Developer life

[Mike]

Ok, typical new boy question, but I've recently started developing my own b&w negs. Great fun, but I started slowly with one film at a time. The other day I did five rolls one after the other, and the dev looked decidedly murky afterwards.

Question is; how long can you expect dev to last? (HC-110). I work in pre-press, so have experience with chemistry and know it must be a function of time and use, but the chemistry at work is far different from b&w, so I'm not sure.

Maybe I should just keep using it until I ruin a film, but I'd rather not. Do you mix up the entire bottle and keep it till it's used up? Or do what I've been doing and mix up 300ml at a time, and then throw it away?

Any help appreciated.

Mike.

 

[JC1220]

Mike,
It is really a function of the type of developer you use, how long the working solution has been sitting around, how many films you have run through a particular batch, if the developer can be replenished for reuse, etc.

On the back of most developers, it will give you an idea of how many films can be devloped per an amount. This should give you some idea.

The amount of working solution you mix ahead of time depends on how quickly you plan to use it, and also the type of developer as some oxidize more rapidly than others. If you only develop a few rolls a week, mixing one shot at a time is often most economical and reliable.

JC

 

[darin3200]

I don't think there is anything wrong with developing multiple rolls with a single batch of developer, but I wouldn't recommend saving again for later. Also, only mix up what you need, the concentrated stuff lasts longer

 

[DocFrankenstein]

I mix new developer for every roll I do.

consistency is important and savings are minimal.

 

[warped_baller]

Instead of doing one at a time. Why not up to 8!
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...470&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation

You don't have to fill the whole thing with developer but say you have 5 rolls to develop. Put those five rolls in the can and fill it up with water until its just a little bit above the top roll. Then measure how much water that is and make that much developer and develop those 5 rolls and throw those chemicals out!

 

[Hertz van Rental]

Most developers allow you the option of either using them as stock so they can be re-used, or of diluting them and using them as 'one shot'.
The capacity of stock solution is a bit tricky to estimate accurately - and you have to adjust development times to compensate for the decrease in activity due to repeated use. Much better to use it as one shot. The cost difference between the two is very small.