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FX-55 Crawley’s Ascorbic Developer!
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Part A of the developer is the usual liquid stock solution but contains no developing agents and should last pretty well indefinitely, at least for a few years.
Part B is made of the developing agents sodium ascorbate and phenidone in dry form or, documented below, made up with propylene glycol for a very long lasting part B liquid. Note: I have modified the Gainer version to better balance the acid with the TEA.
Once the working developer has been made from stock it keeps for about 36 hours.
To Make 1 Ltr working developer:
Dilute Part A 1+9 with water to make 1 Ltr. Then add and dissolve the dry chemicals of Part B to this 1 Ltr to make the working developer. This working developer lasts 36 hours in a stoppered bottle.
I happily make 500ml working developer by diluting 50ml Part A and make up to 500ml with water. Then adding 0.7g sodium ascorbate powder (my scale doesn't measure more accurately than 0.1g) and 5ml of a 1% phenidone solution (in propylene glycol). I use a syringe to measure the 5ml which is very accurate.
FX-55 is an excellent developer with a broad tonal range. It is sharp, fine grained, and with none of the mushiness of high sulphite developers like D76 or ID-68.
It's also a lot safer when you want to keep away from metol, hydroquinone and pyro.
FX-55 Part A Stock
This is a long lasting concentrated stock. It is to be diluted 1+9 with water to make a working solution (a 10% working solution from stock). To this working solution we add the dry chemicals below.| Warm water | 700 ml |
| Potassium carbonate* | 20g |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 1.5g |
| Sodium sulphite Anhyd. | 25g |
| Sodium metabisulphite | 12g |
| Water to make | 1 ltr |
FX-55 Part B
To be added and dissolved just before use to the 1 Ltr of 10% working solution of Part A above.| Sodium ascorbate** | 1.3g |
| Phenidone | 0.1g |
* For Sodium carbonate anhydrous use 15.4g
** Note: Sodium ascorbate is NOT the same as ascorbic acid. Do not confuse the two.
For 500ml working developer from the above Crawley version:
- 50ml part A made up to 500ml with water.
- Add and dissolve 0.7g sodium ascorbate.
- Then add 5ml 1% phenidone solution and stir.
To make the Gainer Mod, which will keep indefinitely:
FX-55 Part B Gainer Mod Updated by me to better balance the TEA with the acid.
| Propylene Glycol 50C | 150ml |
| Ascorbic acid | 13g |
| Triethanolamine (TEA) | 30g - easier to weigh* |
| Phenidone | 1g |
| Propylene glycol up to | 200ml |
* Updated to 30g from the original 10g. * Use 30ml if it's easier but I find weighing it the best method.
To Use the concentrate Gainer version:
For 1000ml working developer (which keeps 36 hours in a stoppered bottle)
- 100ml Part A made up to 900ml with water. Add 20ml part B. Then finish making up to 1 Ltr.
For 500ml working developer:
- 50ml part A made up to 450ml with water. Add 10ml part B. Make up to 500ml.
Ratio for use: 50+10+ 440
Developing Times
The following developing times were given by Crawley on release of the formula. Times in minutes.
Ilford
- PanF: Plus 7
- FP4 Plus: 8.5
- HP5 Plus: 13.5
- Delta 100: 10
- Delta 400: 12.5
- Delta 3200: 12.5
- SFX: 14
Kodak
- Tri-X Pan: 12.5
- T-Max 100: 13
- T-Max 400: 14.5
- T-Max 3200: 17.5
- Tech Pan: 6
For scanning Crawley stated that negatives for scanning benifit from slightly more contrast. This can be achieved, using the same development times, by lowering the sodium metabisulphite amount in A to 10g. Alternately, he said, add 10% to the developing time.
- I use Ilford films and I have found my personal developing times are slightly less than these, by around 10%. The developer gives me an increase in film speed, above box, of around 2/3 stop.
Using FX55 as a Two Bath
FX55 can be used effectivey as a two bath developer utilizing straight FX55 as the A bath and a 1% sodium metaborate solution as bath B. I found that 5 + 5 minutes gave excellent results with a slight increase in sharpness and definitely finer grain. There was also some compensation of the highlights. Remember, do not wash or stop the film between the two baths.
Bath B can be used multiple times - probably up to ten.
Using FX55 diluted
I have tested FX55 diluted 1 + 1 with water. At this half strength an approximate:
- 75% increase in personal development time was very good for darkroom printing. Improved tonality, acutance, and micro-contrast.
- 50% increase in personal development time for better scanned negatives.
These estimates should get you right in the ballpark for your own testing.
The results of 1+1 were remarkable. Greater tonality and sharpness with about the same fine grain as regular FX55, maybe a tad finer.
Using FX55 for pushing
FX55 is a good push developer. It already enhances film speed by up to 2/3 of a stop and so, being an active developer, it pushes easily.
HP5 Plus pushed to EI 1600 is developed in around 17 minutes with Ilford agitation. FP4 pushed to EI 500 is around 10 minutes.
Acros at 80ISO developed in FX-55 6 mins 24degC - very slightly over developed. Use 5:30 as below. Nevertheless, the clouds have been rendered very faithfully showing an element of developer compensation.
The grain from the picture above. This is a tiny section just above the tall tree. You can see the stunning detail that this combination has captured, the micro-contrast is excellent.
