FX-37 Film Developer

Geoffrey Crawley's FX-37 high acutance film developer. Crawley stated that FX-37 is the closest published formula to FX-39.

Recipe

Chemical Amount
Distilled water (50 °C) 750 ml
Sodium sulfite (anhydrous) 60.0 g
Hydroquinone 5.0 g
Sodium carbonate (anhydrous) 5.0 g
Phenidone 0.5 g
Borax 2.5 g
Potassium bromide 0.5 g
Benzotriazole, 1% 5.0 ml
Distilled water to make 1000 ml

Mix chemicals in the listed order. The benzotriazole can be eliminated if the bromide is increased to 1 g/l.

Usage

Dilute 1+3 and develop at 20 °C. Starting development time is 5:00.

Comments

I find this to be a good developer but more like a sharpened up D-76 than a high acutance developer. Grain seems to be rather well behaved and form nice patterns (TMY2, Tri-X, FP4+). Stock keeps rather well when kept in small full glass bottles (at least 3 months).

Published: 2022-11-19