Developer · Black and white
DIY/Homemade Vitamin C Developer
AvailableB&WLiquid Concentrate
Also known as: Ascorbic Acid Developer, PC-TEA
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.
- Type
- Liquid
- Process
- B&W
- Temperature
- 20°C
- Dilutions
- 2
- Shelf life
- Author reports it keeps for decades rather than months, darkening with age
18–24°C (64–75°F)
concentrate
Dilutions
| Ratio | Use | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| stock | One-shot | Concentrate for a 100 ml batch: 75 ml TEA solution (with 9 g ascorbic acid and optional 0.2 g potassium bromide) plus 25 ml of 1% phenidone stock (0.25 g phenidone). Note TEA is triethanolamine. |
| 1:50 | One-shot | The author's recommended working mix. Times are about those of D-76 1:1; start from the Massive Dev Chart and add time as needed. |
Shelf life
- Concentrate
- Author reports it keeps for decades rather than months, darkening with age
- Working Solution
- Not stated by the source
Not covered by the source.
Often used for
Developing from raw chemicals (phenidone, ascorbic acid, TEA)Long-keeping concentrate
Limitations & warnings
- Needs phenidone and triethanolamine (not triethylamine)
- Developers with sodium sulphite, such as D-76 and Microphen, give finer grain
Descriptions combine manufacturer specifications with community experience. Subjective assessments reflect common sentiment among photographers and may not match your results.