Follow-up questions to jnanian's developer survey

[jnanian]

This is a follow-up to John's survey about which/how many developers people use.

1. I'd like to know what chemicals, film and paper people started out with - the first stuff you used. Chemicals include film and print developers, fixer etc.

hi michael

i was in high school, maybe 14 years old, maybe 13 ? i don't remember. my photo instructor gave us kodak rc paper and we used sprint photochemicals.
sprint film and paper developers, and speed fixer... they are made here in rhode island and are good stuff. the guy that started the company
was a photo chemical genius. i can't really say much bad about sprint developers and i have never stopped using their fixer. the developer is
sort of like d76 and doesn't blow highlights when over processed. i have used it off and on for a long time with no regrets.
i used that throughout highschool and for 7 semesters in college, i used primarily seagull blue box paper, graded, and a little vc, and some kodak rc paper to proof. i also used a few boxes of kodabromide for personal book binding projects. it was single weight and graded and worked great.

2. In reference to the above, how did you come to start out with them? eg: Were you taught by somebody? Did you read about them in a book? Were they the materials your favourite photographer used? Were they simply the materials available to you? Etc.

i used them because it was all i knew. after college i apprenticed with a photographer who opened my eyes. after i used different papers, mostly ilford.
dektol developer, and dk50 as well as sprint film developers in deep tanks 1-shot for sheet film.

3. If you are not still using the materials you began with, why? Did you read more and want to try stuff? Were you disatisfied with what you were using? Did certain materials become unavailable? Did you get caught in the search for magic formulas, films etc? Did your style change?

4. Have you come full circle with anything? For example in the case of film developers, did you start out with D-76, then explore everything from D-1 to FX-whatever, and ultimately end up back with D-76? Same question applies to films, paper, paper developers.
Thanks

i eventually experimented a little bit with other film and paper developers, mainly because i had nothing better to do. when tmax / tmax rs came out i used them, i used xtol
and when i ran out of $$ i started to use a can of gaf universal i found in a window of a studio i was renting. it worked great, and when i realized i couldn't find it in the stores
i was told it was ansco 130 so i started to use that almost exclusively for film and prints. i really saw no other reason to use anything else ... until whitey emailed me
the recipe for caffenol c. i used it by itself and eventually dropped about 1oz of paper developer into it ... close to 7 years ago and haven't really done much else.
once in a while for commission work i will still use sprint film developer or ansco 130, but don't use much besides the coffee and a130. for films ..
i use whatever film i can find, and am not too particular.

if i ever get sick of the coffee and a130, or if the formulary stops making glycin, i will probably go back to sprint.

[Kirk Keyes]

It contained a contact printing box, Kodak Brownie safelight, trays, film clips, graduate, thermometer, a packet of Velox paper, and a Tri-Chem pack.

Tri-Chem pack for me too. Processed in my bedroom closet.

Then onto D-76 and ID-11 for film, Dektol for paper. It was the late 70s and they were readily available.

Now I use WD2H and Xtol for film for stained and unstained, and then Dektol or equivalent for paper.

[hdeyong]

Started out about 30 years ago with Tri-X, and D-76, sometimes a concentrate, but I can't remember what it was. The paper was an Agfa product, FB and glossy, in Dektol, I believe.
Moved on to HP5 and D-76 or ID-11 and Kodak papers. Always had some Panatomic-X on hand for special stuff, like cars, on which it did a beautiful job, which I believe I developed in Ilfosol.
Have now settled exclusively on HP5+ (70%), FP4+(20%), and a bit of Pan F (10%), developed in HC-110 or D-76.
Am getting ready to set up to do my own printing again, and have already pretty much decided on Ilford MG fibre based and their chemicals.
I'm not going to experiment too much more, maybe with a little infra-red, because I like the looks and usability of what I have and don't see much reason to change.

[Wade D]

This is a follow-up to John's survey about which/how many developers people use.

1. I'd like to know what chemicals, film and paper people started out with - the first stuff you used. Chemicals include film and print developers, fixer etc.

2. In reference to the above, how did you come to start out with them? eg: Were you taught by somebody? Did you read about them in a book? Were they the materials your favourite photographer used? Were they simply the materials available to you? Etc.

3. If you are not still using the materials you began with, why? Did you read more and want to try stuff? Were you disatisfied with what you were using? Did certain materials become unavailable? Did you get caught in the search for magic formulas, films etc? Did your style change?

4. Have you come full circle with anything? For example in the case of film developers, did you start out with D-76, then explore everything from D-1 to FX-whatever, and ultimately end up back with D-76? Same question applies to films, paper, paper developers.

Thanks

1. Instamatic with Verichrome Pan about 1966. My 1st SLR (a Petri) and Tri-X about 1968.
D-76, Dektol, Indicator Stop Bath, Kodak Fixer. Polycontrast SW glossy was the 1st paper.

2. On the advice of the kindly older gentleman behind the counter at the local Fedco camera dept. They had everything a regular camera store had back then.

3. I tried various developers and films over the years. Plus-X was my go to film for MF & LF.

4. I'm back to using D-76 and Dektol for standard developers. Tri-X for 35mm. I like the look of it. Using the last of my Plus-X cache in MF & LF and am trying out Fuji Neopan 100 as a replacement.

[Ricus.stormfire]

1.Agfa APX 100, Ilford FP4+ & HP5+, Agfa Rodinal, Agfa MCP 310, Ilford Multigrade, Agfa Fixer.

2. Film, Ilford is the most readily available film in SA, and I can remember the Ilford brand from my youth when my mother worked at a news paper. Rodinal, I asked the shop keeper for B&W film developer, that's what he gave me. Agfa paper was cheaper than Ilford. The rest of the chemicals where all that was available.

3. Real APX went away (although I recently tried the Agfaphoto version) Tried Kodak's Tmax films (not readily available) Rodinal went away, tried Tmax developer, and started using ID11, found a supplier for Rodinal (RO9 One Shot), so now I use Rodinal and ID11. Agfa paper went away, switched to Ilford. Still use Ilford chems for paper. Ilford is the only company that has a decent (if any) range in SA, Kodak doesn't care and only sells C41 "consumer" film (No TriX!!!!!).

4. I still use Rodinal (bought from a supplier) and ID11, Ilford films I will by when I can afford them( I use Rollei/Maco films now), I use Ilford paper (or imported ADOX and Oriental), Ilford chems are used because there is nothing else in SA (NO KODAK CHEMS!!!!).

[flatulent1]

1. I started with Tmax 100 and Tmax developer. This was a college darkroom, and I haven't a clue what the other chems were. Tmax 100 was recommended to us, as was Tmax developer, and Lloyds bulk loaders were available in the student store if we wished to roll our own.

2. Two college darkrooms, to be exact, one in the School of Communications and one in the School of Architecture. Students were to supply their own film and developer; the school managed the rest of the chemistry for processing and printing. No idea what they used, although the name Dektol sounded familiar when I heard it several years ago.

3. When I left college I didn't see another darkroom for 20+ years, until I joined a community darkroom recently. Their standard dev was XTOL, which became mine also by default. As I was just restarting the learning process I had no reason or desire to experiment with different chems. I already had several B&W films, though HP5+ was what I used most at the time.

4. Mine has been more of a scatter-shot approach. Some of the more methodical among you would be shaking your heads if I tried to outline what I've been doing for the last several years. I have 8-10 different B&W films on hand, for example, including some just-expired Tmax 100 in a Lloyds. I don't think I have a go-to film, I just grab whatever feels appropriate.

[StoneNYC]

hi michael

i was in high school, maybe 14 years old, maybe 13 ? i don't remember. my photo instructor gave us kodak rc paper and we used sprint photochemicals.
sprint film and paper developers, and speed fixer... they are made here in rhode island and are good stuff. the guy that started the company
was a photo chemical genius. i can't really say much bad about sprint developers and i have never stopped using their fixer. the developer is
sort of like d76 and doesn't blow highlights when over processed. i have used it off and on for a long time with no regrets.
i used that throughout highschool and for 7 semesters in college, i used primarily seagull blue box paper, graded, and a little vc, and some kodak rc paper to proof. i also used a few boxes of kodabromide for personal book binding projects. it was single weight and graded and worked great.


i used them because it was all i knew. after college i apprenticed with a photographer who opened my eyes. after i used different papers, mostly ilford.
dektol developer, and dk50 as well as sprint film developers in deep tanks 1-shot for sheet film.





i eventually experimented a little bit with other film and paper developers, mainly because i had nothing better to do. when tmax / tmax rs came out i used them, i used xtol
and when i ran out of $$ i started to use a can of gaf universal i found in a window of a studio i was renting. it worked great, and when i realized i couldn't find it in the stores
i was told it was ansco 130 so i started to use that almost exclusively for film and prints. i really saw no other reason to use anything else ... until whitey emailed me
the recipe for caffenol c. i used it by itself and eventually dropped about 1oz of paper developer into it ... close to 7 years ago and haven't really done much else.
once in a while for commission work i will still use sprint film developer or ansco 130, but don't use much besides the coffee and a130. for films ..
i use whatever film i can find, and am not too particular.

if i ever get sick of the coffee and a130, or if the formulary stops making glycin, i will probably go back to sprint.

Is that true? Is Ansco 130 really GAF Universal?


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

[StoneNYC]

1.Agfa APX 100, Ilford FP4+ & HP5+, Agfa Rodinal, Agfa MCP 310, Ilford Multigrade, Agfa Fixer.

2. Film, Ilford is the most readily available film in SA, and I can remember the Ilford brand from my youth when my mother worked at a news paper. Rodinal, I asked the shop keeper for B&W film developer, that's what he gave me. Agfa paper was cheaper than Ilford. The rest of the chemicals where all that was available.

3. Real APX went away (although I recently tried the Agfaphoto version) Tried Kodak's Tmax films (not readily available) Rodinal went away, tried Tmax developer, and started using ID11, found a supplier for Rodinal (RO9 One Shot), so now I use Rodinal and ID11. Agfa paper went away, switched to Ilford. Still use Ilford chems for paper. Ilford is the only company that has a decent (if any) range in SA, Kodak doesn't care and only sells C41 "consumer" film (No TriX!!!!!).

4. I still use Rodinal (bought from a supplier) and ID11, Ilford films I will by when I can afford them( I use Rollei/Maco films now), I use Ilford paper (or imported ADOX and Oriental), Ilford chems are used because there is nothing else in SA (NO KODAK CHEMS!!!!).

What did you think of the AGFAfoto version? Is it similar?


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

[jnanian]

Is that true? Is Ansco 130 really GAF Universal?


~Stone

Mamiya: 7 II, RZ67 Pro II / Canon: 1V, AE-1, 5DmkII / Kodak: No 1 Pocket Autographic, No 1A Pocket Autographic | Sent w/ iPhone using Tapatalk

hi stone

no it really isn't the same developer. it appeared in the photo lab index and seemed like a good candidate ( as does ansco 125 which has times &c for film as well as prints )
i was send a formula for what was later listed as ansco/gaf universal, but i don't have it handy ( will have to search my emails for it ! )
from what i remember when i compared the 2 formulas the universal and 130 were very close ..
130 won't let you down, it can be a bit contrasty depending on the lighting and situation, but you can do a test roll and figure out
how to agitate it, or dilute it to suit your needs ... i usually do 1:10 @72º for about 8.5 mins ( sometimes more concentrated, sometimes less im not too careful )
and the negatives a nice snappy look to them.

like with everything, suggested dilutions and times are a starting point, you need to tweek things to suite your needs

have fun !
john

[perkeleellinen]

1/ Neopan 400, ID11, MGIV (in the mid '90s)
2/ Local availability
3/ now using Neopan 400, HC-110, MGIV: Convenience of concentrate over powder.