I'm a long time Ansco 130 user on graded paper. I've been considering Amidol but would like to hear from anyone that has compared these two formulas first. e.g. will I really see a difference ? TIA - Doug

-- Doug McFarland (junquemail222@yahoo.com), January 01, 2001

Answers

I've used most of the major amidol formulas at one time or another, and Ansco 130 is a long-time favorite as well. In my opinion, there is a very subtle but definite difference in the images amidol formulas produce. With one exception, the amidol images are quite olive green, particularly with chloride papers, so be prepared to tone your prints if you don't like the print color, but I find the same is true with Ansco 130. The exception is Samuel Fein's formula, which substitutes benzotriazole for bromide--this is a wonderful formula that I can recommend unreservedly; it produces a very unique print color, particularly on chloride papers.

The downside of amidol formulas is the cost. Fein's Amidol, diluted 1:1 for use, costs $2.77 per liter of working solution and can only be used one time. It is the single most expensive developer I have ever used. Compare that with Ansco 130 which (at 1:1) costs $1.86 per liter and can be used many times (some use it for months because the glycin and metol are very long lasting). Peckham Amidol is the cheapest amidol formula, at $1.70 per liter of working solution (full strength). It might be interesting to add some benzotriazole to the Peckham formula and see how it responds. For comparison purposes, Dektol at 1:1 costs 58 cents per liter of working solution, and if you dilute it 1:2 it goes down to 40 cents per liter. I should point out that people like Ansel Adams, John Sexton, and Bruce Barnbaum all use (or used) a combination of Dektol and Selectol Soft.

I have a number of amidol formulas on my site at:

http://unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Developers/Formulas/formulas.htm

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), January 01, 2001.

Thanks Ed. Yes I like the A130 and keep 2 liters of used developer as a seed. Each session I mix 1 liter new developer and add it to 2 liters of used developer. The old developer helps stain the image, especially bromide papers. I'm using graded Oriental Seagull for the moment, which doesn't warm up much in A130 so I tone it in selenium. I've gotten the green cast on Kodak Elite (discontinued)- wow that was a surprise :-)

I've just ordered Bregger graded paper and will try your recommended Amadol developer on that, as well as A130. I believe Bergger is a bromide paper ?

Thanks - Doug

-- Doug McFarland (junquemail222@yahoo.com), January 01, 2001.

I just tried Ansco 130 with Ilford Multigrade IV Warmtone. It's very, very close to Amidol, and almost neutral (definitely not green). I don't tone my prints, but I suspect a little selenium would make it perfectly neutral.

-- Bill Mitchell (bmitch@home.com), January 01, 2001.

I am using 130 (Photographer's Formulary) with Bergger VC CP and find that the image tone is just slightly warm-definitely not green. I'm using a JOBO and have to use about 300ml of developer (1:1 water to stock) for each 11x14. Does anyone have an idea how many prints per quantity of developer I can expect?

-- Armando (ay@sccorp.com), October 18, 2001.

Armando: I've since found that Ansco 130 gives pretty neutral tones when fresh, but as it ages the tones become more and more green. I typically use a 1 liter bottle of Ansco 130 (diluted 1+1 to make 2 liters) for 6 to 8 printing sessions (about 60 to 80 8x10 prints). As I say, the print color changes as the developer ages, and as the hydroquinone in the formula oxidizes and becomes less active, the developer gets softer. I sometimes revive it a bit by adding 50 ml. of 10% sodium carbonate and 5 ml. of 1% benzotriazole. This helps bring back the neutral tone and increases contrast.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edb@unblinkingeye.com), October 19, 2001.