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Peter Lewin
19-Nov-2012, 12:34
Was just cleaning up my basement/darkroom (a post-Sandy sort out) and found two packages of ZoneVI fixer. Does anyone know what the formula was, or its characteristics? Since I am now using PMK developer almost all of the time, I've been using Photo Formulary TF-4, which is non-hardening and alkaline. Gordon Hutchings recommends Kodak F-24 in his PMK book. I was hoping the ZoneVI fixer might fit the bill, but I have no idea. It would be a pity to throw it out, it looks in fine condition (i.e. the powder has not discolored nor clumped, the packets are still completely sealed.)

Kevin Crisp
19-Nov-2012, 12:48
This was posted in 2010, I am not sure it is correct since I don't think you can mix F6 as a one step dissolve-the-solid exercise; the ingredients must be added separately after the prior one has fully dissolved:



Re: Zone VI chemicals are gone - Calumet confirms



Not to panic!

Zone VI chemicals were never top-secret, exotic formulas. As far as I can ascertain, the Zone VI print developer (which I still have a stash of somewhere...) is nothing more that a standard PQ print developer (probably Bromophen, which would be a logical substitute John). Dektol, D-72 and other MQ formulas will act similarly.

The Zone VI fixer was, I believe, the Kodak odorless F-6 formula. It contains a hardener that is really not necessary. Rapid fixers such as Kodak Rapid Fix (without the hardener), Ilford Rapid Fix or Hypam, etc. are more than an adequate replacement and more convenient in my estimation.

Plain Hypo is available in bulk from TheChemistryStore.com, Photographers' Formulary, Artcraft and others. There are also a number of wetting agents on the market to replace the Zone VI product. I guess we'll have to weigh out two pounds per gallon instead of just pouring in the contents of the bag, but all is not lost :-)

There is really nothing that is going lost; you'll just have to change suppliers/brands. I imagine that Harmon (who was likely the supplier for some of the Zone VI chemicals through Ilford by my guess), or whoever white-branded their chemicals for Zone VI and then Calumet has decided to withdraw that service.

Best,

Doremus Scudder

arthur berger
19-Nov-2012, 13:40
It was my understanding that Zone VI fixer was plain Hypo (sodium thiosulfate crystals). It is available as such from Photographers formulary. It can be used with pyro developers, however I use TF 4.

Peter Lewin
19-Nov-2012, 13:48
The Zone VI fixer was, I believe, the Kodak odorless F-6 formula. It contains a hardener that is really not necessary.
Kevin (and Doremus): Thanks for the quick response, even though it wasn't what I had hoped to hear! In fact, filed among my ZoneVI newsletters, I found an old catalog which confirmed that their fixer is the Kodak F-6 formulation. Since PMK is a hardening developer, and non-hardening fixer washes out of prints more quickly than the hardening counterparts, not sure what I'll ever use it for, but I'll keep it around for a while.

Arthur: Zone VI sold plain Hypo separately; I also found a couple of packets of that. I think I have enough (old) bulk chemicals to mix up some F-24. I had an old cardboard box, long ignored, with a bunch of powdered chemicals, left over from long ago when I used to mix up my own developer and fixer; these days I simplify things and order pre-mixed from the Formulary.

Graybeard
19-Nov-2012, 13:49
It was my understanding that Zone VI fixer was plain Hypo (sodium thiosulfate crystals). It is available as such from Photographers formulary. It can be used with pyro developers, however I use TF 4.

Simple thiosulfate fixers usually contain some sodium sulfite to provide resistance to air oxidation.