Filmus Monochromus
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Diafine - Two Bath Developer
I have two favourite developers: Diafine and Rodinal.
Diafine is usable over a wide temperature range with one developing time for all films. Fast, medium and slow films can be developed simultaneously without adjustment in developing time.
Diafine is unsurpassed in its ability to produce the greatest effective film speed, ultra-fine grain, maximum acutance and highest resolution. Time and temperature have no practical effect if the minimum recommendations are observed. Diafine is an ultra-fine grain developer with the highest effective speeds.
Their are two sizes of kits: 1 US Quart (945 ml) or 1 US gallon (3.7L). I prefer the quart kit as it is easier to mix and handle in 1L containers. Mixing the two solutions - A and B - is easy and quick. The solutions are long lasting as you re-use them each time.
Developing film is simple: pour in solution A, agitate/swirl for first 5 secs and then for 5 secs every minute. After 3 minutes pour solution A back in its bottle and pour in solution B and repeat the procedure as for A. After 3 mins pour B back into its bottle and use water for a stop. Fix and wash as usual.
You rate your film as suggested on the Diafine box to get the best results, although you do not have to. One thing I have learned is Tri-X is much better rated 1250 asa although 1600 does work.
The beauty of of Diafine is it lasts a long, long time - my current batch is nearly a year old now. The A solution does deplete over time, as it is being absorbed into the dry film emulsion whereas the B solution depletes much more slowly.
