d23

[terry_5379]

Can anyone suggest a starting point for HP5 8x10, tray developed in D23.

[mark blackman]

turn the lights off.....

[Joe Lipka]

Google "Massive Film Development Chart" for step one. It's a huge resource with all sorts of film, developer combinations.

If that doesn't work you can try Ed Buffaloe's www.unblinkingeye.com. Ed and I wrote an article on D-23 which you might find helpful.

[Mike Gudzinowicz]

Use the times recommended for ID-11 and/or D-76.

[Brian Ellis]

My times with D76 diluted 1-1 at 75 degrees in a tray with HP5+ at 75 degrees are 4 min 15 seconds for N minus 1, 5 min 30 seconds for N, 8 min 45 secs for N +1. That's doing 2 sheets at a time in about about a quart and a half of developer. I've done as many as 6 sheets (2 at a time in succession) in the same developer with no apparent adverse effect.

[steve simmons]

FWIW this is not a combination I would use. I like the HP5+ but it is not the sharpest film available. D23, with a high content of sulfite, tends to soften grtain and furter reduce sharpenss. You will, however, get a long scale image with this combination.

steve simmons

[tim atherton]

D23 works very well with both HP5 and Tri-X and gives a nice, somewhat lower contrast sort of look that is favoured by a number of photographers.

As a starting point I have run HP5 rated @320 for 12 minutes in D23 1:1 @20c

Though I tend to use D23 mainly for Tri-X and prefer DD-X for HP5 (but I tend to use the two films for different things as well).

With 8x10 any softness really isn't significant - the compensation is generally a lovely tonal rendering if the image

If you do a google search, and also run a search on here and on photo.net you will find quite a bit on D23

[Matt Mengel]

I use D23 full strength for 6min with tri-x 4x5

[Ansel Adams]

Hey Simmons, WTF are you talking about.
D23 is a great developer. haven't you read my friggen books?

Get off this website with your inane answers and learn to make pictures. Or better yet, learn to publish a magazine worth reading.

Sincerely,
Ansel

[Paddy Quinn]

"FWIW this is not a combination I would use. I like the HP5+ but it is not
the sharpest film available. D23, with a high content of sulfite, tends to
soften grtain and furter reduce sharpenss. You will, however, get a long
scale image with this combination."

Not quite correct - high concentratons of sodium sulphite acts as a silver halide solvent which means that grain is effectively reduced, as each individual grain is smaller (The sodium sulphite dissolves part of the outer surface of the silver halide grains, allowing the metol to penetrate more effectively into the grains to develop them fully).

D-23 is a soft-working developer. Metol tends to work quite quickly on under-exposed silver halides, but very slowly on more heavily exposed areas. What this means in practical terms is that shadow detail builds quickly while highlights evolve more slowly. The result is a low contrast negative (which why metol is usually combined with hydroquinone, which is a much faster working developing agent, to produce a so-called normal contrast developer)