It's my turn...Harvey's 777
My OCD is showing.
Burning question of the day:
Harvey's 777 film developer.
Good?
Bad?
Ugly?
I've read everything I can find at The Unblinking Eye and APUG. I know that I can buy 4 gallons each of developer and replenisher for $105 from Bluegrass Packaging in Kentucky. I know 2 people interested in dividing the order. I figure 4 gallons of 777 might last me the rest of my life. I better like it because I'll be using it a lot. If I really like it, I'll be selling my stash of D-76.
I would use Harvey's 777 for 135, 120 & 4x5 film. Traditional emulsions fit my eye and wallet best.
What say ye?
Thanks for helping a rookie.
Re: It's my turn...Harvey's 777
I don't know about 777 but the quest for it's formula led me to Germain's Finegrain which has been my go to developer with all films for a couple years. Upon the advice of educated guys at APUG, I am about to try Edwal 12 from which Germain's may be derived. I don't think you could go wrong with either one. HP5 sparkles in the stuff...Evan Clarke
Re: It's my turn...Harvey's 777
Thanks Evan. I do like HP5. At the moment, I'm trying to coax Arista (Foma) 200 to play nice.
Re: It's my turn...Harvey's 777
Wayne,
As you obviously know, Arista EDU 200 and Fomapan 200 are the same film, manufactured in the Czech Republic.
Very similar to the old Bergger BPF 200. I still have some of that film and occasionally shoot with it.
I have used various developers for Bergger BPF 200 and found that Pyrocat-HD seemed to give the best result, especially when the film was to be scanned and printed digitally.
Have you tried developing the Foma film in Pyrocat-HD?
Small amounts of Pyrocat-HD in glycol can be purchased from The Photo Formulary.
Not expensive, and has a long shelf life.
Re: It's my turn...Harvey's 777
Thanks Eugene. No, Pyrocat-HD isn't in my inventory yet. Perhaps it should be.
Re: It's my turn...Harvey's 777
Wayne,
I personally have not used 777 but I have seen prints made from negatives developed in 777 and they were outstanding. Beautiful long tonal scale with subtle gradations. One of my associates swears by the developer.
I do use Pyrocat and like it a great deal...but the fellow that uses 777 says that it is better, in his opinion, than Pyrocat. He says that one should not judge that developer until it has been replenished and that the developer works best when it has had the time and film run through it to "ripen".
Best regards,
Donald Miller
Re: It's my turn...Harvey's 777
Donald,
Thanks for your time. That seems to be the trend: A lot of folks know somebody who likes 777 or they have seen results they like from 777. Very few people respond who are actually using 777. Somebody must be using it or a tiny company wouldn't be exercising their monopoly position. Kodak & Fuji could take a lesson here.
Re: It's my turn...Harvey's 777
Hi Wayne, I'm in Central TX (Austin),
I used Harvey's Panthermic 777 for many years, it was always a very good soup, very reliable and they avertised it as useable over a great temperature range. In the 30's, 40's, and early 50's, that was very important, however by the late 50's film emulsions were not very temperature sensitive in quality if the developing times were correct.
My friend Ed Buffaloe at Unblinking Eye figured out the basic formula some years ago. I think that D76 1:1 when tested for appropriate developing times will be very similar to 777 and it certainly is "panthermic" from 65F to 80F.
Perhaps my favorite general purpose developer has always been MCM 100 (created by the English "Miniature Camera Magazine"). It is still available from Photographers Formulary. My favorite finegrain developer with no loss of speed (it fact is very "pushable") is UFG (and its replenisher) still made in the US from BKA through your favorite camera store (special order of course).
Lynn
Re: It's my turn...Harvey's 777
Quote:
Originally Posted by
venchka
My OCD is showing.
Burning question of the day:
Harvey's 777 film developer.
Good?
Bad?
Ugly?
I've read everything I can find at The Unblinking Eye and APUG. I know that I can buy 4 gallons each of developer and replenisher for $105 from Bluegrass Packaging in Kentucky. I know 2 people interested in dividing the order. I figure 4 gallons of 777 might last me the rest of my life. I better like it because I'll be using it a lot. If I really like it, I'll be selling my stash of D-76.
I would use Harvey's 777 for 135, 120 & 4x5 film. Traditional emulsions fit my eye and wallet best.
What say ye?
Thanks for helping a rookie.
I would be very happy to buy 4 gallons myself. I called BPI and they are not making any more at the moment, and make not make it at all anymore. It sounded to me like they would run a batch if there was sufficient interest. If enough of us can get on board, we might be able to get some. I used this stuff in the 1960's when it came pre-mixed in gallon bottles. It is a fantastic developer.
Re: It's my turn...Harvey's 777
Roger,
Check the date of the last post on this thread.