I've used mostly Kodak paper developers (Dektol and Polymax liquid), which Kodak says are good only for one day and about 25-30 prints per quart. Recently I've tried some Agfa Neutol, which the literature says is good for up to 100 prints per liter and will keep for up to a week. It's not too hard to use up most of the capacity of the Kodak developers in one printing session, so pitching what's left isn't a real hang up. But I'll probably never do 100 prints in a day, and I'm wondering if anyone has experience with keeping partially used developer for future use. I would assume the safest thing to do is put it in a collapsible bottle between sessions to minimize oxidation, but of course it would be simpler if one could simply leave it in the tray.

Anyone have some information on this? (BTW, I've tried to ask this question of Agfa through their web site, but the site consistently refuses to accept a message after I type it into their Feedback area. It also won't take my answers after I filled out the on-line questionaire they invite people to complete.)

-- Kip Babington (cbabing3@swbell.net), February 16, 1998

Answers

Agfa Neutol has excellent storage properties. I often keep it in a stainless steel tank (w/ a cover)for six weeks. Before reusing it, I simply replenish it by mixing a couple of hundred milliliters of new solution.

-- philip bianchi (phil739@aol.com), March 19, 1999.

Never leave it in the tray, Neutol nor any other. I've found that Neutol is not bad when time flies, but Agfa MC Developer is astonishing. Prints never get drabby with this developer, which I did experience with Neutol

-- Lot (lotw@wxs.nl), March 20, 1999.