Caffenol, real developer or a school project

[Einst_Stein]

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I have no experience with Caffenol yet but I have watch some youtube and read some web posts. It is highly regarded in general. But I cannot tell it is really professonal comments or just a encouragement on a school level project.

 

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Hallo,

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[TomB_tx]

I've also noticed some good results with it, but I'm so used to a Ilford and Adox developers I can't see taking the time to experiment, as I get what I want from these.

[Einst_Stein]

I have never get to the point that I am perfectly happy on the developers I've used. I am sure the main issue is it needs more practice on one developer before switching to another,  but it's hard to resist the other possibilities. For this reason, I've moved from HC110, Rodinal, PMK, and back to HC110. I finish a couple of bottles of each before switching. Each switch is based one enough reasons that the new one is a "real" developer. 

Caffenol seems different. It is suspiciously a school kid's fun project. 

Is it? or is it not?   

 

Edited December 1, 2020 by Einst_Stein

[gbealnz]

Try it and then decide.

I always thought it was,  but tried it recently.  I started a thread a few down from this one, about developing HP5+ in R09. My fault entirely but it sent me off to Caffenol school, and I am now a believer.

Gary

[fotomas]

I have some Caffenol pictures around here in the forum. The results can compare with other developers IMHO. 
But I guess not all films are good with Caffenol. Films with a low fog level works best. 
Potassium bromide works as a good restrainer here too, like in normal developers, but then you can't get all you need in a normal super market. 
Iodised salt, what is recommended in some recipes, don't worked for me.
You can't mix it up and keep it. It has to be always prepared fresh shortly before development.
 

Edited December 6, 2020 by fotomas

[Einst_Stein]

I donot doubt Caffenol can create artistic expression, but a fundamental question is the controllability and repeatability.  

The ingredient variation of the coffee and Vitamin C is not clear  . At least, I can taste the difference of different coffee and the same coffee with different cooking temperatures, etc. 

Of course, this may well be part of the fun, to get new surprises in every experience. 

But that surprise may well be a nightmare too.