Film Developing

Divided Pyrocat for Extremely High Dynamic Range

For situations of extreme contrast, Divided Pyrocat HD developer performs miracles. It's genuine divided developer: developer is absorbed in Solution A, and activated in Solution B. Developer is quickly exhausted in the high values, but continues in the low values. As a result, you scan shoot scenes where the contrast ratio is 14 stops or more, and still retain full definition across the scale.
To learn more about it and see a number of sample images, see this thread on the Large Format Photography Forum. There's another discussion concerning rotary development, here. Mixing instructions can be found on the Pyrocat HD web site.

Odorless Stop Bath: Citric Acid

You can make your own Odorless Stop Bath using Citric Acid. The Kodak SB-8 formula calls for 15 grams per liter, or 1/2 oz per quart. Or you can also use plain water for stop bath if you like. Using an acid stop bath, development is stopped instantaneously. Using water, it is stopped also, just not as abruptly. I use a weak solution of Citric Acid: 1 teaspoon per liter. Citric Acid is very cheap and harmless.

Favorite Fixer: Alkaline

Ingredient	Stock	Working
Ammonium Thiosulfite	800 ml	160 ml
Sodium Sulfite	60 g	12 g
Sodium Metaborate	5 g	1 g
Water to make	1 liter	1 liter

You can mix your own Fixer, using the traditional T-3 Alkaline Fixer formula. It has only 3 ingredients! Alkaline fixers require much less time to remove via washing, and do not require a washing aid. They have much less odor too !If you use a non-alkaline fixer, you can easily make your own washing aid: just use a teaspoon of Sodium Sulfite per liter of water, and toss it when you are done.
According to Anchell and Troop, in The Film Developing Cookbook, Alkaline Fixers have the following advantages over more traditional Acidic formulas:

1. Less danger of over-fixing
2. Shorter washing times
3. More archival
4. Greater capacity
5. More stable
6. Can be formulated to have low odor.

The T-3 Alkaline Fixer formula is intended to be diluted 1+4. Instead of making stock, you can making a working solution by dividing the amounts by 5.
It's fun - and far less expensive - to mix your own chemistry. Many of the classic formulas are available in books, and on-line at sites like Jack's Photographic and Chemistry Site.
Article by: Kenneth Lee