Developer & Chemistry Database

Widely regarded as a benchmark developer. Provides full emulsion speed and good shadow detail with normal contrast.

Ilford's equivalent to Kodak D-76. Recognised internationally as a standard, functionally identical to D-76 in results.

Now labeled "HC Developer" or "High Concentrate" on US bottles due to trademark dispute.

ADOX Rodinal is made to Agfa Leverkusen's latest (2004) Rodinal formula; the original was created by Momme Andresen in Berlin in 1891. ADOX says it is more fine-grained than R09/APH09 while enhancing sharpness and acutance.

Also: Adonal, Blazinal, R09 One Shot

Ascorbic acid based, hydroquinone-free and borate-free, with a biodegradable complexing agent. ADOX CAPTURA technology means each bag dissolves in 2 to 3 minutes. Adox says the developing times and curves are identical with Xtol made before 2019.

Legacy Pro two-part (A and B) ascorbic-acid powder film developer; part A dissolves in room-temperature water (18-29 C) before part B is added. The maker lists times at 20 and 24 C, and says times under 5 minutes in a small tank (4 in a rotary tube) may be uneven. The maker sheet is the Legacy Pro ascorbic acid A&B powder developer; its identity with EcoPro follows the product naming.

Also: LegacyPro EcoPro

Single-step monobath that develops and fixes simultaneously. Temperature controls contrast rather than time. Processing over 28°C pushes negatives, below 20°C pulls density. Requires good agitation and temperature discipline.

Kodak sells XTOL as powder to make 5 litres or more. Kodak describes it as having no hydroquinone and as robust and stable across temperatures, dilutions and agitation methods.

Liquid concentrate for fine grain at full film speed. Ilford recommends it for its Delta films and says it also works well with other makers' black and white films.

Also: DD-X

Availability may be limited at some retailers.

Fine grain developer that gives an effective film speed increase. Ilford says up to half a stop with most films, and more with HP5 Plus, Delta 400 Professional and Delta 3200 Professional.

Extra fine grain developer for when very fine grain matters more than film speed. Ilford recommends it for medium and slow films such as Delta 100, FP4 Plus and Pan F Plus.

Starter pack of single-use sachets: Ilfosol 3 developer, Ilfostop stop bath, Rapid Fixer and Ilfotol wetting agent. Each developer, stop and fix sachet is diluted to 600 ml for a 2-reel tank. The temperature range follows Ilfosol 3 (20-24 C).

Also: Simplicity Kit

Two-bath developer supplied as dry powder. Acufine says time and temperature have no practical effect if the minimum recommendations are observed, and gives 70 to 85F (21 to 29C) in its text, with 20C in its film chart. Its chart uses 3+3 minutes for most films, 5+5 at 22C for Neopan 100 Acros.

Also: Acufine Diafine

Kodak describes it as a moderately active liquid developer for enhanced shadow detail, mixed one part concentrate to four parts water. Kodak's recommended temperature is 24C.

Also: T-Max Dev, TMD

Home-made developer based on caffeic acid (from coffee or tea) and a pH modifier, most often sodium carbonate; vitamin C is optional (Wikipedia, RIT 1995). Reinhold G recommends pure vitamin C crystals and gives 15 minutes at 20 C for his Caffenol-C-M with ISO 100 films. See the caffenol-development technique guide for recipes. The 18-24 C range is not from a source.

Also: Caffenol, Coffee Developer

Recipe published on caffenol.blogspot.com: develop 15 minutes at 20C, agitating for the first 30 seconds then 3 times each minute. A restrainer such as potassium bromide (1 g/l) is suggested in the comments only if results are uneven or fogged.

Also: Caffenol Delta, Caffenol-C Modified

Rodinal substitute from paracetamol (acetaminophen). Formula from the source: 3 g paracetamol (six 500 mg tablets, crushed), 4 g sodium hydroxide and 10 g anhydrous sodium sulfite in 50 ml of water. The paracetamol converts to p-aminophenol in the strong hydroxide. Dilute 1:39 and use times for Rodinal 1:25.

Also: Paracetamol Rodinal, Acetaminophen Developer

Experimental developer from beer, soda and vitamin C. The caffenol.org source (Dirk Essl) demonstrates it on expired photographic paper in pinhole cameras and gives no development times, temperature or film results.

Also: Beer Developer

DIY developer using ascorbic acid with phenidone and triethanolamine (PC-TEA). The 35mmc article by Sam Hesford compares it with D-76, Microphen and Rodinal, not with Xtol or XT-3, and gives no development temperature or times. The author expects decent sharpness but possibly a bit of grain, most visible in midtones.

Also: Ascorbic Acid Developer, PC-TEA

Experimental developer from red wine, washing soda and vitamin C. The caffenol.org source (Wineol) tested it on printing paper, reporting a brownish, violet toning, and gives no development times, temperature or film results.

Also: Red Wine Developer, Wineol

Gordon Hutchings' pyrogallol-metol formula (The Book of Pyro); the Photographers' Formulary sells it as a two-solution liquid kit. Formulary times are given at 70 F and 80 F (21 and 26.7 C) with 68-70 F the conventional temperature. The stain acts as a contrast mask; pyrogallol is toxic.

Also: PMK, Pyrogallol-Metol-Kodalk

Sandy King's catechol-based staining developer, from the Photographers' Formulary sheet: a semi-compensating, high-definition developer made as an alternative to PMK. King cites about 1/3 stop more effective film speed, 10-15% shorter times, more consistent staining, lower toxicity and no streaking with reduced agitation. The stain is brown. Catechol is corrosive to skin and evaporates from the solid, so mix in a ventilated area.

Also: Pyrocat

Formulated by Jay DeFehr and described by the technical sheet as an extremely fine-grained, high acutance, long shelf-life staining developer. Recommended 20C (18 to 24C), with semi-stand agitation for most films.

Also: Jay DeFehr's 510-Pyro

Liquid concentrate fine-grain developer from Maco (Rollei Analog). Contains hydroquinone (under 1%). Recommended by Rollei for its RPX, Retro, Superpan, Ortho and Infrared films.

Also: Supergrain, RSG

Foma metol-hydroquinone powder developer. Foma gives time-correction factors from 16 C (x1.45) to 26 C (x0.6), and 30 C alternative times on its film datasheets.

Foma phenidone-hydroquinone liquid concentrate for all black-and-white negative films, supplied in 250 ml bottles.

Foma slightly alkaline powder developer based on newer developing agents; Foma claims high reproducibility and stability.

ADOX ultra-fine-grain powder developer. ADOX datasheets name it simply ATOMAL. Push rule from ADOX: +1 stop x1.33, +2 stops x1.33 squared.

Also: Atomal, ADOX Atomal

Special low-contrast developer for ADOX CMS 20 II PRO. EI 3 to 25 is reached by changing working-solution temperature (20 to 26 C) and agitation.

Also: Adotech

Ilford's highly concentrated liquid developer for all general-purpose black and white films. The dilution ratios on the datasheet are from concentrate, the same convention as Kodak HC-110 (1+15 corresponds to HC-110 dilution A, 1+31 to dilution B). The sheet's 1+15/1+31 film times match the Kodak HC-110 A/B times printed on Ilford's film datasheets. A 1+11 dilution is for roller transport and short leader card processors only (24°C) and is not listed here.

Also: ILFOTEC HC

High-dilution liquid concentrate based on the Ilfotec HC technology but made to pour easily for small volumes. Sold in 500 ml bottles. On Ilford's film datasheets the LC29 1+9 and 1+19 times match Ilfotec HC 1+15 and 1+31.

Also: ILFOTEC LC29, LC 29

Unlike most home kits, uses separate bleach and fixer rather than Blix — closer to commercial lab standards. The bleach comes ready to use. Developer sold separately so bleach/fix can be reused longer.

ADOX C-TEC 41 is a three-bath C-41 kit: colour developer, bleach-fix and stabiliser. ADOX says it works at 38 C or 30 C, and gives a usable range of 24-38 C.

Also: C-TEC 41, CTEC

Powder kit with developer, stop bath, bleach, fixer and stabiliser as separate baths. The instructions give 39C for inversion processing and 38C for Jobo or machine processing, with developer 3 minutes 30 seconds (inversion) or 3 minutes (Jobo). Stop bath for the 1 litre kit: 15 ml (half the container) to 800 ml water.

Kit designed for rotary processors. Standard 38 C, alternative 30 C, rapid one-shot 45 C. Limited availability is not confirmed by the leaflet.

Also: Colortec C-41, tetenal-c41

Unicolor K-2 powder C-41 kit (Photo Systems, Inc., catalogue 10123). Hand tank 102 F (38.9 C); rotary tube 75-104 F with times from 17.5 min (75 F) down to 3.5 min (104 F). Does not state keeping times.

Also: Arista C-41

Liquid C-41 kit made by compard KG, Geesthacht (kits for 10, 20 or 40 films); developer starter amount can be varied for cross-processing. The leaflet's times are user-derived and stated 'ohne Gewaehr' (no guarantee). Status shown as discontinued is not confirmed by the leaflet.

Also: Digibase C-41

Fuji Hunt C-41 X-Press kit, 5 litres; the retailer describes it as a four-bath kit (the maker's instruction table is an image and was not read, so temperatures and times are unverified). Sold in the UK through Firstcall Photographic.

Also: Film X-Press C-41, Fuji C-41

Kodak C-41 film processing kit (made by Photo Systems for Kodak) for small tanks and rotary tubes, with separate developer, bleach, fixer and final rinse baths. The kit is a non-replenisher kit, but the chemistry can be used one-shot or replenished with Kodak replenishers.

Also: Kodak C-41 Kit

Jobo C-41 kit for rotary processors: a classic bath sequence with separate bleach and fixer (retailer description). Temperatures and times are unverified (no maker document).

Also: Jobo C-41 Kit

Standard 3.5 min at 102 F (39 C). Variable-temperature chart from 72 F (22 C, 50 min) to 102 F; push +1/+2/+3 at x1.30, x1.75, x2.50 and pull -1.

Also: Cs41

Modular 3-bath E-6 system allowing three different looks by swapping first developer: D6 DaylightChrome (neutral, standard 6-stop DR, conventional E-6 look), D9 DynamicChrome (warm, low contrast, claims 9+ stops DR, 'cinematic' look), T6 TungstenChrome (cool 3200K balance, shoot tungsten film in daylight). Temperature control critical especially in first developer.

Also: Cs6

Tetenal's 3-bath E-6 kit (first developer, colour developer, bleach-fix, stabiliser); first developer and colour developer at 38 +/- 0.3 C. Limited availability is not confirmed by the leaflet.

Also: Colortec E-6, Tetenal E-6

Arista Rapid E-6 from Freestyle Sales. Recommended 105 F (40.6 C) in a rotary tube and hand tank, with the first developer 6.5 min; the maker notes that 70 F shows density and colour shifts.

Also: Arista E-6

Fujifilm describes Chrome 6X as 7-bath E-6 chemistry in a 5 litre kit for photographers and small prolabs. Its Pro 6 range is for prolabs and finishers. Fujifilm's product sheet gives no temperatures, times, shelf life or capacity.

Also: Chrome 6X, Chrome Six X-Press, Fuji E-6

Italian-made E-6 kit (Bellini Foto, Torgiano) with six separate baths plus a stabiliser; first developer at 38 +/- 0.3 C, colour developer 38 +/- 1.0 C, dry process without pre-heating in water.

Also: Bellini Slide Kit

Developer 3:00 at 41.0 C for films 1 to 6, 3:30 for 7 to 12; other baths at 27 or 38 C. The project uses process "ecn2" here for the first time.

Also: Bellini Kit ECN2, KITECN2/1

Developer 3.5 min at 106 F (41 C); push x1.30, x1.75, x2.50 for +1 to +3 stops. CineStill describes it as giving low-contrast colour negatives for ECP printing and scanning.

Also: Cs2

Kodak H-24 Module 7: prebath PB-2 10 s at 27 C, rem-jet removal, SD-49 developer 3:00 at 41.1 ±0.1 C, stop, bleach, fix, final rinse.

Also: ECN-2, SD-49

Developer 3:00 at 41.1 C (106 F); prebath at 27 C.

Also: Flic Film ECN-2 Processing Kit

Colour developer 3:00 at 41.0 ±0.2 C for rolls 1 to 4, 3:15 for 5 to 8, 3:30 for 9 to 12.

Also: JOBO 9260