Like to share something here. Anyone buy raw chemicals to mix??
Metol is an excellent developing agent with fine grain, high acutance, low fog and good stability. However, it does not give speed increase. Phenidone on the other hand is well known for its speed increase properties.
Naturally enough, phenidone has been selected for this speed increasing and push processing developer. Well, not quite Phenidone. Phenidone has a few derivatives, viz phenodone A, dimezone and dimezone S. I cant tell the differences but I would expect they are all similar in terms of developing activity. Of the derivatives, dimezone S is said to be the most stable. It is used in Xtol and also used in here.
Phenidone, or its derivative developers are not reknowned for producing good sharpness - exception of Xtol and some FX series developers. That's where metol comes in this developer.
Careful testing indicates metol:dimezone:ascorbate ratio of 1.5:0.25:9 gives good balance of speed, sharpness and development activity.
pH of ESD-6 is between 8.2-8.5. Low for the developer but the activity is boosted by relatively high amount of developing agents.
As most of ESD series developers, it is bufferred and activated with Borax/boric acid.
Generally, phenidone families are not sensitive to bromide especially in high alkaline environment. However, 0.5g of bromide improved picture quality in this case due to lowish pH..
Here is the Recipe:
Water 750ml
Metol 1.5g
Sodium sulfite 85g
Sodium ascorbate 9g
Dimezone S 0.25g
Salicylic acid 1g
Boric acid 8g
Borax 5g
Potassium bromide 0.5g
Potassium iodide 0.001% 10ml
Water to make 1L
Times:
Across @ EI100, Dil 1+1 9 min
Fomapan 100 @ EI100, Dil 1+1 10 min
Adox CHS 25 (Efke) @EI25, Dil 1+1 6.5min
Adox CHS 25 (Efke) @EI32, Dil 1+1 7min
Adox CHS 25 (Efke) @EI50, Dil 1+1 7.5min
Efke 100 @EI100, Dil 1+2 12min
Tri-X @EI400, Dil 1+1 10.5 min
TRi-X@EI3200, Dil 1+1 16 min
HP5+@EI3200,Dil 1+1 20 min
Maco TS @EI400, Dil 1+1 10.5min
Polypan F @ EI100, Dil 1+2 15 min
Polypan F @ EI400, Dil 1+1 20 min
APX100 @EI100,Dil 1+1 8 min
Lucky SHD100 @EI100, Dil 1+1 10 min
Metol is an excellent developing agent with fine grain, high acutance, low fog and good stability. However, it does not give speed increase. Phenidone on the other hand is well known for its speed increase properties.
Naturally enough, phenidone has been selected for this speed increasing and push processing developer. Well, not quite Phenidone. Phenidone has a few derivatives, viz phenodone A, dimezone and dimezone S. I cant tell the differences but I would expect they are all similar in terms of developing activity. Of the derivatives, dimezone S is said to be the most stable. It is used in Xtol and also used in here.
Phenidone, or its derivative developers are not reknowned for producing good sharpness - exception of Xtol and some FX series developers. That's where metol comes in this developer.
Careful testing indicates metol:dimezone:ascorbate ratio of 1.5:0.25:9 gives good balance of speed, sharpness and development activity.
pH of ESD-6 is between 8.2-8.5. Low for the developer but the activity is boosted by relatively high amount of developing agents.
As most of ESD series developers, it is bufferred and activated with Borax/boric acid.
Generally, phenidone families are not sensitive to bromide especially in high alkaline environment. However, 0.5g of bromide improved picture quality in this case due to lowish pH..
Here is the Recipe:
Water 750ml
Metol 1.5g
Sodium sulfite 85g
Sodium ascorbate 9g
Dimezone S 0.25g
Salicylic acid 1g
Boric acid 8g
Borax 5g
Potassium bromide 0.5g
Potassium iodide 0.001% 10ml
Water to make 1L
Times:
Across @ EI100, Dil 1+1 9 min
Fomapan 100 @ EI100, Dil 1+1 10 min
Adox CHS 25 (Efke) @EI25, Dil 1+1 6.5min
Adox CHS 25 (Efke) @EI32, Dil 1+1 7min
Adox CHS 25 (Efke) @EI50, Dil 1+1 7.5min
Efke 100 @EI100, Dil 1+2 12min
Tri-X @EI400, Dil 1+1 10.5 min
TRi-X@EI3200, Dil 1+1 16 min
HP5+@EI3200,Dil 1+1 20 min
Maco TS @EI400, Dil 1+1 10.5min
Polypan F @ EI100, Dil 1+2 15 min
Polypan F @ EI400, Dil 1+1 20 min
APX100 @EI100,Dil 1+1 8 min
Lucky SHD100 @EI100, Dil 1+1 10 min
Great news. I will try.