Anneman-Gainer Developer

My first experiments with a low-contrast, home-made push developer.

 

The formula comes from a patent by Anneman that probably was a precursor to the now unobtainable Perfection XR-1 developer. Perfection XR-1 seems to have been based on POTA and was capable of pushing ultra-fine grain and microfilms by two stops while keeping grain small and contrast acceptable. In a discussion of the patent, Gainer suggested a variant that is a concentrate and that replaces the hydroquinone and sulphite in the original by ascorbic acid.

 

It is that concentrate that I have tried to recreate and test. My recipe was:

 

Dissolve in 100ml of hot triethanolamine

 

Phenidone 3.8g

Metol 0.6g

Ascorbic Acid 2.3g

Borax 1.9g

 

and allow to cool. The concentrate is a pale straw colour.

 

I convinced myself that a good starting point for a film like Bluefire Police film would be a dilution of 1+200 for 60 minutes at 20C stand developed. That's what I have done for the four images posted here.

 

 

This first image shows a scene as it came out of the scanner and, for comparison, the same after the contrast had been slightly reduced in Photoshop.

 

 

As a first attempt with the developer I'm pleased with it. Points worth noting I think are:

 

- minimal or no base fog, despite the 60 min stand

- a working temp of 20C, as opposed to Perfection XR-1 that typically had to be used at 30C or higher

- minimal grain: I can't see it at the scanning resolution I used (4800dpi on an Epson Perfection V700)

- stand processing, rather than frequent agitation

- about 2 stops push over the box speed, which for Bluefire must be about EI 20 or possibly less.

 

I also got a more moderate contrast using this Anneman-Gainer developer than I did using Bluefire's own, so I count that as a success. The results came out looking like Rollei Retro 80S when I develop it in Rodinal, but if anything finer-grained and with slightly less contrast.

 

This is obviously not the optimal dilution/timing/method for this developer, but I think it shows promise and it is very, very easy and cheap to make. It would be great if I could encourage anyone else to play with it.

 

I hope to expose some Rollei ATP 1.1 tomorrow, weather permitting, and try the same time and dilution on that.

 

Feel free to link to this post if you know any other discussion groups or websites where it might be of interest.

 

Zorki 1 with Jupiter-12

Bluefire Police film @ 80

Stand dev in Anneman-Gainer developer 1+200 for 60 mins, 30s initial inversions + 1 inversion @ 30mins.

 

ADDED: The ATP 1.1 needs something stronger that 1+200 / 60 mins. When I get some more I'll try 1+100 for the same time.

Done