Can FP4 be developed in Multigrade paper developer

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Is it possible to use Multigrade/Ilfospeed paper developer to process FP4 film. If so what are the times, tips? The Ilford web site has no information on this. Thanks

-- Tim Reger (timothy.reger@eddept.wa.edu.au), March 19, 2001

Answers

ANY developer can be used to develop ANY silver-halide based sensitive material, but why would you want to do it?
Are you at least 1000Km away from the nearest camera store, in a place with no postal service?
On safari with only a portable darkroom tent, termites are threatening to eat your film and paper, and your thirst-crazed guide just drank your last bottle of D76?
Too broke to buy a packet of film developer?

If it's any of the above, then you have my sympathy, but I still don't recommend it.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), March 19, 2001.


I can understand using paper developer for a grainy rendition, but you would want to use a high-speed film like HP-5 or Tri-X or T-Max 3200. Otherwise, as Pete says, there's really no good reason to try it. There is a previous post that deals with this: How to get MAX grainy effect with TXP? (Joe Lacy).

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

If you don't try you'll never know...who cares if there is not a "good" reason (Mr. Andrews), there's no good reason to try a lot of things that have yielded new insight. Do it man!

I'd love to hear what you find.

-- jeff voorhees (debontekou@yahoo.com), March 20, 2001.


I have developed FP4 in Dektol which probably gives similar results. I was after huge grain, and didn't get near as much as I thought I would have based on what I'd read. If I was to try this again I'd use HP5 or maybe Tri-X. Development times were half (probably less) my normal times.

-- Nigel Smith (nlandgl@unite.com.au), March 20, 2001.

do it do it do it and tell us what happend.

-- Celcio (non@non.non), March 21, 2001.


Ilfospeed 1-60 or 1-100 about 10 mins dependant on technique for 1-60 near 14 for 1-100.

I don't think you can get good results with multigrade.

-- David Kirk (david_j_kirk@hotmail.com), March 26, 2001.


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