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Black and white developer recipes

Posted on 15 April, 2021 / 24 min read
Black and white developer recipes

The infromation is slowly disappearing from the net. The other day I realized I cannot find the recipe for D-76d I've been using! So there's not much choice but to gather it myself and publish it, before it disappears again. The recipes here are gathered from different places, and I don't want to double the information you can find on DigitalTruth. If you have any that are missing and could be rare, or if you have any remarks, feel free to contact me to update this page.

Mostly, developers similar to D-76 and its variations will be included.

D76 (Kodak/Ilford ID-11)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 2g
Water to 1L

D76 (Kodak Australia)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 4g
Boric Acid 2g
Water to 1L

D76 R/ID-11 R (replenisher)

Source.

Replenisher for D76/ID-11.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 3g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 7.5g
Borax 20g
Water to 1L

ID-11p

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 3g
Sodium tripolyphosphate 3.5g
Water to 1L

Likely the commercial version of ID-11.

D76a

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 2g
Boric Acid 14g
Water to 1L

D76b

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2.75g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 2.75g
Borax 2.5g
Water to 1L

D76c

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 2g
KI (Potassium iodide) 10mg
Water to 1L

D76d/ID-166

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 8g
Boric Acid 8g
Water to 1L

Author's note: I actually used this one a fair bit. In general, use D76 times plus 50% (yes, fifty percent longer development). 1L is good for 10 rolls without replenishing, but do increase dev time by 10% on 5th roll and 10% on next rolls.

D76d R (replenisher)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2.2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5.4g
Borax 10g
Boric Acid 6.7g
Water to 1L

D76F

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 20g
Water to 1L

DK76

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Sodium Metaborate 2g
Water to 1L

DK76b

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Sodium Metaborate 2g
Water to 1L

DK76F

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Boric Acid 2-20g
Water to 1L

KD28 (Konica)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Potassium Bromide 0.4g
Borax 8g
Boric Acid 8g
Water to 1L

D76h

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2.5g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 2g
Boric Acid 15g
Water to 1L

D76 (Windisch)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 8g
Water to 1L

D76x

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Potassium Bromide 0.125g
Borax 2g
Boric Acid 15g
Water to 1L

D89

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 3g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Pinacryptol green 1+500 5ml
Water to 1L

D89 (Alternative)

Source.

Compared to D76, it should give less base fog (thanks to potassium bromide). Hydroquinone seems unnecessary, and so does Pinacryptol, compared to the previous recipe. This is probably easier to make.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 3g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Potassium Bromide 0.5g
Borax 5g
Water to 1L

D103

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Potassium Bromide 0.125g
Borax 1g
Boric Acid 15g
Water to 1L

EK Research FG

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Borax 2g
Water to 1.6L

FD22 (Fuji)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2.5g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 2.5g
Borax 0.5g
Sodium Metaborate 2g
Water to 1L

SD20 (Konica)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 1.5g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 3g
Borax 0.5g
Sodium Metaborate 2g
Water to 1L

Agfa 44/Ansco 17

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 1.5g
Sodium Sulphite 80g
Hydroquinone 3g
Potassium Bromide 0.5g
Borax 3g
Water to 1L

Ansco 17M

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 1.5g
Sodium Sulphite 80g
Hydroquinone 3g
Potassium Bromide 0.5g
Sodium Metaborate 2g
Water to 1L

Gevaert 206

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 4g
Borax 2g
Water to 1L

Adox Borax MQ/FR 2

Source. (also here)

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 80g
Hydroquinone 4g
Potassium Bromide 0.5g
Borax 4g
Water to 1L

Gives sharper results than D-76, with 10-20% longer development times. Full film speed.

Author's Note: I am keeping an eye on this one, I may actually give it a try and post a review of sorts. Just need to get my hands on potassium bromide.

Adox Borax MQ/FR 2 R (replenisher)

Source. (also here)

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 3g
Sodium Sulphite 80g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 18g
Water to 1L

Replenisher is used at rate of 20ml per roll.

FR 7

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 80g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 3g
Benzotriazole soln (?) 5ml 1%
Water to 1L

Agfa 19

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Potassium Bromide 0.5-1g
Borax 2g
Water to 1L

Agfa 19 R (replenisher)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2.5g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 6g
Borax 12g
Water to 1L

4-D (Defender)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2.5g
Sodium Sulphite 75g
Hydroquinone 3g
Borax 5g
Water to 1L

4a-D (replenisher)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 5g
Sodium Sulphite 75g
Hydroquinone 3g
Borax 5g
Water to 1L

H76 ("D76H") (Haist)

Source.

Different from D76h, as this does not use hydroquinone.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2.5g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Borax 2g
Water to 1L

D96 (Kodak)

Source.

Movie stock developer. Recommended for Double-X.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 1.5g
Sodium Sulphite 75g
Hydroquinone 1.5g
Potassium Bromide 0.4g
Borax 4.5g
Water to 1L

Author's Note: I also have my sights on this one.

D96 R (replenisher)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 80g
Hydroquinone 2g
Borax 5g
Water to 1L

Replenisher is used at rate of 20mL per roll.

FG PQ 1 (Ilford)

Source.

These developers are different in that they use phenidone instead of metol as their main developer.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Phenidone 0.2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Potassium Bromide 1g
Borax 2g
Boric Acid 1g
Water to 1L

FG PQ 1 Ra (replenisher)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Phenidone 0.24g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 8g
Borax 9g
Boric Acid 1g
Water to 1L

No instructions attached, unfortunately.

FG PQ 1 Rb (replenisher)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Phenidone 0.22g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 6.24g
Borax 4g
Boric Acid 2.5g
Water to 1L

No instructions attached, unfortunately.

FG PQ 2 (Ilford)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Phenidone 0.2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Potassium Bromide 1g
Borax 3g
Boric Acid 3.3g
Water to 1L

FG PQ 3 (Ilford)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Phenidone 0.2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 5g
Potassium Bromide 1g
Borax 6.8g
Boric Acid 2.7g
Sodium Metabisulphite 0.65g
Water to 1L

ID-68 (Ilford)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Phenidone 0.13g
Sodium Sulphite 85g
Hydroquinone 5g
Potassium Bromide 1g
Borax 7g
Boric Acid 2g
Water to 1L

ID-68 R (replenisher)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Phenidone 0.22g
Sodium Sulphite 85g
Hydroquinone 8g
Borax 10g
Water to 1L

FX-18 (Crawley)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Phenidone 0.1g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 6g
Potassium Bromide 1.6g
Borax 2.5g
Sodium Metabisulphite 0.35g
Water to 1L

FX-3 (Crawley)

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Phenidone 0.75g
Sodium Sulphite 75g
Hydroquinone 7g
Potassium Bromide 1g
Borax 2.5g
Water to 1L

FX-4 (Crawley)

Source. (also here)

50-60 speed increase over D76, roughly equivalent to Microphen. Allows the shadows to increase more in contrast. The presence of Metol also allows discrimination in the highlights.

About 9 min at 20C as a start.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 1.5g
Phenidone 0.25g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Hydroquinone 6g
Potassium Bromide 0.5g
Borax 2.5g
Water to 1L

FX-5 (Crawley)

Source.

Roughly equivilent to Microdol-X. You lose a stop in speed. Develop undiluted 10-15 minutes.

Substance Quantity
Water at 52°C 750mL
Metol 5g
Sodium Sulphite 125g
Potassium Bromide 0.5g
Borax 3g
Boric Acid 1.5g
Water to 1L

DK20

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 2g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Potassium Bromide 0.5g
Potassium Thiocyanate 1g
Water to 1L

DK20 R

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 7.5g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Potassium Bromide 1g
Potassium Thiocyanate 5g
Water to 1L

D23

Source.

One of the simplest developers out there, possibly used by Ansel Adams.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 7.5g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Water to 1L

D25

Source.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 7.5g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Sodium Metabisuphit 15g
Water to 1L

D25 R (replenisher)

Source. Can be used a replenisher for both D23 and D25.

Substance Quantity
Water at 40°C 750mL
Metol 10g
Sodium Sulphite 100g
Sodium Metaborate 20g
Water to 1L

D19

Source.

Contrasty developer, great for dry plates or BW slides (with 2g/l of Potassium thiocyanate for first bath, as mentioned here).

Substance Quantity
Hot water 500mL
Metol 2.2g
Sodium Sulphite 96g
Hydroquinone 8.8g
Sodium Carbonate 48g
Potassium Bromide 5g
Water to 1L