In addition to the classic single-bath developers for film negatives, there are also two-bath developers—less common, but still with their loyal followers to this day. The best known of these are “Leika News” and “Shtecker’s Developer”: they use the same first (developing) solution but have different processing times and different formulations for the second (alkaline) solution. Two-solution processing provides a high degree of evenness with acceptable contrast even in high-contrast scenes (the sea, mountains, winter), good detail in both highlights and deep shadows, high sharpness, and low grain. The developer is stable during long-term storage and is not sensitive to minor temperature fluctuations.
How It Works
Unlike conventional concentrated developers such as “Pirokat,” where the stock solutions are mixed in the correct proportions before development, here the film is processed sequentially: first in one solution, then in another. The first solution is the developer: it contains a developing agent and sodium sulfite, which serves as an antioxidant, a preservative, and a very weak activator. The second solution is the activator: it contains alkali but no developing agent. A similar principle—sodium sulfite as the sole weak base—is also used in the single-solution D-23 developer. Because the first solution lacks alkali and the second lacks a developer, both stock solutions have a significantly longer shelf life than a classic single-component developer.
In the first solution, the emulsion absorbs the developing agent, but the development process itself barely begins. After the film is transferred to the second solution, the developer—which has already accumulated in the emulsion—is activated by the alkali and begins to work; however, since no new developer is added, only the small amount that has had time to be absorbed into the emulsion is active. This creates a “starvation” effect: where a lot of light hit the film, the developer is used up quickly and its supply is depleted; where there was little light, development proceeds slowly and the developer acts for longer, better revealing the film’s sensitivity. As a result, two-bath developers excellent at evening out the image and significantly improving sharpness, and it’s practically impossible to overdevelop the film in them—unless, of course, you leave it in the first bath for several hours.
Solution 1 (common to both “Shtikler” and “Leika News”)
Formulation: metol — 5 g; anhydrous sodium sulfite — 100 g; Trilon-B — 0.5 g; distilled water — up to 1 L. This is almost the same as the D-23 formula, except with less metol (D-23 contains 7.5 g).
It is prepared using the classic method: dissolve Trilon-B and part of the sodium sulfite in 700 ml of warm (about 45°C) water, then add all of the metol, and once it has completely dissolved, add the remaining sodium sulfite. After cooling to room temperature, the solution is made up to 1 L and filtered.
The purity of sodium sulfite is critically important: it must be of reagent grade, no lower than the “analytical grade” classification. Standard “photo-grade” sodium sulfite contains alkaline impurities (such as sodium carbonate) and is not suitable for this developer—otherwise, development will begin in the first solution, and all the advantages of the two-solution process will be lost.
Processing time in the first solution at 20°C is 4 to 7 minutes; for more sensitive films, it can be as long as 10–15 minutes. Agitation: continuous for the first 30 seconds, then for 5 seconds at 30-second intervals. The longer the film is processed in the first solution, or the more intense the agitation, the lower the leveling effect and the higher the contrast.
A freshly prepared solution with a minimal air layer can be stored for up to 6 months; a partially used solution or one with a large air layer can be stored for up to 1 month. One liter of solution is sufficient to develop 15–20 films.
Issue 2 of “Leika News”
Formulation: anhydrous sodium sulfite — 6 g; anhydrous sodium carbonate — 15 g; Trilon-B — 0.5 g; distilled water — up to 1 L. Instead of soda ash, 19.0 g of anhydrous potassium carbonate may be used. Prepare as follows: in 700 mL of warm (45°C) water, sequentially dissolve Trilon-B, sodium sulfite, and sodium carbonate; after cooling, bring the volume up to 1 L and filter if necessary.
It produces a sharper image and better shadow detail than “Shteckler,” but also has more noticeable grain—it is suitable for high-speed films. Standard procedure: 4 minutes in the first solution and about 3 minutes in the second, with continuous, moderate agitation. Extending the time in the second bath does not harm the negative and enhances shadow detail (an effect similar to push processing), while simultaneously enhancing the smoothing effect.
The second solution is for single use—you’ll need at least 250–300 ml for the film. A freshly prepared solution with a minimal air layer can be stored for 1–2 months; one with a large air layer can be stored for up to 1 month.
"Shtikler" Solution No. 2
The formula is extremely simple: crystalline sodium tetraborate (borax)—10.0 g; distilled water—up to 1 L.
It produces a less grainy negative and provides greater smoothing than “Leika News.” The processing time in the first solution is 5–7 minutes, and in the second, about 5 minutes, with continuous, moderate agitation; as with “Leica News,” extending the time in the second bath only enhances shadow detail and smoothing without damaging the negative. The solution is single-use, requiring 250–300 ml per roll of film—but it stores much better: up to 1 year, regardless of the air gap above the solution.
Practical Tips
When processing highly sensitive films, be sure to run test prints: some films (especially those that are past their expiration date or have been stored improperly) may have an actual sensitivity lower than their rated sensitivity, and the rated ISO may not be achieved in a two-bath developer. The solution is either to increase the processing time in both solutions or to increase the exposure when shooting.
Modern high-sensitivity films are usually thin-layer films, so their emulsion accumulates little developer in the first bath. For such films, it is advisable to slightly increase the processing time in the first (and possibly the second) solution and choose “Leika News” rather than “Shtekler.”