Ilford PQ Universal alternatives?

[pkr1979]

For reversal processing, a contrasty process developer is generally used, as the film Dmax gets low after bleaching due to depth removal of silver, so an energetic semi-line developer is used for max black...

I have posted before that B/W reversal is difficult to shoot in a variety of lighting situations due to a pronounced "reciprocity" effect at different common outdoor light levels, it rough on metal and plastic processing gear, and is toxic...

I think one is better off shooting a normal neg, and contact printing a dupe from it, and development in a vigorous semi line dev instead...

Steve K

I'm very happy with the BW film reversal results I get. And PQ has been working well for that purpose (I have never tried paper reversal). It is just out of curiosity I am asking of similar developers as it is nice to have a few options :-)

[richydicky]

I assume you are using Fotospeed PD5 for BW film reversal and DPP? What kind of adjustments did you have to make when you switched developers?

Actually for reversal I mostly switched to Dektol, made up my own D72 as you can only get it in gallon size and here in UK costs around 2.5X than in US. Looking at my log I have done a few films with FD5 with no discernible difference. Interestingly, when I was working on a DPP project and after one week the Ilford PQ started getting weaker blacks and mottling, the only developer I had to hand was Dektol and after a quick trial was able to dial in a development time and got great, consistent results over the remaining weeks. For DPP with FD5 I had to give a little longer in the developer but there are so many variables with that process including the batch and light conditions.

[pkr1979]

I assume you are using Fotospeed PD5 for BW film reversal and DPP? What kind of adjustments did you have to make when you switched developers?

Actually for reversal I mostly switched to Dektol, made up my own D72 as you can only get it in gallon size and here in UK costs around 2.5X than in US. Looking at my log I have done a few films with FD5 with no discernible difference. Interestingly, when I was working on a DPP project and after one week the Ilford PQ started getting weaker blacks and mottling, the only developer I had to hand was Dektol and after a quick trial was able to dial in a development time and got great, consistent results over the remaining weeks. For DPP with FD5 I had to give a little longer in the developer but there are so many variables with that process including the batch and light conditions.

Since Dektol is also usefull for RA-4 reversal it sounds like a useful developer option. I might give this a go :-)