Firstcall RHS D74-DC Film Developer, 500ml Softpack
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A darkroom worker has two major enemies - dust and oxygen. Although many would say it is dust that constitutes the biggest problem, with budgets under attack, we would consider oxygen and the waste created by out-of-date chemicals as the greater of the two evils.It is therefore with great pleasure that we announce a brand-new concept in darkroom chemicals. Called 'Softpack' this complete range of chemicals remains always fresh due to the flexible type of packing used. Drawing on inspiration from the food industry (and looking like a Capri-Sun drink pack) the carton's technology works by literally squeezing air out as the chemical is used, thereby offering the prospect of a never-ending active life from the liquid if the Softpack is used correctly.
Just think of the benefits:
1) At last there's an end to dark brown developer that you left as a beautiful straw colour only two days previously.
2) No more having to cancel processing sessions because your darkroom chemicals are out of date.
3) Never throw away part used chemical bottles ever again.
This new technology has captured our imagination. We are 100% convinced that this is the biggest break-through in darkroom chemical production in the last 25 years so much that we will be selling a complete range of 'Softpack' chemicals that will include film and print developers, stop-bath, fixers and toners.
High Speed film developer is the latest high performance developer, very sharp working and highly compensating: Virtually any film exposed at their nominal speed has the same developing time and the RHS is one of the most universal developers on the market.
Super fine grain, this new developer has sharp and highly compensating characteristics. Suggested dilution of 1+15 gives really quick development times with most popular films e.g. between 3 and 5 minutes.
Customer Reviews
By John Plowman. Photographer since 1942 on 24th November 2014
"Here we have an ultra fine grain developer, concentrated to provide very short development times. Rather more diluted, it would resemble the old ID48 developer, long since withdrawn. Note was made that the development time for Fuji Acros was 4 minutes, so this was the first port of call. Fuji indicate that the full potential of Fuji Acros can only be obtained if the development time is less than 6 minutes. Accordingly, the film was exposed at 100ASA as prescribed, and developed for 4 minutes, agitate each 30 secs. The results were analysed as with FX39 above.. The fine grain was the outstanding feature, being as fine as Technical Pan in Beutler, but the whole exercise was let down by the poor shadow detail. Anything in the shaded areas presented huge pools of nothing. This is a shame, for the resolving power is excellent, and edges are clean, due to the fine grain. Clearly there is at least one stop loss of film speed. From experience, I would assess that Fuji Acros exposed at 50 ASA not 100ASA as prescribed would provide an acceptable alternative to Technical Pan, alas, no longer available.
In case the use of Acros invoked special conditions, the test was repeated with FP4+, exposing at prescribed at 100ASA. The results were extremely similar. The grain in FP4 was detectably coarser than Across, but once again the under exposure was very evident.
In short, D74 does "what it says on the tin" but the makers have been somewhat coy in revealing loss of film speed,(although they do declare that TMX should be exposed at 70ASA, not 100ASA.) I feel that the loss of one stop film speed should be made an "across the board" declaration.
It is interesting to note the Ilford Pan F+ set to 50ASA and developed in Beutler, is not in the same league as Acros set to 50ASA and developed in D74.
We have to note that FX39, and FX14 (Acutol) are both acutance developers. D74 is not. An acutance developer provides that "edgy bite" that Reporters and technicions love.
"
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