Using D76R Replenisher?

[neil poulsen]

I've just completed all my calibrations for large format film using HP5 developed in Kodak's D76 developer. When developing medium format or four sheets of 4x5 HP5, I toss the developer after a single use.

But, I'm reluctant to toss about a gallon of developer after processing a one or twos 8x10 sheets of film in one of Vinny's low volume tanks. So, it occurred to me to use a replenisher, and low and behold, I found that Kodak discusses a D76R replenisher in their tech publication for D76.

Is it possible to purchase this replenisher? I checked B&H, and they don't appear to sell it. Is their a recipe somewhere to make this replenisher, if it's no longer available? I know that a recipe exists for D76.

Any advice on its use?

[Gary Beasley]

Most of these replenishers are used by replacing a small amount of the used developer with the replenisher. Amount is normally determined by square inches of film processed. This works pretty good if you are constantly running batches of film. The developer ripens and gives smoother results than fresh developer. What it doesn't do is compensate for air oxidised developer from disuse. If the stock goes bad from leaving the jug for a month or so between runs you need fresh stock as the replenisher needs reaction products from the film to balance out. If you have a way of storing your developer with a nitrogen flush or similar product you may do well with infrequent use.

[jon.oman]

I use this D76 work-a-like:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/735712...-Make-1-Gallon

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/736712...-Make-1-Gallon

With the replenisher, I pour 2 ounces (per 8x10 inch sheet of x-ray film) of it into the developer's bottle, before pouring the developer back in. When I do this, there is a bit of excess developer that then gets discarded. The bottle is filled completely up to the top.

I have had good results with this developer. I can't tell the difference.

[mdarnton]

Recipe for 1L of D76R:
3.0gm Metol/Elon
7.5gm Hydrquinone
100gm Sodium Sulfite
20gm Borax (20-Mule Team is fine)

The book amount to use is .8-1oz per 8x10 area. Since my negs tend towards lower key, I use about 3/4oz; if your negs are consistently very full you will need more. Do as Gary says--replenisher first, then let the bottle overflow when you pour back the dev. I suspect that Jon's 2oz accounts for the two emulsion sides of xray which makes 1-8x10 of xray the equivalent of 2-8x10 of regular film, plus accounting for the robust density of the xray film, but for regular film, I'd use less.

It works very well. Mix D76 and D76R at the same time, in the same amount. When the R is gone, it's time to make more developer and replenisher, both.

[neil poulsen]

Most of these replenishers are used by replacing a small amount of the used developer with the replenisher. Amount is normally determined by square inches of film processed. This works pretty good if you are constantly running batches of film. The developer ripens and gives smoother results than fresh developer. What it doesn't do is compensate for air oxidised developer from disuse. If the stock goes bad from leaving the jug for a month or so between runs you need fresh stock as the replenisher needs reaction products from the film to balance out. If you have a way of storing your developer with a nitrogen flush or similar product you may do well with infrequent use.

This helps. Thanks.

I doubt that I'll have a nitrogen flush available. But I would think that if I always top off my storage container(s) with fresh working strength developer (1:1 D76), that will achieve the same end result?

It's intriguing to think that I could work continuously with the same batch of developer through continuous replenishing. But I think that, to retain the benefit of my calibrations, I need to stick with a developer that has a constant activity level. Is there an accurate way to monitor activity level?

Failing in that, if I toss my developer after processing say, the equivalent of 10 8x10 sheets of film, I'll be happy. It's a lot better than tossing the developer after each sheet of 8x10. As a question, I'm wondering what a good turn around count (of 8x10 sheets of film) might be to keep the activity level of my developer from straying by any significant amount. My guess is that I'd be using about 6 or 8 quarts of working strength developer at a time.

[mdarnton]

Another nice thing about replenishing is that for the consistency you want, D76 is not usually the right developer. Over the first few weeks it gets hotter on its own, then after a few more, it calms down, whether you have been using it or not. This isn't subtle, and really threw me off until I learned of it. With replenishment you will quickly get beyond that into a stable time, and have more consistent results thereafter.

Here's the kind of thing you're up against: http://photo.net/black-and-white-pho...g-forum/00JPOq , and check out the links, too!

All that said, I've used homebrew D76 for more than four decades with 35mm TriX, and survived.

[neil poulsen]

Another nice thing about replenishing is that for the consistency you want, D76 is not usually the right developer. Over the first few weeks it gets hotter on its own, then after a few more, it calms down, whether you have been using it or not. This isn't subtle, and really threw me off until I learned of it. With replenishment you will quickly get beyond that into a stable time, and have more consistent results thereafter.

Here's the kind of thing you're up against: http://photo.net/black-and-white-pho...g-forum/00JPOq , and check out the links, too!

All that said, I've used homebrew D76 for more than four decades with 35mm TriX, and survived.

How much replenishment do you do before discarding and beginning with fresh developer?

As for storage, I have a collection of storage bottles only for developers, so that I can always be storing the developer in a full bottle. The smallest is 16oz, which about fills a single-role medium format canister.

[neil poulsen]

I use this D76 work-a-like:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/735712...-Make-1-Gallon

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/736712...-Make-1-Gallon

With the replenisher, I pour 2 ounces (per 8x10 inch sheet of x-ray film) of it into the developer's bottle, before pouring the developer back in. When I do this, there is a bit of excess developer that then gets discarded. The bottle is filled completely up to the top.

I have had good results with this developer. I can't tell the difference.

Recipe for 1L of D76R:
3.0gm Metol/Elon
7.5gm Hydrquinone
100gm Sodium Sulfite
20gm Borax (20-Mule Team is fine)

The book amount to use is .8-1oz per 8x10 area. Since my negs tend towards lower key, I use about 3/4oz; if your negs are consistently very full you will need more. Do as Gary says--replenisher first, then let the bottle overflow when you pour back the dev. I suspect that Jon's 2oz accounts for the two emulsion sides of xray which makes 1-8x10 of xray the equivalent of 2-8x10 of regular film, plus accounting for the robust density of the xray film, but for regular film, I'd use less.

It works very well. Mix D76 and D76R at the same time, in the same amount. When the R is gone, it's time to make more developer and replenisher, both.

Thanks for these sources and recipe. I checked the Kodak site, and I doubt that they sell D76R anymore.

[dsphotog]

Kodak publication J-78 says D76 1:1 is used one shot.

[Mark Sampson]

When replenishing, the rule of thumb was to dump and start over when the volume of replenisher added equalled the volume of the original developer. But replenishment in general is predicated on relatively high volume and consistent use, as well as processing pre-exposed control strips as a means of keeping track of the developer's activity. This works well for a lab that makes two sheet-film runs a day (I've operated several of those) but may be impractical for the occasional user.