Diafine development times

[echang24]

I have been experiementing with Tri-X 400 (EI=1600). I have been reading about

Diafine and have just purchased some.

 

This developer is not very well documented and what data I have found is the

part A/part B (3min+3min) development times. I have also read that some use

only part A for longer periods of time.

 

I am shooting for medium thick negatives and wanted to know what other

development times and techniques work well with Diafine.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Eric

[frank.schifano]

Three minutes in each bath is the recommended time. Using longer times doesn't seem to make much, if any difference; certainly none that I've been able to observe in the negatives, darkroom prints from those negatives, of scans of the film. Less time might lead to uneven development or thin negatives. I generally go for 4 minutes in each bath primarily because I don't pay that much attention to my film with this developer. Pour in bath A, go putter around straightening up the work area and remembering to agitate once in a while, then do the same thing with bath "B." Nothin' to it. Works like a charm every time with Tri-X and by the time I'm done, everything is cleaned. It really is the ultimate no hassel developer

[Fotohuis RoVo]

Here one of the last paper info we receive from BKA, Chicago, USA:

http://www.fotohuisrovo.nl/documentatie/Diafine-data.pdf

 

and some restyled PDF data:

http://www.fotohuisrovo.nl/documentatie/Diafine_Acu-1_BKA.pdf

 

Best regards,

 

Robert

[bruce_karnopp1]

I have wondered about using Diafine for the new version of MACO Infrared 400. At least originally, they gave very few details about development.

The word on Diafine is that every film can be mixed together with time above the minimum and the results are good.

 

That sounds to good to be true UNLESS it is literally true!

 

Dum spiro spero!

[Fotohuis RoVo]

Here is the latest Rollei/Maco dev. table:

http://www.fotohuisrovo.nl/documentatie/Development_Rollei%20films.pdf

 

The empty column will be filled soon by the Rodinal dev. times.

 

I suppose you mean the new Rollei/Maco I.R. 820/400 film:

http://www.fotohuisrovo.nl/documentatie/RolleiIR-400.pdf

 

As starting point you can look at the Agfa APX400 times and try from that point to optimize further. IR 820/400 is a product from Gevaert in Belgium a former R&D dpt. from Agfa.

Diafine and Rollei IR 820/400 will also work with 2x3 Minutes development. Estimated E.I. 400, maybe 320. Diafine is a strong compensating developer.

For this Rollei I.R. film you definately need a RG 695nm or 715nm IR filter. Hoya 72 or Cokin IR (both 720nm) is also possible.

E.I. 12-25 with these type of filters. An Ilford SFX filter is also possible. Some examples:

 

http://gallery.fotohuisrovo.nl/thumbnails.php?album=2

 

Best regards,

 

Robert

[tom_jenner1]

You can use different films together. For example, I use TMax 100 at 160 speed and Tri-X at 800-1600 in the same tank.

 

I've tried using the A solution at 2 minutes with mixed, flat results trying to pull the speed down a bit. I've also tried using Diafine A,B and a wash and then used Accufine for several minutes with Tri-X to get higher speeds. It didn't really work that well.

 

I use 4 minutes for A and B from 55 degrees F up to 80 degrees F with consistant results.

 

There's some Tri-X/Diafine riot shots in my gallery.

 

-Tom

[larrydressler]

I have been using it for years. I have never used it on Infaread film but in a recent thread here someone said they used it for Kodak HS infaread with great results at 1000 ISO.

 

I have Used it at 1600 with 3+3 and tri-X and at 400 with 3+2 Also with Tri-X but I found that no matter what if you don't give it atleast 3 min in Dev (A) you get uneven and flat negatives.... Some people don't like it for flat lighting but I never had a problem with that. Many times I have put a roll of Efke 25 in along with a roll of APX-400 and gotten exactly what I wanted .. Efke gave about 32 and the APX was about 1000.

 

It is an intersting developer..... And you can play with it all you want just never put the (B) solution in the (A) because that will kill it faster than a Penny on a train track....

 

Larry<div></div>

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

You can develop in just part A. I develop HP5+ at 1600 for an hour in it. Good results.

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

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[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

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[tom_jenner1]

Dan, that's an interesting tip!

[al_kaplan1]

The film has to soak up solution A, which is then activated by solution B. Do not pre-soak the film in water before using solution A, and don't rinse the film between solution A and Solution B.

 

Diafine seemed to be formulated for optimum results with Tri-X when it was first introduced in the 1960's, and it still seems to work best with Tri-X, but will give pretty nice negatives and a speed boost with most any conventional (not C-41) black and white film.

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

"Diafine seemed to be formulated for optimum results with Tri-X"

 

That seems like a myth to me. It's just another PQ developer, with the alkali in bath B. Big deal...

[larrydressler]

Dan

 

I agree. I have had good-great results with it with almost any traditional film it works great with Lucky and Era films. I doubt that they had those in mind when it came out.

 

Larry

[bruce_karnopp1]

The idea that we are NOT supposed to pre-soak films is (I suppose) to let the film soak up part A before going to part B. Of course, there are a number of films that recommend pre-soak.

 

If one could pre-soak, the amount of glunk going back into bottle A would be eliminated. My guess (and hope) is that the glunk doesn't make too much difference.

[charles_champness]

presoaking the film will cause a concentration gradient in the emulsion. when the film is placed in solution A the ions in the solution will migrate through the emulsion, but there may be a slight loss of concentration closer to the back of the emulsion up against the base. the beauty of using a two bath developer is that you can let the film sit in solution A for a much longer period of time without a major change in development, thus equilibrating the concentration of the ions through the entire emulsion as possible.

 

 

conclusion: if you want to prewash films like EfkeIR820/100 or RolleiIR820/400 then give it a try, but you should compensate the slight loss in concentration through the film with an extra 1-5 minutes in solution A to soak the entire emulsion.

 

 

...try, before you buy.

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

Odd that this thread is still alive, but I've used Diafine part A alone to develop Neopan with relatively good results.

[larrydressler]

Part A for 45 minutes? I have used that time before. I like the way it works on PlusX.