Barry Thorntons high definition, two-bath film developer

Bath A grams Bath B grams notes

Sodium for very high contrast

Metol 6.5 7g
Metaborate scenes

Sodium for high to average

Sodium Sulphite 85 15g
Metaborate contrast scenes

Sodium for low contrast

20g
Metaborate scenes

Bath A:
Start with about 700mL of water at 38C (100F). Add a pinch of sodium sulphite, then mix in
the metol. Once the metol has fully dissolved, mix in the rest of the sodium sulphite and top up to
1000mL.
!
Bath B:
Dissolve the appropriate amount of sodium metaborate in 1L water for contrast control.

Notes on Use
!
35mm & 120 film get 4 mins (sheet film 5 mins) in each bath at 21C (70F), agitation for the
first 5 seconds in each bath and then two inversions every 60 seconds.

Original formula published at BarryThornton.com - chart by ParkerSmithPhoto.com