Ansco 130 colour

[Argentum]

What colour should fresh stock solution be?

[Bob]

Very pale tea - almost clear IIRC - been a couple of years since I last made some. But I did make some up with old glycin and it turned out dark brown. I have read that it would have been OK, but I chucked it before I read that so do not know if true...

[Argentum]

It was clear until I put the glycin in which is the last chemical. But I had mixed it in two 2 litre jugs but put all the potassium bromide and glycin into one of them. That may have caused it to oxidise a bit as its orangy brown like used developer. But since used working strength will turn that colour or darker and last for a couple a months, I hope it will be OK. I'll find out shortly...

[Bob]

As you say, it lasts a long time, even after going dark. When I used it I replenished my Nova's slot with more 130 as needed, rarely ever dumping the old developer: just topping it up. The old developer, I thought, gave a warmer tone. I only stopped using it because of the hassle of ordering glycin from the US.

[Argentum]

I got this stuff from the US to try it out because so many say its good. I'll find out shortly.

[Bob]

Now, I don't know how useful these charts are 'cos I did them some years ago and I forget the details... but FWIW...

This is MGIV-FB glossy in Ilford Warmtone developer using the published Ilford equal-exposure filter values on my Durst AC1200:





This is MGIV-FB glossy in Ansco 130, dev 3 mins@24C (reports are that A-130 likes higher than usual temperatures):



I don't remember if I used the equal-value filters for this, but if I did, you can forget using them for A-130!

The 130 chart does not show the typical bump in the MGIV lower grades. I can't explain the reduction in bump but it is definitely MGIV as the only other paper I had was Kentmere and that never reached such a high density: it peaked at 1.9. The wiggle at the top of the Warmtone dev. curves I suspect is just a charting glitch due to the curve-smoothing combined with a scarcity of data-points.

The 130 chart also seems to have a restricted grade range at the higher contrast end but it's difficult to tell as the two charts' axis are different. A-130 is considered a soft working developer so that might explain that.

[Argentum]

Interesting. Looks very much as though the A130 gives a very smooth and long toe which must be why people rave about its highlights.

I get those kinks with MGIV as you have seen. I put this down to dichroic filters but the A130 does seem to have smoothed them out. I'll find out soon...

Like all these older developers, it would have been designed for graded papers where contrast was often controlled with developer strength. The odd thing is that I read that A130 gave the straightest curve which is at odds with that long toe but then that may have been on graded papers.

p.s. would be useful to know what the log density of each of those agfa steps. 0.1 or what?