[Leica] Where to get Diafine developer

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

On 11/3/04 10:01 PM, "Arvid Rosen" <mailinglists@holken.net> typed:

> Hi there!
> 
> Anyone know where I can find a store that will sell and ship the
> developer Diafine to Euroupe? I am in Sweden and I just can't find it
> anywhere around here.
> 
> Or better yet, maybe someone is about to order this stuff, and would
> consider to help me out and ship a package to Sweden. I would gladly pay
> the developer, shipping cost + some extras.
> 
> Cheers
> Arvid


B&H has it.
But they cant ship it.
You've got to get it at the store.

It's legal to buy it, it's legal to own it and, if you're the proprietor of
a photo shop, it's legal to sell it. It's legal to carry it, which doesn't
really matter 'cause -- get a load of this -- if the cops stop you, it's
illegal for them to search you. Searching you is a right that the cops in
Photo land don't have.


I get dig up the Dignan substitute formula for it which I used extensively
in lieu of Diafine and you can buy a little scale and mix it up yourself. Or
a nice set of spoons.
Much more ways to tweak it that way.
A little scale can really change your darkroom attitude.

For instance (I found it) Dignan thinks the alkali bath solution B booster
solution is:


Sodium Metaborate 20 grams

Also known as balanced alkali.
Also known as Kodalk.
Cool stuff a combination of borax and Lye.
The softest and hardest of the darkroom alkalis.
Borax popular in the laundry
Lye popular in murder mysteries.

And 65 grams of sodium sulfite

A liter of water.

Distilled or my sediments exactly
But it doest matter much it doest effect the negs.
This time for sure.

But if you get into the whole scales thing you can use Borax instead and get
smooth less grainy probably more compensating results.
D76 uses Borax by the way.
Divided 
Or united

Or any number of other darkroom alkalis.
 like potassium carbonate which makes for a warmer image.
Warm negs being the rage you know.
Really!


An alkali solution keeps for a millennium or slightly less. But toss it when
your done with the amount you use.
Solution A lasts 6 months or more in a partially filled bottle.
Cant beat that.

By the way solution A is
Water one liter
Phenidone .2 gram
Sodium sulfite 35 grams
Hydroquinone 6 grams


Expect higher ISO's or ASA's.
Throw all your different films into the same tank.
They'll probably all come out ok.
As long as it's black and white.

Me I'd use a simple Elon Metol bath for solution A like in Beutlers.
Water one liter
Elon Metol 10
Sulfite 50

Or D23 1:1 which is
Elon Metol 3.75
Sulfite 50

Or d76 1:1 without the borax to make an A
Or 1:2

I think you do 3 minutes in A
And 2 to 4 in B
Where the actual development occurs.

Lots of A will end up in the B but
Don't let the B get into the A.
If that happens throw it out;
do not pass go; do not collect 200 dollars.

Replace the A when it gets real ugly like in six months of much use.
Mainly fore esthetic reasons. Maybe piece of mind.
The stuff just lasts forever.
If you can see it; you can use it.

Use the B as a one shot

I'm not careful about dissolving my powder for a B bath.
If it looks like Rosebud it still works perfectly.
I've done this for decades.
I mix it at temperature.
Don't tell anybody.
No damn spots. 
(woof)

It just works that's all I can say.
If it didn't where did my pictures come from I always say.

Its not great for studio photography on the white backdrop because the white
backdrop always comes out grey. It does not drop out like you want it too.
That's why I stopped using it because I do a lot of that.

You're negs will be so compensating you wont know what to do.
They can be a joy to print you just pick your information.
In the real world you don't want the whites to drop out.


Mark Rabiner
Photography
Portland Oregon
http://rabinergroup.com/