Developing chemicals for the beginner

[Jessestr]

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Hi all

 

I recently made the switch to full analog. Well at least that's the plan. Picking up my second Leica (an M4 with just got CLA'ed, not the prettiest but can't be picky as a student). I sold my M8 stupidly enough .

 

Now to the point: I want to develop my own film, I've watched the process a hundred times as a little kid when we still had a dedicated dark room in our house but those days are over .. So I know about how and what but I want some suggestions on the choice of chems.

 

Will only develop black and white. Probably Tri-X or T-Max, didn't really decide yet. People suggested Rodinal and Amaloco stopper & fixer.

 

I heard there are re-usable all-in one stoppers & fixers out there. Are they good? Do they exist?

 

What are your suggestions? Thanks

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[almoore]

In terms of simplicity, reasonable price and proven track record, it's hard to go wrong with Kodak D76 (easily mixed from powder) for dev and Ilford Hypam for fix. They certainly make a good starting point.

[andym911]

Personally I use HC 110 as a developer.

 

It is cheap....keeps for an eternity, is easy to mix and delivers tremendous results particularly with Tri X.

Have used it for years and its very predictable.

 

As a fixer I use Ilford and it just works.

 

here an image using Tri X develped in HC 110 as an example.Taken with an M4 too.

 

good luck

 

andy

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[fotohuis]

The mentioned B&W films are doing excellent in HC-110.

About the stop and fixer: Any Citric Stop and Rapid Fixer will do the job. For film I prefer an Acid type fixer, for paper a Neutral or Alkaline type fixer. Also take a good Wetting Agent, it saves a lot of problems in stripes and drying stains on the film surface.

HC-110 is populair in dilutions B and H resp. 1+31 and 1+63. The developer can be kept over a few years without any problem. But take a long 10ml syringe for a direct dilution from the thick sirup.

[Jessestr]

The HC-110 is stopper & fixer ? Because you never mentioned what stopper you used.

[fotohuis]

http://www.fotohuisrovo.nl/documentatie/filmontwikkelaars_en_V1.pdf

 

An overview of populair B&W film-developers.

 

For Stop you can use 15g/ltr. Citric Acid which makes 1,5% strenght stop bath. Or use 2% HAc (Acetic Acid) or buy e.g. Rollei RCS which goes with a 1+19 dilution. It contains also an indicator which goes from Yellow to Blue when the pH reaches the 5,5 so the Stop can be put away.

For Acid fixer: RXA (Rollei fiXer Acid) or alkaline/neutral fixer RXN (Rollei fiXer Neutral) and for the wetting agent: Rollei Super Wetting Agent (RSWA, dilution 1+1000 - 1+2000). Very effective, anti-static and no stripes and stains when using destilled water (1 ltr. and 0,5ml RSWA).

Film fixer you make 1+4 and for all films you can fix within 5-6 minutes then, some old type cubical type films within 3-4 minutes.

Take a snap of film, put it in the 1+4 fixer working solution, take the time when it clears completely. Your fixer time = 2x Clear time then. For modern technology type films (Tmax, Delta and Acros 3x Clear time). For these films the iodide is blocking the fix process earlier. So the capacity of your fixer will be about 60% of regular type fixing films.