Developers for B&W film

Bingley

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While we have threads on particular developers for BW film and on what RFF experts have used, we don’t appear to have a thread where members can post examples of bw photos using their favorite developers. So I’ll start one. Please contribute your BW photos, with details on the developer you used, including dilution and development times.
 
In 2021 and 2022, I also experimented with Cinestill’s D96 Monobath. The results were, um, variable, and hitting the right temperature appeared to be important to getting an image w/ a wide tonal range and manageable grain. Here are some samples where D96 produced good results:

Kentmere 400 in D96 Monobath, 6:30 mins. at 22C:

Late winter on the beach by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr

Cinestill Double X film in D96 Monobath, 6:30 mins. @ 21C:

Young oaks by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr

Cinestill Double X in D96 Monobath, 6:30 mins. @ 21C:

Aspens in Winter by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr
 
img_0020.jpg

Kentmere 100, developed in Rodinal 1:50, 15 minutes at 20 degrees C. I was testing a Kiev 4 camera - it has a light leak.
 
Of course I keep Rodinal and HC110 around for their shelf life and predictability, but I really like Clayton F76. Once a bottle is opened though, probably have to use it up in 2-3 months. I've been using some Tetanus developers recently -- Paranol-S and Ultrafin -- they're ok, but probably won't repeat.

covered lane by Steve, on Flickr

Fomapan 100 in Clayton F76
 
Of course I keep Rodinal and HC110 around for their shelf life and predictability, but I really like Clayton F76. Once a bottle is opened though, probably have to use it up in 2-3 months. I've been using some Tetanus developers recently -- Paranol-S and Ultrafin -- they're ok, but probably won't repeat.

covered lane by Steve, on Flickr

Fomapan 100 in Clayton F76
F76 has a decent shelf life, I tested it in the early 00s and was a very good developer.
Like any other developer break it into smaller containers (I use cough syrup bottles) filled to the brim and store it in a dark cabinet. That should extend life tremendously (Micrphen lasts 1yr+)
 
Tri-X in Pyrocat HD (120, cropped Rolleiflex negative)..... I've been using staining developers for a long time now: first PMK now Pyrocat HD.....I can't remember when i used anything else.IMG_1788.jpg
 
Tri-X and Diafine. Diafine doesn’t seem to get a lot of love these days, but it works very well with Tri-X. It gives the film a little speed bump up, which can be handy. Without a color filter, I expose it at iso 800; with a yellow filter, I expose it at 400. I develop it for 4 mins. each in solution A and B.

Without a yellow filter, exposed at 800:

At the Frick by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr

Three generations by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr

Reading by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr
 
Here is a copy of my developing notes together with pictures.

-----------------------------------
Kodak Tri-X in Rodinal
Dilution 1:50. (6ml developer in 294ml of water)
Overall time: 13mins,
Chemicals temperature: 19oc
30sec continuous initial agitation.
1 slow invertion every minute

17.jpg

-----------------------------------

TMax 400 in Rodinal

Dilution 1:50. (6ml developer in 294ml of water)
Overall time: 12mins ,
Chemicals temperature: 19oc
30sec continuous initial agitation.
1 invertion every minute

11.jpg

-----------------------------------

TMax 400 in HC-110

Dilution 1:50. (6ml developer in 294ml of water)
Overall time: 9mins 30 sec,
Chemicals temperature: 20oc
30sec continuous initial agitation.
1 invertion every minute

48.jpg

21.jpg

-----------------------------------

Ilford Delta in HC-110

Dilution 1:50. (6ml developer in 294ml of water)
Overall time: 12mins
Chemicals temperature: 20oc
30sec continuous initial agitation.
1 invertion every minute

Scan11899sm.JPG

-----------------------------------

HP5+ in HC-110

Dilution 1:50. (6ml developer in 294ml of water)
Overall time: 8mins 00 sec,
Chemicals temperature: 20oc
30sec continuous initial agitation.
1 invertion every minute

13.jpg

-----------------------------------
Ilford Pan 400 in HC-110

Dilution 1:50. (6ml developer in 294ml of water)
Overall time: 9mins 30 sec,
Chemicals temperature: 20oc
30sec continuous initial agitation.
1 invertion every minute

ScanImage269.jpg

ScanImage260.jpg

--------------------------------------------------------
Foma 200 (120 roll) in HC110

10 ml developer in 490ml water
Overall time: 5mins 30 sec,
Chemicals temperature: 20oc
30sec continuous initial agitation.
1 invertion every minute

ScanImage294.jpg
 
Last edited:
Those are very useful notes, Pan, as well as very nice photos! I especially like the tonality and composition of the last photo; I have used Foma 200 a bit in the past and quite liked it. Still got some, so I’ll try your recipe!
 
I've used Diafine almost exclusively going on 15 years. Only with Kodak Tri-X the last few years.

Notes:
Time - 3 minutes in each bath
Temperature - I only pay attention to this if I suspect it is too cold. In that case, I heat up the gallon jugs in a warm bath for a few minutes.
15 seconds of continuous initial agitation
1 slow inversion every 30 seconds
Water as stop bath
Apply drying agent

52650034700_df0757063c_b.jpg


52449972614_6dab3ff0ac_b.jpg
 
Tri-X in HC 100 dil. h: This is one film/developer combination that I quite like. I meter/expose at 250 and develop at 400; Tri-X seems to like the extra exposure.

Listening by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr

Skyline by Steve Macfarlane, on Flickr
Hi Bingley - curious to understand a little more of your method. When you say you expose at 250 and develop at 400: do you mean you meter at 250 and then use the development time published for 400?

Thanks,
~S
 
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