Beutler developer formulae

Photographer's Formulary sells FX-1.

Ryuji's old post of a modified FX-1

L-ascorbic acid 1.0g (pure Vit C)

metol 0.4g

sodium sulfite 20g

sodium carbonate (monohydrate) 4.0g

sodium bicarbonate 1.0g

water to make 1.0 liter

Willi Beutler's "Meine Dunklekammer Praxis" (1st Edition)

Stock Solution A: - 1000 ccm Water 40^oC - 2g Calgon - 10g Metol - 50g Natriumsulfit sicc. (Sodium Sulfite)

Stock Solution B: - 1000 ccm Water 40^oC - 2g Calgon - 50g Natriumsulfit sicc - 10g Hydrochinon

Stock Solution C: - 1000 cm water - 5g Calgon - 100g Natriumcarbonat sicc (Soda)

Stock Solution D: - 100 ccm Water - 10g Bromkali (Kaliumbromid/Potassium bromide)

Film Surface developer (p.35) for KB (35mm) film:
500 ccm Water
50 ccm Solution A
25 ccm Solution C

Develop @ 18^oC 8-12 min. for 14^o DIN and 1-18 min. for 17^o DIN film. According to the contrast he writes (and depending upon the film stating that the 17 DIN films seemed to need it more) 1-2 ccm Bronkali (Solution D). He wrote that one could to increase the contrast (hardness) decrease the amount of solution C and increase D and develop longer.

Please Edward tell us what "Calgon" is... maybe some sequestering agent as sodium hexametaphosphate? Thank you. Eduardo Benavidez.

Also please tell us if "Natriumkarbonat" ("Soda") is the same as Sodium carbonate. Regards. Eduardo.

Is Neofin Blue a variation of Beutler's? How does it compare?

Calgon = sodium hexametaphosphate. A calcium sequestering agent to limit the formation of calcium scum, a risk with some tap waters.

Probably unnecessary when distilled water is used to make the stock solution. The later formulae likely reflect the availability of demineralized water.

"Calgon = sodium hexametaphosphate. A calcium sequestering agent to limit the formation of calcium scum, a risk with some tap waters."
"Probably unnecessary when distilled water is used to make the stock solution."

So perhaps the intent of Beutler and others--- p.13 he writes that Calgon is used to keep the solutions clear for aesthetic reasons as (my translation) "milky solutions have no effect on development"--- but it has indeed been shown, even using filtered or Aqua Dist. to indeed have an effect.

"The later formulae likely reflect the availability of demineralized water."

Aqua Dist. was available and the discussion of its need has spanned over a century.. The standard Agfa recomendation since the 1930s has been to boil and decant water.

But its also different in not just the "mising" Calgon.. clearly someone's take on Beutler but clearly not Beutler's "Combined Developer" as published in his book.. It is perhaps accademic but what your "Manual of Photography, 7th edition" has called "B" is really half the concentration of Beutler's "C" but used in equal parts to "A" instead of as 1/2 per the original. Effectively this is the same final concentration in the developer but the original selection of concetration was, as one can see, driven by the desire to control contrast by adding more solution "D" by, for example, 1 ml and reducing solution "C" by same.

"Also please tell us if "Natriumkarbonat" ("Soda") is the same as Sodium carbonate."

Yes. The "formulas" called for Soda sicc. which is the waterfree or anhydrous sodium carbonate called also "soda ash". One must, however, keep in mind that anhydrous soda absorbs water from the air to become sodium carbonate monohydrate. 100g of the monodydrate is the equivalent of 88g Soda sicc (or 1.17:1). Soda is also available in crystal (Dekahydrat) form but the equivalence is 37g Soda sicc = 100g Soda crystal (or 2.7:1).