Developer Suggestions - Ilford Direct Positive Paper- Urgent

[kshitijnagar24]

Hi, I'm situated in New Delhi, India and just started working with Ilford's Direct Positive Paper (8x10).

Before I could get my hands on some, my local Ilford dealer has run out of Ilford PQ universal developer that is recommended for usage with this paper and wont be getting it back in stock for a while. I'm now left with 2 options- Fomatol P and regular D 163 chemistry. Has anybody used these two developers? How has the result and experience been? I'm not really inclined to using Multigrade which is the other thing that Ilford recommends. Darkroom supplies, especially print developers are getting increasingly difficult to get here in India. Its hell. Quantities get more and more limited and prices seem to go up everytime I go out to buy. How I wish we had something like B and H! These are the only 2 options available to be right now. Unless I go out and buy loose ingredients to other developers and then formulate it on my own (Dektol etc.)

Any leads are appreciated.
Thanks!

[Paul Cunningham]

Dilute HC-110 works pretty well if that's an option.

[howardpan]

I have used Dektol, and it seems to be fine.

[jose angel]

I have not used any of the products you mention, but if you let me think aloud...
Ilford PQ is an hydroquinone-phenidone type developer.
Fomatol P is an all purpose phenidone-ascorbate based paper developer, so it should work. I have used similar (home made) formulas without issues... you problably will find slight differences in tone (maybe softer blacks, maybe very slightly brownish), that`s all.
D163 seem to be a Metol-Hydroquinone formula, so it could be similar to the typical strong, more contrasty paper developers, like Dektol.
Simply buy any of them and try it.

[IanG]

Dektol is D163, I think the Fomadon P is similar, their LQN is quite similar to PQ Universal. All should be fine with Ilford Direct Positive paper.

Ian

[McGirton]

I use Ilford Multigrade developer. Why don't you want to use it?

[analoguey]

I don't get why you won't use the other Ilford developer either.
I'm in Bangalore - Delhi has Eastern which are distributors for Ilford/foma - aren't you getting chemicals from there?
If not maybe try Madanji?