Two Solution Compensating C-41 Colour Developer

There is nothing out of the ordinary in using a two- bath developer for black and white to reduce contrast and get longer lasting chemicals. It is not so usual to process colour negatives using the same method. It was proposed by the late Patrick Digman (USA), and a variation of it has worked out by our own Allan S. Moore from Australia.

Only five chemicals are involved to make up the developer. The two baths tend to last rather longer than usual even after they have been used.

Solution A:
Distilled water ------------------------ 300m1
Potassium Metabisulphite ------------- 4.6g
CD4 --------------------------------- 5.5g
Distilled water to make --------------- 500ml

Solution B:
Distilled water ----------------------- 5OOml
Potassium Carbonate ---------------- 53g
Potassium Bromide ------------------ 0.5g
Benzotrjazole (0.1% sol) ------------ 2ml
Distilled water to make -------------- 1 litre

This process is not very critical as to time and temperature, but Digman recommends 20C and three minutes in bath A followed by 6 minutes in bath B. There must be NO rinse between these baths of course. Bath A should keep indefinitely in a full bottle. I think it best not to reuse bath B too often, nor keep it too long.

Follow the development with your choice of Blix or bleach and fix, then wash as normal and stabilise if required. Thanks to Allan Moore for the information.

I always end up with more Colour Developer Part B (the developing agent + metabisulphite) when using Photocolor's Chronic Six kit. I wonder if that would do for the C4l bath A above? Or would that give cross processing type results. Anyone prepared to venture an opinion?