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Caffenol Developer

It works

caffenol.jpg


Excuse the crap subject, it was just a test. Kodak Tri-x, Caffenol C (Nescafe original, washing soda, vitamin C)
 
johnfromnorwich said:
Great. I'm trying it.
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I had a bit of trouble getting the ingredients, so this may help:

Tesco sell Dri-Pak washing soda for about 60p a pack. Vitamin C powder is available at Holland & Barrett for £5.99. You don't need Vit C to make it work, although it apparently reduces staining on the negs so it's worth using. You might have to use Google to find the correct dev time for your film (it takes longer than you might expect). And don't be tempted to drink the developer :)
 
Mousey said:
I had a bit of trouble getting the ingredients, so this may help:

Tesco sell Dri-Pak washing soda for about 60p a pack. Vitamin C powder is available at Holland & Barrett for £5.99. You don't need Vit C to make it work, although it apparently reduces staining on the negs so it's worth using. You might have to use Google to find the correct dev time for your film (it takes longer than you might expect). And don't be tempted to drink the developer :)
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I'm doing a roll of FP4+ this evening. I'm going to try the straight (non C) version first because I rather like the stained look - although how stable the stain is, I have no idea. I think vitamin C is also supposed to reduce the development time somewhat and I can get it direct from Sigma/Aldrich via my girlfriend (she's a research chemist). Based on what I've read on APUG ~30 mins for Caffenol or 12ish for Caffenol-C seems about average for 100ish ISO. Does that sound about right? I'm told it really stinks too.
 
Well from what i've read you can use just vit C, no caffeine. It might smell better as well! I'll try and find the link
 
johnfromnorwich said:
I'm doing a roll of FP4+ this evening. I'm going to try the straight (non C) version first because I rather like the stained look - although how stable the stain is, I have no idea. I think vitamin C is also supposed to reduce the development time somewhat and I can get it direct from Sigma/Aldrich via my girlfriend (she's a research chemist). Based on what I've read on APUG ~30 mins for Caffenol or 12ish for Caffenol-C seems about average for 100ish ISO. Does that sound about right? I'm told it really stinks too.
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I used APUG to find development times for the Tri-x too - about 20 mins seemed to do it, although the negs were dark but really 'solid' looking. I must admit I didn't pay any attention to the temperature either. It really was just a quick & dirty test.

I've got a roll of Tri-x in my Diana at the moment. I'll try that without Vit C and see what the effect is.

Maybe if we get any success we should post development times/temps etc.

And yes, it stinks.
 
Cesare said:
Well from what i've read you can use just vit C, no caffeine. It might smell better as well! I'll try and find the link
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It's not the caffeine - it's caffeic acid that's the developer. However, it has been suggested that in the caffeic / ascorbic mixes, it is the ascorbic that's doing most of the work. My girlfriend informs me that ascorbic + carbonate gives you a base-stabilised radical anion - i.e a very efficient reducing agent. This is fun.
 
Well I have negatives. I used 5tsp of 'tesco value' coffee + 2.5 tsp Na2CO3 in 500ml water. I used a 2min water stop - 2 washes was enough to get 'clear' waer out. The developer smells bad but not as bad as the fixer does with some slight developer odor added. Rank. The negs look a bit thin but I was quite conservative with development time (25 mins, 24C at the start, no waterbath but the central heating was on). I'll post a scan as soon as they're dry.
 
Mousey said:
That puts mine to shame. Must try the 'value' coffee.
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Your's looked good to me. My negs are very thin! I've had alot of trouble scanning them (probably a significant amount of the image is stain rather than silver). I'm going to increase the concentration and development time for the next film.
 
Could we somehow merge the Caffenol and coffee machine threads? I'm sure hand-ground espresso would give superior bokeh.

Looks really good John - silly question - does the coffee-soup literally 'brown' or sepia-tone the neg?
 
guybat said:
Could we somehow merge the Caffenol and coffee machine threads? I'm sure hand-ground espresso would give superior bokeh.

Looks really good John - silly question - does the coffee-soup literally 'brown' or sepia-tone the neg?
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Yes - This is a (mostly) un-retouched colour scan. 'Caffol' stains. 'Caffol-C' - as used by Mousey - doesn't (or at least not as much). My science brain thinks that hand ground expresso might not work so well - you need cheapo, 'high in phenolics', undrinkable muck. Cheapo coffee has gallic acid as well as caffeic.
 
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