Pixelmaster Loc: New England

Of all the text on this site I wonder how many were from the darkroom age of developing and printing black and white using D76 1:1. In my earliest days of photography there were scales to weigh out the components of the developers. The darkroom looked my like a chemistry lab with all the chemicals in glass and metal containers. Looking back the preparation taught you patience and the skill of printing an image was a long road to do it well. The Carbro process of printing out black and white took some time to produce prints to be proud of. I fully realize that todays multi inks in the printers do a good job even if the price of ink is in the stratosphere. Tripods were your friend back then and ASA (ISO) speeds of film were in the single and double digits. I once had a conversation with Eugene Smith (Life Magazine) and he told me how he did the series on the Country Doctor. The "fast" lens was F5.6 and the available light exposure was 15th of a second hand held. A tip of the hat to all who continue to keep their hands wet and explore the rewards of formula photography.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Thanks for the acknowledgement of us wet photographers. Also, thanks for the interesting post.
--Bob

Quixdraw Loc: x

I have an awful lot of these Kodak formulas -- PM if you want something specific. I will be in & out, so it may take a while.

Pixelmaster Loc: New England

Quixdraw:

The attached photo was from a Kodak book by C.E.K. Mees, D. Sc.1934
published by Eastman Kodak in 1934 titled "The Fundamentals of Photography"
It contains an extensive number of formulas for black and white photography.
Thanks for offering your time.

rebride

The use of Borax as an accelerator, an old time darkroom trick. Interesting to see it mentioned in an official document. Also used for clothes washing.
Also "...develop 10 to 25 minutes . . . according to the contrast desired . . ." the quirk in the development of silver nitrate that was/is the heart of the zone system.

Quixdraw Loc: x

Anytime I can add value. My main source is Processing Chemicals and Formulas for B&W Photography. A $1 Professional Data Book from Kodak 1963.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

I used to use D-76 1:1 for processing Tri-X, way back in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Then in the mid- to late '70s, I switched to Ilford HP5, souped in ID-11 Plus, which had a chelating agent that got rid of the colloidal silver effect of D-76. Alas, ID-11 Plus is no longer available. ID-11 is available, but it is essentially the same formula as D-76.

I also used Acufine and Acu-1 developers for push processing. I particularly liked Tri-X souped in Acufine when rated at E.I. 1250. It was great for night football and indoor basketball at my high school.

It's amazing how little developers have changed over the years. You can STILL buy a lot of the old standards... even Acufine.

billwassmann Loc: Emerson, NJ

I used D76 for film but used D72 for printing black and white. 72 could be used for film but 76 wasn't any good for printing.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

D72 was the predecessor of Dektol.

melvin short Loc: Seattle, Wa

thanks for the reminder of us old folks, i used to use ansel adams old 2 step developers, and mixed everything myself, can you say stained hands all the time. people at work would crack up, seeing my hands all different colors from the toners, and different chemicals.

Pixelmaster Loc: New England

Stained hands? My family thought that I had taken up chain smoking since my finger nails had turned brown from all the time my hands were in D76 and Dektol.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

That's the one thing I don't miss.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

I don't miss ANY wet processes.

GoofyNewfie Loc: Kansas City

I do miss showing someone the "magic" of watching a print appear...
Other than that, I totally agree.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Yeah that was cool back in fourth grade! Seemed like magic to my classmates. Girls wanted to come over and "play darkroom", but Mom was wise to that...