I have just started to use sprint chemistry and have had great results so far. All of it is extremely easy to use liquid chemistry with mixing ratios that are easy enough to remember. The D76 1+1 equivilent developer has given me very consistent results, the rapid fixer is cheap and seems to last a long time (testing with edwal fixer test). The fixer remover is very economical, and the paper developer has never worn out at 1+9 dilution during long printing sessions with very consistent print tone and contrast from begining to end.

I haven't seen many comments about sprint chemistry on this or other forums. Has anyone else gotten good results with this stuff or am I the only one. I am wondering why anybody goes through the pain of mixing real D76 or powdered hypo clearing agent when the sprint seems to give identical results.

-- Robert W Boyer (rboyer@mindspring.com), September 09, 2000

Answers

Hi Robert, I have been using Sprint chemistry for over ten years now, and -obviously - am very satisfied with it. But I also use Neopan 1600 most of the time, and Yashica cameras with Zeiss lenses. You don't hear much about Neopan and Yashica either.

I think a large part of it is advertising. These products don't get advertised much [in this country for Neopan & Yashica], and it follows that they are not as popular.

I think one of the most important lessons I have learned in photography is to use what works for me - period. Every once in a while I go to a different film, camera, or developer, but most of the time I am happier with the way I have been doing things.

chris

-- Christian Harkness (chris.harkness@eudoramail.com), September 09, 2000.

Actually if you read the posts, a lot of people have good luck wiht Sprint chemistry and it get recommended a good bit.

Why do some people still mix powdered D-76? Because they are used to it. Because Sprint is not stocked locally. Because they have a LOT of D-76 still around. Because they like the space savings of D-76 for storage when they don't use it often.

As to their stop, I know it is odorless, but not sure what they use. "The Film Developing Cookbook" suggests that citric acid NOT be used as a substitute acid stop. THey suggest that this is not good with current emulsions. They recommend boric acid or the old stand by, acetic acid.

As to their Rapid Fixer, I was going to get their's the last buy, but the shop was out, so I got Kodak instead. Maybe next time.

WRT hypo clear, I use Heico PermaWash. It tends to get highly recommended by a lot of serious darkroom workers.

-- Terry Carraway (TCarraway@compuserve.com), September 10, 2000.