ilford ilfotec lc-29

[andrewch59]

I have my first concentrate on its way..has anyone had experience with this developer?
A friend on another site swears by it, saying it is leaps and bounds better than RO9, which I use now.
I primarily use xray film and would like to hear from the more knowledgeable, I prefer rotary to tray.

[shoshin]

It's basically dilluted Ilfotec HC which is a fast working, economic developer. It was the first developer that I used. After two bottles I switched to Ilfotec DD-X for all my Ilford-Films.

[Neal Chaves]

I find Ilfotec HC to be essentially a clone of Kodak HC110. I use it 1:31, same as dilution B for HC110 and my times for HP5+ have been exactly the same since switching.
N= 7:30 at 68*

[Havoc]

Indeed, like Neal I didn't see any difference between LC29 and HC110. But the shelf life of undiluted HC110 is vastly superior to LC29.

[andrewch59]

Here was me thinking I had found the holy grail! My friend swears by it, but he uses it for stand development, a lot of Steve Sherman influence. I will give it a try at least, then maybe with the recommendations from here try HC110, or open up the pyro hd I have sitting on the shelf. I guess the problem is I am quite comfortable with Ro9 as a one shot rotary developer and have my times fairly well down pat. 1:130 ten minutes rotary, very economical.
Perhaps some simple shots of the back yard and lots of comparison developments, between the three.
Thankyou for the input

[shoshin]

Indeed, like Neal I didn't see any difference between LC29 and HC110. But the shelf life of undiluted HC110 is vastly superior to LC29.

Well Ilfotec HC acutally IS a copy from HC110. And because LC29 is already diluted Ilfotec HC, the shelf life is indeed inferior.

[Havoc]

I tought the most important difference was that HC110 is a glycol based solution while LC29 is water based. But I'm open to corrections.

[interneg]

And because LC29 is already diluted Ilfotec HC, the shelf life is indeed inferior.

Evidence? My understanding is that it is related to Ilfotech-HC in the same way TMAX developer is related to HC-110 by way of using a similar diethanolamine sulfur dioxide adduct - not a dilution.

[Michael W]

I did a little personal test with 3 sheets of 4x5 processed in Rodinal, LC29 and D76. All were good but I definitely preferred the Rodinal over the other two. It had more tonal separation and held details in some highlights that had gone quite dense with the other two. My summary - LC29 & D76 are fine, but Rodinal is amazing.

[andrewch59]

I did a little personal test with 3 sheets of 4x5 processed in Rodinal, LC29 and D76. All were good but I definitely preferred the Rodinal over the other two. It had more tonal separation and held details in some highlights that had gone quite dense with the other two. My summary - LC29 & D76 are fine, but Rodinal is amazing.
Thanks MichaelW, I have always thought it pretty good too! Perhaps I will use lc29 as a dust gatherer, I have been told that mid tone separations were better with lc29 using stand development and with timings of an hour?

[shoshin]

Evidence? My understanding is that it is related to Ilfotech-HC in the same way TMAX developer is related to HC-110 by way of using a similar diethanolamine sulfur dioxide adduct - not a dilution.

"LC29 is 1.6x diluted Ilfotec HC." (http://www.stefanheymann.de/foto/entwickler/hc-110.htm)

"ILFORD ILFOTEC LC29 is a high dilution liquid concentrate black and white film developer that is flexible and economic to use. It is based on the technology used in ILFORD ILFOTEC HC developer but is formulated to be an easy to pour liquid for small volume film processing." (https://www.ilfordphoto.com/amfile/file/download/file_id/734/product_id/545/)

Tmax ist related to HC110 in the same way as Ilfotec DD-X is related to HC.

[interneg]

"LC29 is 1.6x diluted Ilfotec HC." (http://www.stefanheymann.de/foto/entwickler/hc-110.htm)

"ILFORD ILFOTEC LC29 is a high dilution liquid concentrate black and white film developer that is flexible and economic to use. It is based on the technology used in ILFORD ILFOTEC HC developer but is formulated to be an easy to pour liquid for small volume film processing." (https://www.ilfordphoto.com/amfile/file/download/file_id/734/product_id/545/)

Tmax ist related to HC110 in the same way as Ilfotec DD-X is related to HC.

Mr Heymann makes a claim of a correlation & offers no further references. The MSDS/ COSHH documentation suggests that the major difference between HC & LC is the amount of diethanolamine in them, everything else being the same - though they are far too vague to draw accurate conclusions from - unless you want to dilute some HC 1+0.6 & see if its viscosity matches LC, along with specific gravity etc.

"Based on the technology" does not mean 'has the same formulation, just diluted' - in this case all it probably means is that they use diethanolamine & diethanolamine adducts in place of water to enhance keeping.

Regarding your final claim, go and read the MSDS documentation of TMAX developer & HC110 - it is very clear that their usage of similar adducts gives them a clear linkage in technology. DD-X has more in common with traditionally formulated developers like Microphen & XTOL's components & technologies & has modifications to allow more concentrated packaging - and it sticks with HQ in place of ascorbic acid.