Diafine?

[DKirk]

Just wondering if anyone can help me out here, I'm looking to try out Diafine developer but it seems near impossible to get my grubby paws on. Can anyone reccomend somewhere to purchase it in the UK - I've tried http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/ but they seem to be out of stock and not sure when they'll get it back in stock. . . (though they are apparently in negotiation with a US supplier to become an European distributer).

[Mark Woods]

Why don't you mix your own? The following is a formula I found on APUG. There are probably 20 more. I've not tried this, so I'm not sure how good it is. But there are hundreds of discussions about Diafine on the web. Good luck!

Part A:
Sodium sulfite, anhydrous 35g
Hydroquinone 6g
Phenidone 0.2g
Potassium metabisulfite 6g
Water to 1l

Part B:
Sodium sulfite, anh. 65g
Sodium tetraborate, X10H2O 20 g
Water to 1l

[Leigh]

Since I'm not in the UK, I can't answer your question specifically.

Check with the folks at B&H to see if they'll ship to the UK: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/
That's where I buy mine.

I highly recommend that you take the effort to find it. It's a great developer, particularly well-suited to tray development.

- Leigh

[Greg Blank]

Try Moorco in the UK, Peter Moore has a long history with Omega, and Omega owns the formula to make Diafine so he should be able to help you purchase the premade product.

[drew.saunders]

I get my Diafine from Freestyle, and they have it in stock: http://www.freestylephoto.biz/16128-Acufine-Diafine-Film-Developer-to-make-1-gal.

No mention of any shipping prohibitions, but it wouldn't hurt to email and see if they'll ship to the UK. Not cheap, but it does last a long time.

[RichardSperry]

Not cheap

Because it can be used and reused "indefinitely", its probably one of the least expensive developers out there.

If you can't get it from BH or Freestyle, I'll get a box of it to you for cost plus shipping.(if you're interested).

[DKirk]

Cheers for the help, I'll be catching up with the guys from AG. Hopefully they'll shortly become a UK/Euro distributer, think I've managed to get them interested in a couple of esoteric (atleast in the UK) film too. Fingers crossed it will be like the arrangement I managed to swing with Maurice and his cameraaxe triggers and the boys from proto-pic.co.uk

[BetterSense]

My original 1-gallon batch of Diafine has been going since 2009. It's down to a bit less than a liter due to spillage over time, but it still works great.

[Shen45]

Why don't you mix your own? The following is a formula I found on APUG. There are probably 20 more. I've not tried this, so I'm not sure how good it is. But there are hundreds of discussions about Diafine on the web. Good luck!

Part A:
Sodium sulfite, anhydrous 35g
Hydroquinone 6g
Phenidone 0.2g
Potassium metabisulfite 6g
Water to 1l

Part B:
Sodium sulfite, anh. 65g
Sodium tetraborate, X10H2O 20 g
Water to 1l

I've mixed this formula and it is a very good developer. Has an extrely long life as well. I cannot say if it is "Diafine" but none the less it is excellent. My formula used 10g Sodium carbonate and 5 g Borax [Sodium tetraborate] in the second bath.

[Leigh]

My original 1-gallon batch of Diafine has been going since 2009. It's down to a bit less than a liter due to spillage over time, but it still works great.
The standard replenishment protocol for Diafine is to add fresh Solution A to its bottle sufficient to restore the original volume,
the add that same volume of Solution B to its bottle, fill it up with used liquid and discard any excess.

It should last indefinitely when replenished in that manner.

- Leigh

[jk0592]

B&H will not deliver Diafine at all, their website states "This item is only available for purchase in our superstore". As I buy all my chemicals and films from B&H because of the convenience they offer to canadian customers. Diafine is off my list for the time being.

[premortho]

I'm sorry to hear this...except I nomally buy from freestyle, and they'll ship it anywhere, or used to.
B&H will not deliver Diafine at all, their website states "This item is only available for purchase in our superstore". As I buy all my chemicals and films from B&H because of the convenience they offer to canadian customers. Diafine is off my list for the time being.

[kapro]

Just wondering if anyone can help me out here, I'm looking to try out Diafine developer but it seems near impossible to get my grubby paws on. Can anyone reccomend somewhere to purchase it in the UK - I've tried http://www.ag-photographic.co.uk/ but they seem to be out of stock and not sure when they'll get it back in stock. . . (though they are apparently in negotiation with a US supplier to become an European distributer).


...although not in the UK but in EU at least:
http://www.fotoimpex.de/shop/system/?func=searchdo&wkid=30714389286637&cache=1359317738&nocache=1359317738

[Roger Cole]

The standard replenishment protocol for Diafine is to add fresh Solution A to its bottle sufficient to restore the original volume,
the add that same volume of Solution B to its bottle, fill it up with used liquid and discard any excess.

It should last indefinitely when replenished in that manner.

- Leigh

Yeahbut, you can also just pour it back in the big bottle and keep using it without bothering with this. Done this way it doesn't last forever, but I used to get 50-70 35mm rolls out of a quart. That's probably equivalent economy. It does eventually start o show underdevelopment this way, but it is very gradual and you won't ruin negatives. You'll just very gradually get some that are perfectly printable but a bit thinner than you're used to. Or, track that and discard before it happens. That's what I used to do - noticeable degradation was around 70 rolls, a hint around 60, so I'd discard at about 50.

I may use the recommended replenishment routine with my next batch, though. Since it's most economically available in gallons now - the sources for quarts seem to want almost as much as the gallon price - it makes more sense than it used to when I mixed a quart at a time.

I think I've only tried it with LF on about two negatives that were accidentally underexposed. They came out ok, or at least better than if I'd used D76 which I was using at the time otherwise. I may experiment with it more though. I do like it a lot with 35mm and 120 Tri-X. That's almost a magic combination for speed and quality. It was superb with Plus-X too. Sigh.

[Roger Cole]

B&H will not deliver Diafine at all, their website states "This item is only available for purchase in our superstore". As I buy all my chemicals and films from B&H because of the convenience they offer to canadian customers. Diafine is off my list for the time being.

I'm not sure of the reason (I've heard rumors but don't know) but B&H won't ship many chemicals that most other suppliers have no problem with. It's a big reason I don't buy more stuff from them aside from film and paper.

[Relayer]

Part B:
Sodium sulfite, anh. 65g
Sodium tetraborate, X10H2O 20 g
Water to 1l


My formula used 10g Sodium carbonate and 5 g Borax [Sodium tetraborate] in the second bath.

if you check MSDS for Diafine you find that 2nd bath use Sodium sulfite and Sodium carbonate. no borax! but you can use any combination of Borax and Sodium carbonate by your taste. more Sodium carbonate - more contrast. more Borax - less grain.

[soeren]

Ouch
Just checked Photografica (in Copenhagen) Last time I was there they had Diafine on the shelf and listed it on their website. Now its gone from their website. Maco direct doesn't list diafine either.
Best regards

[Marko Trebusak]

For those in Europe:
Fotoimpex (http://www.fotoimpex.de/shopen/chemistry/bw-film-developers/) have Diafine on their web site, and I got it from them a month or two ago.

Cheers,
Marko