whoisusingd23?

[John Austin]

I'll take a hug as long as the body is free of Metol.

A pipe of metol in the morning will make you as strong as a camel's courtyard

[Ryuji]

Nonsense.

Some of us like old stuff like this BECAUSE it is old.

That doesn't justify you calling me nonsense.

[Ryuji]

I agree with the highlighted quotes Ryuji and would include medium-format as well as large-format to your list.
However, 35mm users probably prefer using a finer-grain developer though and be prepared to sacrifice some film speed to acquire that requirement hence D-76/ID-11 or even a Microdol type developer.

Even in 35mm format if you use Acros or TMX the grain isn't a problem. You'll see the limitation of camera optics before grain becoming a problem. But with those films, with handheld camera, I don't want to lose film speed or accutance.

In 1990s, I used Microphen 1+1 or 1+2 with TMX with very good results, in both 35mm and MF. I used Microphen 1+1 for HP5 Plus with good results in MF, but still it was rather grainy.

[Ian Grant]

This formula is cited as being Ilford Microphen by the author, but I cannot confirm that it actually is.

http://www.film-and-darkroom-user.or...82&postcount=1

According to Ilford themselves who published it in the 1950's that formula is Autophen which was their PQ developer derived from ID-11/D76 and designed for commercial macnine processing. Autophen is also known as "Axford and Kendall's Photofinishing PQ Developer".

Microphen is a different formula (ID-68) more like a PQ variant of the Adox Borax MQ formula and gives a higher effective film speed compared tp ID-11 or autophen. Paert of the speed increase is due to the drop in Sulphite to m80g/l and part to the use of Phenidone. Ilford claimed Microphen was "an altogether new type of developer" when it was released.

Autophen was available in powder and liquid forms, along with replenishers.

Ian

[presspass]

I've been using D-23 for a couple of years now. I get good results 1:1 68º F 16 minutes and when I use it 1:3 for ISO 400 it doesn't seem to lose speed. Both are with 35mm Tri-X/Arista Premium. I've also used it divided 5g metol & 100 g s.sulfite for 6 minutes followed by four minutes 18g borax, both mixed in 1 ltr. distilled. That works for 400, but I've never been able to make it work with 1600. Is it as good as X-tol or D-76? I don't know. I've used both and mostly prefer the results from D-23, at least for wet printing.

[Thomas Bertilsson]

We all have different reasons for liking different developers.

My own thoughts are that the best developer is the one I'm used to, and I keep rediscovering this, the hard way, every time I try something new.

[Roger Cole]

That doesn't justify you calling me nonsense.

I didn't call YOU nonsense, I called what you SAID nonsense. I guess I was a bit touchy but still, there's a big difference. One is not personal.

[nworth]

I rarely use D-23, but sometimes it happens. D-76 is just about as easy to make, and it is more suitable than D-23 for most things. I would probably go to Xtol, which has some definite advantages, but I prefer to mix my own. I don't really do that much black and white work. The speed loss with D-23 is really minimal. I disagree with the 1 stop figure Ryuji gives, but I'll certainly buy half that. It's pretty much similar to Pyrocat-HD is the speed loss department, but Pyrocat has some advantages. I disagree with MichaelR about the compensating action. D-23 has some definite compensating action, which makes some negatives look quite different from those processed in D-76. D-23 (1+3) has been recommended as a true compensating developer. I haven't tried it, but I should think it would work. It is quite similar to the Windisch Metol-Sulfite formula, which has long been used for compensation in high contrast situations. Grain is similar to D-76 (I've looked), but sharpness is somewhat less. When I do use D-23, it is (usually) for convenience or when I want to see some compensating action between the tones of complex images.

[Ryuji]

I disagree with the 1 stop figure Ryuji gives, but I'll certainly buy half that.

I said 1 stop less than a good Phenidone developer. This is true. You’re comparing other developers that don’t deliver the speed I’m getting.