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Jack Lusted
14th October 2009, 12:58 PM
After having used Xtol for years I've decided to give the new Promicrol a go. (When I was at school in the '70s the old promicrol was the stuff used in the school darkroom).
My reason for trying something new was that keeping 5l of Xtol mixed up took a lot of shelf space in the utility room.
Early days yet, but I think the 1 stop increase in film speed is a bit optimistic - box speed seems about right to me.

Anyone else have anything to share on this dev?

Jack

Richard Gould
14th October 2009, 01:44 PM
I have used promicrol recently, I find that about a half stop increase in film speed works out about right for my way of working, and I like promicrol for some things, but I admit that I do prefer rodinal,Richard

David Lingham
14th October 2009, 02:15 PM
Echo Richards thoughts. I tried some early this year with HP5 @ 650 and I thought the shadows where a bit empty. I agree box speed is nearer the mark. I also prefer Rodinal.

Keith Tapscott.
14th October 2009, 03:45 PM
After having used Xtol for years I've decided to give the new Promicrol a go. (When I was at school in the '70s the old promicrol was the stuff used in the school darkroom).
My reason for trying something new was that keeping 5l of Xtol mixed up took a lot of shelf space in the utility room.
Early days yet, but I think the 1 stop increase in film speed is a bit optimistic - box speed seems about right to me.

Anyone else have anything to share on this dev?

JackI would start with the ISO and make some bracketed exposures to help determine a personal exposure index with any new film and developer combination. The suggested times for various dilutions and temperatures for that developer are Here. (http://www.championphotochemistry.com/_uploads/files/110308144921_Promicrol%20tds.pdf)

Martin Reed
16th October 2009, 10:28 AM
It's not Promicrol as we knew it - that would seem to be impossible to replicate, as the activator used coupled with glycin is no longer made, that's why the developer was discontinued in the first place.

I've got some packs of original Promicrol, I tried one some while back and it was working fine. Maybe if we could nominate a short list of other developers as contenders it will be a useful exercise to run tests & see how they stack up.

Dave miller
16th October 2009, 10:56 AM
It's not Promicrol as we knew it - that would seem to be impossible to replicate, as the activator used coupled with glycin is no longer made, that's why the developer was discontinued in the first place.

I've got some packs of original Promicrol, I tried one some while back and it was working fine. Maybe if we could nominate a short list of other developers as contenders it will be a useful exercise to run tests & see how they stack up.

That would be a very informative exercise Martin. What would you say are / were the main atributes of Promicrol?

Martin Reed
16th October 2009, 11:38 AM
Well, it gave a genuine speed increase while still producing exceptionally fine grain, it was the answer to everything. When I first used it in the '60's it came in a nice little tin box - this was later changed to cardboard, but it still came with a mass of information & a label for the bottle when mixed. It had a lot of fans. Here's a very bad shot of the contents;

Keith Tapscott.
16th October 2009, 04:27 PM
I once had a tin-box of it to make 2.5 litres of stock solution, but sent it to Barry Thornton. I think he wrote an article comparing the original Promicrol with the latest version, but I can`t remember in which publication it was.
It used a unique aminophenol developing agent which is no longer available and that along with the glycin would make it very expensive to manufacture these days.
I`m not sure if it would work well with modern B&W films.

There is a patent for the original May & Baker Promicrol HERE. (http://www.google.com/patents?id=Tj9eAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&source=gbs_overview_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false)
Out of curiosity, I wouldn`t mind a photo-copy of the instruction sheet.

Tom Kershaw
16th October 2009, 04:37 PM
Its an interesting question as to how many different developers one needs but I wonder if Photographer's Formulary could manufacture the compounds needed, considering they manufacture Glycin.

Martin (Reed),

I'm pleased to read Promicrol came with plently of information, the lack thereof is one of my pet irritations with some current products.

Tom

Keith Tapscott.
16th October 2009, 04:45 PM
Its an interesting question as to how many different developers one needs but I wonder if Photographer's Formulary could manufacture the compounds needed, considering they manufacture Glycin.

TomAlthough I do have an interest in processing formulae, I have to say that D-76 has served me very well for many years. That and Bromophen for prints.

vanannan
16th October 2009, 06:17 PM
I once had a tin-box of it to make 2.5 litres of stock solution, but sent it to Barry Thornton. I think he wrote an article comparing the original Promicrol with the latest version, but I can`t remember in which publication it was.
It used a unique aminophenol developing agent which is no longer available and that along with the glycin would make it very expensive to manufacture these days.
I`m not sure if it would work well with modern B&W films.

There is a patent for the original May & Baker Promicrol HERE. (http://www.google.com/patents?id=Tj9eAAAAEBAJ&printsec=abstract&zoom=4&source=gbs_overview_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q=&f=false)
Out of curiosity, I wouldn`t mind a photo-copy of the instruction sheet.

382
383
384

Regards

Keith Tapscott.
16th October 2009, 06:46 PM
382
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384

RegardsThanks Tony. :)

vanannan
16th October 2009, 07:07 PM
Thanks Tony. :)

Hi Keith
Just checked the Jpegs on the forum, I seem to have scanned at too lower resolution, if you send me a PM with your Email address
I will send you a higher res scan.
Regards

Bob
17th October 2009, 03:59 PM
I'm just impressed that it came with a ready-printed label for the bottle once mixed!

You just don't get that kind of attention to detail these days - some suit will have decided that it is not cost-effective and will save 200 quid a year not to include it so out it would go.

pentaxpete
20th October 2009, 06:53 PM
When I left the RAMC in 1958 I got a job at May & Baker Dagenham as a Microbiological Research Technician and found a former school mate was there quality testing Promicrol - one time he had packet 'A', then packet 'B' so I got him to save up some 'A' and when he changed to 'B' give me some so I got FREE Promicrol ! I had to smuggle the packets out past security in my bicycle ! My boss Mr Freeman used to catch me reading 'Amateur Photographer' when I should have been injecting his mice with Salmonella Typhi-Murium so he said " Peter, you're really more interested in Photography,why not go to evening classes at the South Essex Tech. get a qualification, then you can start applying for jobs" . So I took him up on it and cycled to the Tech. in Longbridge Road, Barking,from East Ham and showed them some prints I had done for the Barking Photographic Society and South Essex Camera Club and they were so impressed they said I could do the first IBP Preliminary exam in 6 months instead of a year, which I did, then went on to get the Intermediate, then found only the Regent Street Polytechnic did the Final where you could get AIBP after your name, in which time I had finally got a job in Photography in the Civil Service at Chessington, Surrey, Ministry of Aviation on £7-15-0d a week.

Dave miller
21st October 2009, 06:50 AM
When I left the RAMC in 1958 I got a job at May & Baker Dagenham as a Microbiological Research Technician and found a former school mate was there quality testing Promicrol - one time he had packet 'A', then packet 'B' so I got him to save up some 'A' and when he changed to 'B' give me some so I got FREE Promicrol ! I had to smuggle the packets out past security in my bicycle ! My boss Mr Freeman used to catch me reading 'Amateur Photographer' when I should have been injecting his mice with Salmonella Typhi-Murium so he said " Peter, you're really more interested in Photography,why not go to evening classes at the South Essex Tech. get a qualification, then you can start applying for jobs" . So I took him up on it and cycled to the Tech. in Longbridge Road, Barking,from East Ham and showed them some prints I had done for the Barking Photographic Society and South Essex Camera Club and they were so impressed they said I could do the first IBP Preliminary exam in 6 months instead of a year, which I did, then went on to get the Intermediate, then found only the Regent Street Polytechnic did the Final where you could get AIBP after your name, in which time I had finally got a job in Photography in the Civil Service at Chessington, Surrey, Ministry of Aviation on £7-15-0d a week.

£7.75 a week :eek: riches indeed, sounds like you got some worthwhile advice. Thanks for sharing.

Keith Tapscott.
21st October 2009, 01:34 PM
£7.75 a week :eek: riches indeed, sounds like you got some worthwhile advice. Thanks for sharing.If only the annual salary that I get now was worth in real terms what £7-15-0d was back then. Oh well, dream on.

Larry
14th September 2011, 10:45 PM
As mentioned in a seperate post, I ran out of Fotospeed FD10 and tried out a 1-Litre pack of D76 at 1+1 with good results.

I took a gamble on purchasing some Promicrol from Firstcall as well a more FD10. I prefer 1-shot liquid developers over powder versions. Anyway, I developed some PAN-F shot at ISO 32 and APX100 shot at IS 100 with the new promicrol and I'm actually really pleased with the results, much better than I initially hoped for. Very clean working, seems to be fine grained enough with loads of fine detail. Considering the price about £5 litre at 1:14 ratio it performs as good as FD10 for a couple of ££ cheaper. Early days yet but I like what I've got so far from this developer. The negs print well too.

Mike O'Pray
14th September 2011, 11:13 PM
. Considering the price about £5 litre at 1:14 ratio it performs as good as FD10 for a couple of ££ cheaper. Early days yet but I like what I've got so far from this developer. The negs print well too.

Wow Larry, my Scottish eyes are on main beam now -£5 for 15 litres of developer! With an eye for getting that kind of value for money you are giving away the fact that Alex Salmond has planted "moles" like you in strategic positions near London for the eventual takeover.:D

Remember the series "Vendetta" in the 60s when the anti-Mafia guy uncovers Mafiosi. The suspect introduces himself as "Guy Lombard" from the Thames Valley and the anti-Mafia guy says: "You're not Guy Lombard from the Thames Valley, you're Guido Lombardi from the old country! :D

Great series but you've been discovered, Larry. I bet that under interrogation you can quote all the goal scorers from the SPL last weekend:D.

Seriously, it sounds good stuff

Mike

Larry
16th September 2011, 12:04 PM
Hi Mike

I too remember the Vendetta series, great viewing but I was alas a child in the 60's so maybe I didn't appreciate the story line until the repeats on satilite.

Back to the chemistry, just developed another 2 rolls, this time frozen FP4+ 2007 at 1+14 9mins 20.3C - another success.

I know it's supposed to be a speed enhancing developer, but it seems to also work well with ISO reduction, this time I used ISO 80/100 with FP4+.

I tend to shoot at 1/3-1/2 stop below box speed and base my development time at 1+14 on the difference of 1+9 and 1+14 times
For instance if time is 8 mins at 1+9 and 10mins for 1+14, I use the middle value of 9mins for a colour head enlarger.

This developer is quite strong working, maybe 1+19 and use the times for 1+14 for PAN-F maybe - lots of this to use up, but it's a very contrasty film.

Well I'm happy!