The end of my time with D76

[Mike S]

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I've been using D76, alongside Rodinal, as my only developers for over 40 years. Just processed a roll with the last drops of my last bottle of Kodak D76 stock. There's no more D76 available in the UK, nor Europe as far as I understand things and I'm feeling rather sentimental about the loss of the Kodak brand in my photographic life. 

I'm switching to Adox XT-3, their Xtol clone, which I am liking very much and getting very similar results with. I am told that there's an Adox D76 clone on the horizon but yet to see it in the UK. For some utterly irrational personal reasons (can't stand their packaging design) I've never liked ID11, so for me that's not an option, but I wondered what anyone else was thinking about the passing of Kodak chemicals in Europe?

Illustration from almost the last frame from that last roll.

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[250swb]

It's a shame not to have the option of Kodak chemicals, but I'd use ID-11 if I wanted the nearest equivalent to D-76. Ilford also make a copy of HC-110 called Ilfotec HC which even uses the same dilutions, and as you say Adox are filling other gaps. I'm not so sure that Kodak are gone forever though, Kodak chemicals are now made in China by a company who bought the rights to manufacture and market them and it may simply be a supply chain problem, I mean there's not much point paying for the brand and then not doing it.

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[Pyrogallol]

Save your last D76 box or bottle and put ID11 in it.

[newtoleica]

Really? I should hang onto my last 10 bags of D76 1 litre sachets then!

seriously… they are a couple of years out of date as I’ve been using pyro… I’m sure they will keep a bit longer, 

[250swb]

5 minutes ago, newtoleica said:

Really? I should hang onto my last 10 bags of D76 1 litre sachets then!

seriously… they are a couple of years out of date as I’ve been using pyro… I’m sure they will keep a bit longer, 

No sell them on eBay as 'rare and collectible' and buy some ID-11 using a fraction of the vast profit.

[Ouroboros]

On 9/15/2023 at 2:50 PM, Mike S said:

 I'm switching to Adox XT-3, their Xtol clone, which I am liking very much and getting very similar results with.

 

I bought a 1ltr pack of Adox XT-3 a couple of weeks ago to try out, mainly because of the claimed reduced environmental impact  compared to other developers.  I was pleasantly surprised when I took the first 4 rolls of 35mm Tri-X out of the tank, also with the first 4 120 rolls of Acros. I ordered another five 1tr packs. 

 

Edited September 18 by Ouroboros

[hansvons]

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On 9/18/2023 at 11:44 PM, Ouroboros said:

I ordered another five 1tr packs. 

My default B&W developer.