What is the best film developers for FP4 and Agfa Pan 400

[hirohiko_inatome1]

Please tell me what is the best filme developer for FP4+ HP5+ and for Agfa Pan 400.

[rsriram]

FP4+ will give you excellent results with any standard developer like ID11 or D76 1:1 or stock solution. The same goes for HP5+. These days, I prefer using HC-110 since it's easy to dilute.

[terry_carraway]

I just did my first roll of 120 HP5+ in Xtol. Looks good.

[scott walton]

You really cannot go wrong with the compensating qualities of Split

Bath Developers!!! Divided D76 if you want no speed gain of your ASA

and ultra fine grain or Diafine with it's ultra fine grain and high

acutance.

Cheers

[conrad_hoffman]

It appears that the best developer is the one that works best for you

and the types of shots you take. I've been very pleased with FP4+ and

XTOL diluted 1:3. I also do HP5 in XTOL at less dilution, but haven't

experimented a great deal with it- there may be better choices.

[paul_harris]

One of the reasons we do our own processing is because we

can have control over the "look" of the image. For this

reason, there are lots of developer formulas out there. All

the suggestions that you have gotten so far will produce

high quality, printable negatives, especially after you have

made whatever adjustments of time, etc., that produce the

results you want. Check the recommendations that come with

the film, then go to the websites at Kodak and Agfa and look

at what they like. With the Ilford films, ID-11, which is

basically the same as Kodak D-76, is a common starting point.

It works well for Agfa film, too. Rodinal can produce a

beautiful range of tones and a crystalline sharpness with the

Agfa films, at the expense of obvious grain. For film speeds

above the manufacturer's rating, I usually use Xtol. It is sort

of the "new generation" of the old D-76 line. I have used HC110

and it works fine, though I tend to like slightly longer

development times. For me, it is neither quite as sharp as

Rodinal or Xtol, or as smooth as D-76/ID-11.

 

<p>

 

Bottom line: pick one (or both) of these films, NO MORE than

that, pick _one_ of these good developers, and don't try anything

else until you have run 20-50 rolls of film with any one

combination. Otherwise, it is hard to really learn anything.

Be on the lookout for _The Film Development Cookbook_ by Anchell

and Troop. I feel that it gives the clearest explanation of

the relationship of film and developers that I have ever seen.

You don't have to agree with them totally, but it gives a good

base.

 

<p>

 

Take lots of pictures, have lots of fun.

[jim_vanson2]

APX 400 shot at 250 developed in Agfa Rodinal at 1+100 for 20 minutes

at 68 degrees...oh yes!

[kevin_kemner]

three letters - pmk. Shot at 100. I also develop in xtol 1:3 which

can produce excellent results.