Developing Litho film with lower contrast

[jimskelton]

I was curious about Regent Royal hard dot film because of the price so set out trying to figure out how to develop it so that it would not render just black and clear. I tried flashing the negative, shooting at ISO 12, and developing in 1:20 dektol which produced some mid tones, but would often watch helplessly as the highlights turned jet black while waiting for the shadows to appear. Then some of the negatives would chemically fog. Not sure why, but it may be from the "dirty Dektol" that I was using. Time for another solution.

Enter D-23. I was originally interested in it because it only takes 2 ingredients which I can get easily in Canada (Metol and Sodium sulfite), but it's billed as a low contrast developer which piqued my interest. In researching D-23, I discovered something called "divided D-23", which technically isn't a divided developer but a 2 bath developer, the 2nd solution (.2-1.8% borax) acting as a compensating agent to bring out the shadows.

The theory behind it is that the D-23 develops the film normally. Then, if you have a negative that needs the shadows developed more, you can transfer the negative to the borax bath, being careful not to agitate it for maximum effect. Apparently, when you do this, the developer that's soaked into the gelatin gets used up quickly in the highlights and exhausts, stopping development. But the developer in the shadows continues to develop in the borax solution.

I experimented with mixing up 500ml of D-23 using 3 grams of Metol and 50 grams of sodium sulfite, diluting it 1:1 for the working developer. I tried exposing the litho negative at ISO 12, but only highlights in zone 7 appeared, with nothing more appearing in the borax solution. But exposing at ISO 3 seemed to work. Zone 7 highlights appeared after around a minute. When zone 6 highlights turned mid grey I transferred it to the borax solution and let it sit, where the magic happened. After around a minute zone 5 areas started appearing, followed by zone 4. Zone 3 took around 4 minutes to start showing up, at which point I stopped development and fixed the negative. This method seems to get around 4 or 5 stops of dynamic range, which is pretty good for litho film!

I found if given a choice, it's better to expose for around zone 4 then developing with less time in D-23, and more time in borax if you need more definition in the shadows.

Litho film is still very high contrast film, but at least you can get a few stops out of it using this method. I find it fun shooting it because it's so inexpensive.

[Mark Sampson]

Looks like a pretty successful answer to a difficult technical problem. Congratulations!

[LabRat]

Look up POTA developer formula... This was used with Tech Pan (a line film) to develop to continuous tone, a very weak developer... Off the top of my head, the metol version was something like 1gram metol/10 grams sodium sulfite/1 liter water... Development time around 15min/68°F... But important to follow agitation directions carefully or uneven development happens easily...

Look it up...

Steve K

[Jim Noel]

Hidden somewhere on the web is the recipe and instructions for LC-2 a designed Low Contrast developer. I began using it years ago when exposing lith film in camera. It's a marvelous recipe.
Also- when are younger and/or less experienced photographers going to learn that paper developers by design produce a more contrasty image than do film developers. Trying to solve the problem of softer development should always start with diluted film developers NOT DEKTOL!!

[Drew Wiley]

Amen to that! Trying to get con-tone images with the combination of dilute Dektol and Lith film is equivalent to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in a bird bath. People do it all the time; but what a mess!

[jimskelton]

I looked it up! I would love to try it, but phenidone is a hazardous substance that is both difficult to get in Canada and not available online. This is part of the challenge I am facing here. I understand POTA does not have a shelf life and should be used right away when the temp drops to 75F. Even so, if I ever have an opportunity to purchase phenidone, I'm definitely going to try it with Litho film. Thx for the tip!

Look up POTA developer formula... This was used with Tech Pan (a line film) to develop to continuous tone, a very weak developer... Off the top of my head, the metol version was something like 1gram metol/10 grams sodium sulfite/1 liter water... Development time around 15min/68°F... But important to follow agitation directions carefully or uneven development happens easily...

Look it up...

Steve K

[jimskelton]

This fabled LC-2 developer is so well hidden on the web that I can't find it. I would invite you to provide specifics, hopefully not accompanied by unnecessary rants.

Hidden somewhere on the web is the recipe and instructions for LC-2 a designed Low Contrast developer. I began using it years ago when exposing lith film in camera. It's a marvelous recipe.
Also- when are younger and/or less experienced photographers going to learn that paper developers by design produce a more contrasty image than do film developers. Trying to solve the problem of softer development should always start with diluted film developers NOT DEKTOL!!

[LabRat]

I looked it up! I would love to try it, but phenidone is a hazardous substance that is both difficult to get in Canada and not available online. This is part of the challenge I am facing here. I understand POTA does not have a shelf life and should be used right away when the temp drops to 75F. Even so, if I ever have an opportunity to purchase phenidone, I'm definitely going to try it with Litho film. Thx for the tip!

There's a phenidone and metol version... Phenidone uses 1/10 gm, but metol uses 1 gram per liter... Phenidone is considered a safer developing agent and stock stores well... The downside is it is harder to agitate to get an even development with it, but possible following exact instructions (look up Tech Pan + developer tech sheets)... The metol formula is easier to get more even results...

You only need about a 10th a gram of Phenidone to match a gram of metol for replacement in most all formulas, but a longer developing time with a little less contrast... And a little goes a very long way, so not expensive... And often used for paper developers if you mix...But there are specific mixing instructions to dissolve it in solutions...

Steve K

[Greg]

For Kodalith 2566:

T/O XDR-4
25 Potassium sulphite
1 Metol
1 Hydroquinone
10 Potassium bicarbonate
1000 water
development time 4 min.

POTA
30 Sodium sulphite
1.5 Phenidone
1000 water
development time 2-7 minutes

Above is from from my darkroom notes (circa 2008)....
The first formula I preferred over the second. Random and continuous agitation an absolute necessity. JOBO drum (rotational) development did not work for me. Tray development by hand worked. I was shooting 11x14 Kodalith at ASA around 2. I was Salt printing at the time. Last note was to increase the development time.

Around 2010 I changed to using Rodinal 1:100 since it was way more convenient to mix and use. I do remember that using freshly mixed developer was a must. Notes on ASA and development time info I unfortunately misplaced since then. FYI: Kodalith 2566 was dated from the 1980s, never frozen, but still very useable.

[paulbarden]

I was curious about Regent Royal hard dot film because of the price so set out trying to figure out how to develop it so that it would not render just black and clear. I tried flashing the negative, shooting at ISO 12, and developing in 1:20 dektol which produced some mid tones, but would often watch helplessly as the highlights turned jet black while waiting for the shadows to appear. Then some of the negatives would chemically fog. Not sure why, but it may be from the "dirty Dektol" that I was using. Time for another solution.

Enter D-23. I was originally interested in it because it only takes 2 ingredients which I can get easily in Canada (Metol and Sodium sulfite), but it's billed as a low contrast developer which piqued my interest. In researching D-23, I discovered something called "divided D-23", which technically isn't a divided developer but a 2 bath developer, the 2nd solution (.2-1.8% borax) acting as a compensating agent to bring out the shadows.

The theory behind it is that the D-23 develops the film normally. Then, if you have a negative that needs the shadows developed more, you can transfer the negative to the borax bath, being careful not to agitate it for maximum effect. Apparently, when you do this, the developer that's soaked into the gelatin gets used up quickly in the highlights and exhausts, stopping development. But the developer in the shadows continues to develop in the borax solution.

I experimented with mixing up 500ml of D-23 using 3 grams of Metol and 50 grams of sodium sulfite, diluting it 1:1 for the working developer. I tried exposing the litho negative at ISO 12, but only highlights in zone 7 appeared, with nothing more appearing in the borax solution. But exposing at ISO 3 seemed to work. Zone 7 highlights appeared after around a minute. When zone 6 highlights turned mid grey I transferred it to the borax solution and let it sit, where the magic happened. After around a minute zone 5 areas started appearing, followed by zone 4. Zone 3 took around 4 minutes to start showing up, at which point I stopped development and fixed the negative. This method seems to get around 4 or 5 stops of dynamic range, which is pretty good for litho film!

I found if given a choice, it's better to expose for around zone 4 then developing with less time in D-23, and more time in borax if you need more definition in the shadows.

Litho film is still very high contrast film, but at least you can get a few stops out of it using this method. I find it fun shooting it because it's so inexpensive.

I experimented last year with the Arista Ortho film paired with D-23 diluted 1:3 and got very decent "pictorial" contrast.