John Bragg
Well-known
I have just ordered more Ilfotec HC whilst having best part of a litre still in stock. With the seemingly global manufacturing changes and price hikes I thought it prudent to do so. I now have enough in stock to develop 380+ films. Stop bath can be substituted with vinegar or plain old water, so just need some fixer and I'm good to go. Anyone else prepping for possible future problems ?
DownUnder
Nikon Nomad
I've been told that packaged photo chemistry has a definite shelf life.
In the past I had problems with this developer. I ordered several bottles from a well-known photo retailer in Melbourne, which came by post in a few days. Silly me, I didn't check the use by dates on the bottles. About a month later, I processed several films with a mix from one of the bottles. My films came out ruined, and on checking the bottles I realized they were long out of date.
Alas, the developer was well past its use by.
I now mix my own from basic chemicals. Mostly D76, an Agfa-Ansco ultra fine grain developer, and now and then a two bath from recipes by the late Barry Thornton. All of which serve me well. I no longer store the developers, once used they get recycled.
Indeed, stop bath can be mixed from household vinegar - you can check the internet for recipes for this.
As for fixer, I'm not so sure. A now-deceased friend mixed his own fixer from pure hypo and nothing else. He did this for many years, and seemingly had no issues with the longevity of his finished films. As he is now gone I can't check the current condition of his rolls.
As I tend to be quite cautious in my darkroom routines, I now buy mine (from a different retailer) in liquid fixer, and in quantities to ensure I will use it all up before it becomes 'vintaged'.
There are always risks with storing photo chemistry. It's wise to be cautious with liquid chemistry.
In the past I had problems with this developer. I ordered several bottles from a well-known photo retailer in Melbourne, which came by post in a few days. Silly me, I didn't check the use by dates on the bottles. About a month later, I processed several films with a mix from one of the bottles. My films came out ruined, and on checking the bottles I realized they were long out of date.
Alas, the developer was well past its use by.
I now mix my own from basic chemicals. Mostly D76, an Agfa-Ansco ultra fine grain developer, and now and then a two bath from recipes by the late Barry Thornton. All of which serve me well. I no longer store the developers, once used they get recycled.
Indeed, stop bath can be mixed from household vinegar - you can check the internet for recipes for this.
As for fixer, I'm not so sure. A now-deceased friend mixed his own fixer from pure hypo and nothing else. He did this for many years, and seemingly had no issues with the longevity of his finished films. As he is now gone I can't check the current condition of his rolls.
As I tend to be quite cautious in my darkroom routines, I now buy mine (from a different retailer) in liquid fixer, and in quantities to ensure I will use it all up before it becomes 'vintaged'.
There are always risks with storing photo chemistry. It's wise to be cautious with liquid chemistry.
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John Bragg
Well-known
Thanks for the reply. Was that Ilfotec HC or Ilfosol that you had.problems with ? Ilfotec HC has "Unlimited" shelf life in unopened bottles according to Ilford.
Ororaro
Well-known
I’ve done that 5 years ago. And yes, was a great move.
-3 syrup HC110 liters when it was 45$
-3 hc110 when it was 40$
-20 1L of the very last polymax paper dev
-10 Gallons hypam at somethimg like 25$ each
-20 bags of d76, and yes I’ve effectively jumped over the whole kodak fiasco
-10 500ml kodak stop, then it went totally missing from the market for years
-Dektol…
-20 bags hypo clear while it was 5$ and went missing from the market for at least 3 years
-10 Liters Kodak selenium toner while it was still like 10-15$
-3000 sheets in boxes of 250sh. MGIV 11x14 papers while it was being phazed out.
-2000 sheets 8x10
-15 Pan-f bulk rolls at 45$
-15 tri-x while it was 80$ and bitched at. One had to be wise to see where it was actually going
-15 hp5 while it was 49$ (only 4-5 years ago)
-15 bulks arista 100 while it was 35$
I saved at least 50-70% $$, but foremost I had all this available to me while it was totally blacked out from the market.
Funniest part? I then turned heavily into Color film
Photography… got bored by BW after years and thousands of prints and hours in the darkroom. I’ve got about half of all the above left.
I also purchased about 200 rolls of fuji 200 and 400 during that tine when it was like 17-20$ for a 3-pack.
-3 syrup HC110 liters when it was 45$
-3 hc110 when it was 40$
-20 1L of the very last polymax paper dev
-10 Gallons hypam at somethimg like 25$ each
-20 bags of d76, and yes I’ve effectively jumped over the whole kodak fiasco
-10 500ml kodak stop, then it went totally missing from the market for years
-Dektol…
-20 bags hypo clear while it was 5$ and went missing from the market for at least 3 years
-10 Liters Kodak selenium toner while it was still like 10-15$
-3000 sheets in boxes of 250sh. MGIV 11x14 papers while it was being phazed out.
-2000 sheets 8x10
-15 Pan-f bulk rolls at 45$
-15 tri-x while it was 80$ and bitched at. One had to be wise to see where it was actually going
-15 hp5 while it was 49$ (only 4-5 years ago)
-15 bulks arista 100 while it was 35$
I saved at least 50-70% $$, but foremost I had all this available to me while it was totally blacked out from the market.
Funniest part? I then turned heavily into Color film
Photography… got bored by BW after years and thousands of prints and hours in the darkroom. I’ve got about half of all the above left.
I also purchased about 200 rolls of fuji 200 and 400 during that tine when it was like 17-20$ for a 3-pack.
John Bragg
Well-known
Good for you ! I also have 4 bottles of Rodinal that is a nice CocaCola colour and rattles with crystals when shaken. Apparently the crystals are good Juju and indicate a saturated solution. Added to that I have one part used Rodinal that is 30 years old and probably still good !
x-ray
Mentor
I started stockpiling years ago and probably have enough film and paper to last the rest of my life. Same for HC110.
I have some paper chemistry but have raw chemicals and my photo lab index and have compounded chemicals for nearly sixty years.
I have some paper chemistry but have raw chemicals and my photo lab index and have compounded chemicals for nearly sixty years.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Chemicals are not too expensive comparing film prices. HP5 is 116 usd per bulk. Insane to support it.
BH offers to pay in instalments.
This isn't viable form of photography anymore. Just expensive hobby.
BH offers to pay in instalments.
This isn't viable form of photography anymore. Just expensive hobby.
DownUnder
Nikon Nomad
It was Ilfotec. Most definitely Ilfotec.
The retailer in question had relocated its store and warehouse from one inner city suburb to another, and was known at that time to leave B&W chemistry on their shelves for a small eternity. I've not bought chemistry from them since - other photo supplies yes, and I can say, without any problems - but I like to think they have mended their ways. Selling old developer well past its use by is not nice!!
John Bragg
Well-known
I agree that film is not cheap. I bought a brick of HP5+ for £70 this week
I could cheap out and get Foma but I happen to like HP5+ the best.
John Bragg
Well-known
I quite agree. Ilfotec HC is usually bomb proof like HC-110. They must have tried really hard to ruin it !
yossi
Well-known
I started doing DIY B&W processing only last year. I used D-76 but later switched to HC-110 and like it. By then, there was no more syrup HC-110 available, only the watery version. The chemicals supply in Singapore is pathetic. Only one small shop keeps a few packs of Kodak & Ilford powders and some DD-X. Buying them from the US is problematic too, either not possible to ship or excessive shipping fee. I bought two bottles of China-made HC-110 and two bottles of Ilfotec HC, just in case they are no longer available.
I also acquired some chemicals from Photographers Formulary, mainly Metol and Sodium Sulfite. Also got some other chemicals from China, such as Borax, Potassium Bromide, etc. Just in case when I really need to mix developer from these powders.
I have narrowed down my choice of films to Kodak Tri-X and Double-X, and developers to HC-110, D-76 and D-96 (for double-x). I should have enough films and developers for the next 5 years, if not longer. So I am happy.
I also acquired some chemicals from Photographers Formulary, mainly Metol and Sodium Sulfite. Also got some other chemicals from China, such as Borax, Potassium Bromide, etc. Just in case when I really need to mix developer from these powders.
I have narrowed down my choice of films to Kodak Tri-X and Double-X, and developers to HC-110, D-76 and D-96 (for double-x). I should have enough films and developers for the next 5 years, if not longer. So I am happy.
John Bragg
Well-known
I switched to Ilfotec HC from HC-110 for similar reasons. I expected the results to be broadly the same, but needed a small period of adjustment in order to get similar results. Now very happy. I also changed from Dilution H to the 1:49 dilution which makes the math much easier.I started doing DIY B&W processing only last year. I used D-76 but later switched to HC-110 and like it. By then, there was no more syrup HC-110 available, only the watery version. The chemicals supply in Singapore is pathetic. Only one small shop keeps a few packs of Kodak & Ilford powders and some DD-X. Buying them from the US is problematic too, either not possible to ship or excessive shipping fee. I bought two bottles of China-made HC-110 and two bottles of Ilfotec HC, just in case they are no longer available.
I also acquired some chemicals from Photographers Formulary, mainly Metol and Sodium Sulfite. Also got some other chemicals from China, such as Borax, Potassium Bromide, etc. Just in case when I really need to mix developer from these powders.
I have narrowed down my choice of films to Kodak Tri-X and Double-X, and developers to HC-110, D-76 and D-96 (for double-x). I should have enough films and developers for the next 5 years, if not longer. So I am happy.
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
I needed at least six 100' rolls per year. Now cheapest 100' bulk is 70 USD. Which is 420 USD per year, at least.
Perhaps it is nothing for most. But to me it is cut out point.
1L of Kodak HC-110 for 43 USD isn't deal breaker. Getting three bottles at once doesn't seems as something odd to me. It will be in the same condition after couple of years.
5L of Ilford rapid fixer will lasts for years if for film only.
But. Film scanning isn't really film photogaphy, IMO. And dr paper prices are total ripoff now. Crappy RC is more than one dollar per 8x10 sheet. Real (FB) dr paper is one and half dollar per 8x10...
So, film and paper are more than one thousand dollars per year for me without really burning the shutter.
I like film because it has superior BW and all mechanical film cameras are most convenient way to take pictures every day, everywhere. But it is too expensive, for me. Piling up developer isn't going to help at all...
DownUnder
Nikon Nomad
You have the all makings of a superwhammo Ebay sale...!
Ororaro
Well-known
My main problem, which has the potential to negate absolutely any gain and basically leave me with outdated stuff is if the gallons of Hypam start going bad (separation of chemicals). And, if ONLY SOME boxes of paper syart to deteriorate by losing contrast, which they soon will, even though they are all refrigerated.
I have absolutely no choice but do like I did in 2020-2022 and print all of it. 2025 will be dedicated to finish this off.
But then I’ll have to manage a PILE OF JUNK 🤡
I have absolutely no choice but do like I did in 2020-2022 and print all of it. 2025 will be dedicated to finish this off.
But then I’ll have to manage a PILE OF JUNK 🤡
