ and came upstairs to check the developing

time for HC-110 on the Massive Development Chart. I've done a fair amount of my own

B&W but haven't as yet printed enough HP 5+ to distinguish the characteristics of D-76

versus HC 110. I did do some priliminary testing using a densitometer with 4x5 HP- 5+ in

HC-110 and came up with my "personal" ISO under my developming procedures of ISO

200. I use either Dilution B or Dilution H depending on what I want the negs to do for ME.

Go to www.covingtoninnovations.com/hc110 and read up on this developer. You will be

pleased with either HC-110 or D-76. I definately would not start off rating HP 5+ at the

"Box" speed of ISO 400 and start at about 200-320 and see if you are retaining enough

shadow detail. This has alot to do with your metering technique. I'm sure we'll get some

other recommendations also. Bruce

You'll get speed rating tips all over the charts as thin negative folks like 400-800 and people digging into the shadows more would likely be 200-320 with typical chemicals. HP5+ is so versatile that you might better decide what attributes you want to maximize and choose your soup from that criteria. You'll get good emulsion speed and easy to deal with negatives with Xtol type developers. D76 1:1 is a typical performance to shoot for on HP5+. I also used to get nice results with FG7. Recently, I've been using tanning developers and also Ryuji Suzuki's DS-10 and I think they're the best negatives I've ever had on HP5+.

Honestly, I don't think that there are any *bad* developers for HP5+, except maybe Rodinal (and even that combo has its adherents). I usually use one of Pat Gainer's Vitamin C formulas with it, or HC-110. It is great in Perceptol too. You can't go wrong with D-76 or Xtol either (unless the Xtol dies on you). Microphen, DD-X, etc., etc...

HC-110B 5.5 minutes at 68 degrees. EI of 200.

 

Great stuff!

Ilfotec DD-X will give you a speed increase (OK, in fact a density boost). I also like Clayton F-76+.

D-76 1-1 Works for me.

Ilfosol-S and EI800 using the massive dev chart times.

I'm excited about Tetenal Emofin with Neopan 400, rated 800...extremely long scale, flat, scans beautifully (Vuescan/Nikon V), perfect for post processing...and seemingly no increase in grain at 800 or 1600, ie less grain than most TriX at 320.

 

Might be equally good for HP5+...massive chart says 5.5/5.5 (it's two part) @ 400 so I imagine + 1 min for 800.

From my web site <a href="http://davidrichert.com/hp5_development.htm">HP5 Developer</a>