Any Sprint Users Out There? Other Liquid Chem Recommendations?

[john_layton]

<p>While I tend to use D-76 in my own darkroom, I also sometimes use Sprint film developer - plus I almost always use Sprint chemistry in my teaching darkrooms, as it offers a good "workflow" solution in terms of times, logistics, and budgets. I must admit that I like the results attainable with Sprint film developer, and wonder why it is discussed so little on this forum. </p>

<p>I am now setting up a new home darkroom, but the water supply is a bit more questionable so I'm seriously considering mixing my chemicals with distilled water - which will make powdered mixes more difficult to use. So I'm thinking I might just go to sprint, or some other liquid concentrate, for my own use. </p>

<p>I'll also add that I've been using Sprint fixers for years, as it is ammonium thiosulphate based and I am sensitive to sodium thiosulphates.</p>

<p>While I do tend to use either Pyro or HC110 for my LF films, and have used Rodinal and D-23 in the past, I'd like to hear others recommendations for moving to a liquid concentrate for roll films, knowing that my reference is D-76. And again, any reflections on why Sprint chemistry in general seems to be discussed so little on this forum? Thanks!</p>

<p> </p>

[User_502260]

<p>There are many choices for liquid concetrates. Most rapid fixers use ammonium thiosulphate. Non-rapid types use sodium thiosulphate but they take longer to clear T-MAX type films and get exhausted more rapidly. If the smell of fixer is not to your liking you might consider one of the odorless fixers sold by Freestyle in Los Angeles.<br>

Looking at different film developers is a lot like looking at cold medicine. Many of them use the same ingredients. There is no reason that you can't use HC-110 for roll film too. It is a phenidone based concentrate with good keeping qualities. Some other phenidone based liquid concentrates you might consider are Ilford DD-X, NACCO Super 76, Clayton F60 and Edwal FG-7. These all work well once you are used to them. I don't think any of them will be more economical than HC-110. Freestyle sells what looks like a copy of HC-110 under the Kentmere name. If you are willing to try mixing up some film developer yourself there is the now famous PC-TEA liquid concentrate. The developer you might like will also be affected by your choice of films. Several years ago a camera store where I lived was going out of business. I bought a magnetic mixer from them and then four teflon coated magnets from an internet seller. This can make mixing up powdered developers a lot easier.<br>

I use distilled water to mix up powdered developers and to dilute liquid concentrates. I have not seen any benefit in mixing stop bath or foxer or hypo clearing agent in distilled water. When my film is properly rinsed I will pour in distilled water and a few drops of Photo Flo. That takes care of any streaking or spotting which migh otherwise occur. I have not used distilled water for paper developer. </p>

[al_divenuti]

<p>Sprint is pretty much the "de-facto" community darkroom standard for film & paper chemistry because:</p>

<p>a) It's easy to mix</p>

<p>b) It doesn't cost much</p>

<p>c) The shelf life is good</p>

<p>d) Even if "c" doesn't hold true you can still feel good about "b" when you have to toss it out</p>

<p>Pretty compelling stuff if you're running a community darkroom of small-medium size.</p>

<p>Why doesn't Sprint get much love among hobbyist users?</p>

<p>It's like buying the supermarket brand soda. It'll do the job but the results are not as good as the offerings from Kodak, Ilford, Photographer's Formulary, etc.</p>

<p>I don't use Sprint anything in my home darkroom apart from their Stop Bath when I make prints. If I'm going through the trouble of maintaining a darkroom in a 1 BR apartment, I'm pretty committed and there isn't any compelling reason to cut corners on the chemistry. It takes a lot more time to get my galley kitchen light-tight and clean up afterwards than to mix a couple of stock & working solutions...</p>

 

[al_divenuti]

<p>As far as alternatives go, I would suggest looking at the Silvergrain line of chemicals available from FreeStyle, Digitaltruth, etc. There's no film developer among them, but you should find liquid concentrateStop Baths, Fixers, and Print Developers with somewhat lower toxicity than the other choices.</p>

[bethe_fisher]

<p>I use Sprint Stop bath for film and paper. For the rest, I use Ilford. Their Ilfosol 3 (film), multigrade developer (paper), and rapid fixer all come as liquids. They're a little more expensive than Sprint, but they do work well with distilled water (that's what I use 'cause I have a well that's got horribly hard water). I have found, though, that Sprint film developer works better (at least for me) with HIE than other developers I've used. Of course, I only have 3 more rolls of it and you may not have any. <br>

I've heard good things about Silvergrain, too. </p>

[larrydressler]

<p>HC-110 is my poison of choice. as for Fixer I use what ever is the cheapest when I go to buy it.. and that is always a liquid. I hate having fixer dust in the area. I have been using Arista liquid fixer from Freestyle for the last 2 years.</p>

[willscarlett]

<p>When I took Large Format this past spring, the darkroom at school at used Sprint, tho they used to use D-76. They changed over because for many of the reasons listed above, plus being a powder, D-76 required masks to use during mixing and could be bad for your health, plus it was less environmentally friendly, or something to that degree.</p>

<p>Having said that, I used Sprint to develop some of my film, but quickly switched to Rodinal. I didn't have any complaints with Sprint, but if I'm shooting 4x5, I'd prefer to get more acutance out of them instead of a solvent effect.</p>

[haziz]

<p>I prefer Sprint "Standard" film developer over Xtol, Ilfotec DDX, and Rodinal. Most of this is with FP4+ in all sizes from 35 mm film, and medium format to 8x10. I have also used it a lot with HP5+ (35 mm to 5x7) and Tri-X 400 in 35 mm and 120 film. It gives me great results and great tonality and with the FP4+ I get a true speed of 125-160 using my equipment and technique. Interestingly I do not see the same speed increase with HP5+ which gives me an EI of about 250. It has nothing to apologise about and should not be regarded as "house-brand" soda as another poster noted. It can certainly stand shoulder to shoulder with the big boys.<br>

I also use their stop, fix, fixer remover and their print developer. Their print develper imparts a slightly cold (but still fairly neutral) look to the prints that I love.</p>