one more time - diafine basics

[back alley]

i have read, i believe, everything that rff has had to say about diafine.
but to 2x check...

to mix powder, hot water? or does it matter?

to develop negs, use at room temp, for 3 minutes only?

agitate infrequently?


water stop bath
fix for five
wash for 30
wetting agent
hang to dry

joe

[FrankS]

I haven't mixed up my Diafine yet - I will soon, but mine's liquid concentrate.

3 min in solution A, followed by 3 min in solution B, minimal agitation
Wash 30 sec,
Fix 5 min,
Wash 30 sec,
Hypo-clear 2 min,
Wash 5 min.

[back alley]

liquid?

mine is old stock - powder.

yes, 3+3.

gonna mix up it later.

thanks frank
joe

[wlewisiii]

Originally Posted by backalley photo

agitate infrequently?

I shake the tank once at the start to knock off any bubbles then don't touch it again till I pour off the chemicals.

William

[back alley]

no rinse between a & b right?

[wlewisiii]

That's right. Only after you've done the B solution.

William

[Kin Lau]

no rinse btwn a & b.

I've just mixed mine & dev'd my first roll. Tri-X @ iso1250. I didn't agitate at all, just a few quick taps to get rid of the bubbles. Contrast looks good. I'll scan a few in the morning.

[rover]

Originally Posted by FrankS

I haven't mixed up my Diafine yet - I will soon, but mine's liquid concentrate.

3 min in solution A, followed by 3 min in solution B, minimal agitation
Wash 30 sec,
Fix 5 min,
Wash 30 sec,
Hypo-clear 2 min,
Wash 5 min.

This is what I have done to a T

Don't stress the 3 miunte part, I mean, if it is 5 minutes that isn't going to change anything.

I have done very little aggitation. A bump at the start of each solution to remove bubbles, and one very gentle aggitation during solution #2.

[Kin Lau]

It doesn't really matter what you do during part A. No developing takes place. It's only to let the solution soak into the emulsion, so you need the minimum 3 min's. For solution B, it doesn't matter how long you dev it for after the initial 3 min's except perhaps if it's a little cold, and the process might take a little longer. Once the sol A in the emulsion is exhausted, it stops. More time doesn't affect anything because there's no more sol A for sol B to react against.

[T_om]

Originally Posted by backalley photo

i have read, i believe, everything that rff has had to say about diafine.
but to 2x check...

to mix powder, hot water? or does it matter?

to develop negs, use at room temp, for 3 minutes only?

agitate infrequently?


water stop bath
fix for five
wash for 30
wetting agent
hang to dry

joe

I use hot distilled water to mix the chemicals. Not 'boiling' hot, but perhaps 120° F. Oh, a confession to make... if I do not have distilled water, I have used tap water before and it worked just fine. Depends, of course, upon your tap water.

The rest of what you plan is just fine and is almost exactly like my schedule:

1. Film in tank.
2. Pour in A. Bang tank and do an inversion to break up bubbles.
3. 3 to 4 minute soak in A, no further agitation required.
4. Dump A back into the A jug.
5. Pour in B. Bang tank and do one inversion to break up bubbles.
6. 3 to 4 minute develop in B with 1 gentle inversion half way through.
7. Dump B back into the B jug.
8. Water rinse
9. 2 minutes in fixer
10. 30 minute wash

Easy. DO NOT over agitate in solution B.

Tom

[T_om]

Originally Posted by FrankS

I haven't mixed up my Diafine yet - I will soon, but mine's liquid concentrate.

Huh? Liquid concentrate?

I have used Diafine since the mid-sixties and I have never seen it sold in anything but sealed tins with powdered chemicals. You mix up a working solution with the dry powder in each tin, never a liquid concentrate.

Tom

[Doug]

Liquid concentrate, Frank?? That would be cool... Powders are better for long-term storage, and lighter to ship, but I've always found it a pain to get it all dissolved completely. Hot water speeds up the dissolving, but I think it also introduces more oxygen that gets the aging of the developer started faster too! I think now it's best to mix it up at moderate temperature days in advance of intended use, and just give it time. Liquid concentrates are easier.

As Kin said, no harm in giving each bath more time; I use 5 min in each.

[Roman]

Well, I just ordered my first batch of Diafine (has not arrived yet), and the catalog stated 'concentrate for 950 ml' - maybe it is the gallon packages that come in powder form?

Roman

[back alley]

my powder was for a u.s. quart or 945ml

[Doug]

Yes, my most recent Diafine purchase (last year) was the quart kit; two cans of powder.

[T_om]

Originally Posted by Roman

Well, I just ordered my first batch of Diafine (has not arrived yet), and the catalog stated 'concentrate for 950 ml' - maybe it is the gallon packages that come in powder form?

Roman

Roman,

It is going to be powder. I have never seen or heard of Diafine ever being sold in liquid form.

Tom

[wclavey]

Originally Posted by Kin Lau

For solution B, it doesn't matter how long you dev it for after the initial 3 min's except perhaps if it's a little cold, and the process might take a little longer.

For what it's worth, there are a few times when you need less than 3 minutes in Solution B and the one I have experience with is Kodak Tech Pan film (... I know, I know, Tech Pan isn't made and not many places have it, but there is still some out there). We only use Solution B for 45 seconds with Tech Pan... there is a big site of development times: every combination of film/developer. This was their recommendation and it came out looking absolutely fantastic. My son used this combination for his final project at school this semester and now we can't get any more Tech Pan.

Here is the link to the website: http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.html

[FrankS]

Originally Posted by T_om

Huh? Liquid concentrate?

I have used Diafine since the mid-sixties and I have never seen it sold in anything but sealed tins with powdered chemicals. You mix up a working solution with the dry powder in each tin, never a liquid concentrate.

Tom

Can't wait to get home to send you photographic proof, Tom. This Diafine was ordered from the States by Kin for a few of us Canadian users, since it is not sold in Canada - pity.

[T_om]

Originally Posted by FrankS

Can't wait to get home to send you photographic proof, Tom. This Diafine was ordered from the States by Kin for a few of us Canadian users, since it is not sold in Canada - pity.

I'm always ready to learn something new Frank.

But unless they sent it to you pre-mixed, I'm gonna have to see it to believe it.

I am also curious to see the packaging.

Tom

[FrankS]

Tom, would you say garlic or curry is best with crow? I'm going to have to eat my words! I assumed that because the Diafine was packaged in tin cans (like soup) that it was in liquid concentrate form. I was wrong - it's powder, just like you said.

[RayPA]

Originally Posted by Roman

Well, I just ordered my first batch of Diafine (has not arrived yet), and the catalog stated 'concentrate for 950 ml' - maybe it is the gallon packages that come in powder form?

Roman

My package is exactly as stated by Roman, two cans of powder that make a gallon each.

[T_om]

Originally Posted by FrankS

Tom, would you say garlic or curry is best with crow? I'm going to have to eat my words! I assumed that because the Diafine was packaged in tin cans (like soup) that it was in liquid concentrate form. I was wrong - it's powder, just like you said.

Hahaha! Glad to know all is as it should be. I was worried there for a bit thinking someone sold you some sort of substitute.

Tom

[Kin Lau]

Had me confused for a while too, since I ordered it, and mine was powder

[XAos]

You people need to cut this out. I just ordered some myself. Out of curiousity - has anyone here ever left it in either solution A or B for an unreasonably long amount of time? How did it turn out?

[Krasnaya_Zvezda]

OK, you guys have just caused me to take the plunge on the Diafine, too. Once it's mixed, how long is the shelf life? Might take me a while to use a gallon.