Which developer?

Janos · 2017-02-18T12:07:32+00:00

Hi, ? Das ist eine sehr Basic Frage. Brauchen bestimmte Schwarzweißfilme bestimmte Entwickler? Ich nutze hauptsächlich Ilford Filme, ab- und an auch Kodak...

Janos

Hi, ? This is a very basic question. Do certain black-and-white films require specific developers? I mainly use Ilford films, and occasionally Kodak as well. Do these films require different developers? ? My choice would be this set here:?https://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/fotochemie/FOTOIMPEX-starter-set-film-chemie-nachfuellpack-maxi-fuer-50-filme.html ? Thanks :) ?

Florek

Hello! Basically, all black-and-white films can be used with any standard developer. The ADONAL/Rodinal developer you suggested is particularly forgiving and is one of the classics. At the risk of sparking a debate: the differences between standard developers aren’t particularly significant. It’s only when you focus on a specific characteristic—such as extremely fine grain or achieving the rated sensitivity—that a particular choice of film and developer can really make a difference. So you can use the same developer for your Kodak and Ilford films. At the start, however, I would still advise you to stick to one film/developer combination and optimise that process. Then it will be easier for you to recognise the differences later on. One exception is the Ilford XP-2: this film is not a classic black-and-white film, but is developed as a colour negative in the C41 process. Best regards Florian

Bonderer

In theory, any black-and-white film will work with any developer. But it really comes down to personal preference. Once you’ve found a developing method that works for you, you can move on to fine-tuning it. There’s certainly no shortage of film developers to choose from; the tricky bit is finding your particular favourite. But over the years, I have changed my favourite from time to time. But no one can do the job of finding your own favourite for you. There are film/developer combinations that I find dreadful, but those are exactly the ones I use to develop a friend’s films. He thinks they’re brilliant and somehow they suit his photography too. I’m not going to make any recommendations here and now, because what I like might be a turn-off for others. You can’t go wrong with Ilford-Kodak; that’s all I use. Finding the right developer for you is a matter of trial and error. Good luck with it.

CommodoreMan

I was faced with the same choice and ended up going for Kodak HC110. I can’t say exactly why, but I’ve been happy with the results so far. € But as the previous speakers have already said, most products aren’t that different from one another. There are only a few films for which a specific developer is specified. Off the top of my head, ADOX Silvermax springs to mind, for example. € The following points might be of interest to you, from one beginner to another: € - The quantities in which the developer is sold: Some developers are only available in large containers, or, in the case of powdered formulations, in sachets for preparing large quantities. But what use is 5 litres of ready-to-use solution to an occasional photographer, especially as it doesn’t keep indefinitely? € - The shelf life of the developer: Rodinal (=Adonal), for example, has a very long shelf life even after opening. HC110 is also said to have a long shelf life. Other developers should be used up within a few weeks of opening the bottle or preparing the solution. € - Reusable or single-use developer? Most developers can be used as single-use developers. However, many can also be used as multi-use developers. Single-use developers are easier to handle, as they are always fresh and ensure consistent conditions during development. € And if you’re not 100% happy with the result straight away, it’s best to tweak the process first before you start frantically testing every possible developer. € Regards, C-Man