knifeinthewater Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 i was just wondering if there is a difference between using powder and liquid chemicals, and which would you recommend. thanks, oskar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithostertag Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Depends on what you mean. No difference in the final product, provided you mix the correct chemicals in the proper manner. Some people find that easy and some don't. Personally I like to mix my own for the guaranteed freshness, the versatility, and the cost savings. And the fun ;-) Some people don't like to mix their own possibly due to the time it takes, the potential for mess, and the additional paraphernalia it requires- beakers, measuring scales, etc. If you mean packaged liquid chemistry vs packaged dry chemistry then mixing is really just adding water in either case, but there is still a savings with dry chemicals because you don't have to pay for shipping heavy liquids. Also if you mix your own there are thousands of formulas you can try, which greatly increases your choices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tibz Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Powder is suposedly more dangerous because of the dust being so deadly but I used it with little to no trouble. Liquid kits are usually larger. I used powder C41-that's simple, easy, and works well. The liquids gave off much more odor. Other than that, go either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beepy Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Which chemicals? Two things to consider - some chemicals in powder form can go airborne more easily and are probably poisonous. So, you should take precautions when preparing some things for the darkroom. The other thing though is the shelf life of some chemicals in dry form, vs. in liquid vs. prepared for use (combining the ingredients). You might find the powder form has a longer shelf life? <p> Between the two, I sometimes pick up some chemistry in a pre-pack in a bottle to which you simply add distilled water for alternative processes I do. Keeps the airborne dust down, good shelf life? Cheaper shipping than liquids given enough distance and materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul_hoyt Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 I really prefer the liquid chemicals over powder. I use a liquid concentrated developer for both film & paper and buy liquid concentrated fixer. Many of the powder chemicals need to be made a day in advance and their shelf life after being reconstituted is not as great as their liquid counterparts. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_waller Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 I prefer liquid concentrates for convenience. I use Rodinal for film developing, but I like it as a developer, not just because it is a liquid concentrate, and its keeping qualities are legendary. Other than that I use Ilford PQ Universal developer for prints and Ilford Hypam/Rapid Fixer. I make the stop myself from 80 percent acetic acid diluted 1+39 with a pinch of bromocresol purple as indicator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monophoto Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 "You pay your money and take your choice" Both are fine. Liquids are more convenient to mix - just dilute with water. Liquids can be mixed without raising a cloud of dust, which means that you generally don't need to have masks or other special protective gear when you mix from liquids. You can make up only as much working solution as you need for one session. The shelf life of prepared liquid concentrates tends to be better than that of concentrates mixed from powders, but this is not always the case. Powders are less expensive because you aren't paying for water. In these days of shipping restrictions, some retailers won't ship liquids, but powders are less of a problem, and also less expensive since the weigh less than the equivalent chemical in a liquid concentrate. The shelf life of powders is very long - far better than that of liquid concentrates - but the clock starts when they are mixed with water to create concentrates. It is generally not recommended that you attempt to mix anything less that the full package of powder since it is possible that the components may have separated during shipping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edward_vargas1 Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 When I mix powder chemicals I ware a mask, and an AO Safety Chemical/Splash Safety Goggles. These items you can get from Home Depot. Note: if you can buy a mask that has charcoal this would be the best one to buy, and use the masks no more that 2-3 times. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowell_huff1 Posted February 25, 2008 Share Posted February 25, 2008 Liquids cost less to use, are better formulas, because of concentrations,cost less to ship,and can be aloquated for use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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