Is it true that the modern pre-packed D-76 contain Phenidone instead of Metol? If I mix the original D-76 myself, will the times be the same as recommended for the pre-packed version? Hmmmm....

-- Patric (jenspatric@mail.bip.net), July 02, 2001

Answers

Packaged D-76 does not contain phenidone; it uses metol. Most of the additives Kodak uses are to extent the shelf-life and have a minimal impact on the developer's properties. Ilford's ID-11 is said to be closer to the original D-76 formula.

Mixing your own *should* give you the same developing times. If you are going to mix your own, you might want to check out D-76H, which omits the hydroquinone and increases the metol. This is said to be a more stable formula with times and results identical to D-76. I can't think of the D-76H formula off the top of my head, but you should have no trouble finding it on the web. Check out Ed Buffaloe's site: www.theunblinkingeye.com. I think you'll find it there somewhere. If you can't find it, write me and I'll look it up and email it to you.

-- Ted Kaufman (writercrmp@aol.com), July 02, 2001.

D-76H is this one. Had it written down. Will mix a liter of it soon.

Water 52°C 750 ml Metol 2.5g Sodium Sulfite 100g Borax 2g Water to 1 liter

I've heard many times that the packed D-76 used phenidone, and saw it again today on www.silverprint.co.uk

-- Patric (jenspatric@mail.bip.net), July 02, 2001.

I don't buy EKC packaged D-76 so I don't know the answer to the original question. I also don't know what kind of phenidone they use, but wouldn't a packaged powder developer using phenidone be unstable?

-- Ryuji Suzuki (rsuzuki@rs.cncdsl.com), July 03, 2001.

A quick check of the declared contents of a packet of D-76 will show if it contains Phenidone or not. If the words "l-Phenyl-3-Pyrazolidone" do not appear on the packet, then it doesn't contain Phenidone. Ilford's own version, ID-11, still contains Metol, so I don't see why Kodak should have switched the formula.
Metol will be declared as "Monomethyl-p-aminophenol sulfate" or similar.

"wouldn't a packaged powder developer using phenidone be unstable? " - No. Why should it? Phenidone has excellent keeping properties in powder form. Microphen is a packaged powder developer containing (guess what?) Phenidone.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), July 03, 2001.

This was recently discussed here.

-- Tim Brown (brownt@flash.net), July 03, 2001.