Mikratol-2

About this developer

Micratol-2 is a concentrate based on phenidone and glycine, which is supplied either as a ready-to-use solution or in three separate packets (phenidone, glycine-photo, and the remaining ingredients). A key feature is the ability to control properties through dilution: a standard 1:50 working solution produces a moderately contrasted result, while a dilution of up to 1:100 is used in high-contrast lighting conditions, extending the development time. The source provides detailed processing times for specific films at 20–22°C, which is rare for homemade recipes—these are concrete guidelines, not general estimates.

Character

Unlike Micratol-1, this solution uses a phenidone-glycine combination. The concentrate is extremely concentrated: the working solution is prepared by diluting it at a ratio of 1:50 to 1:100, and the degree of dilution directly affects the contrast and development time.

Best films

Technical and low-sensitivity films—the source provides exact exposure times for Neopan Acros 100, Ilford FP4 Plus 125, Agfa APX-100, Fomapan 100, Mikrat-300/-200 films, and A-2Sh technical films.

How to Prepare and Use

1. 1Pour about 80 ml of hot water (≈60°C) into a container marked at 0.1 L.
2. 2Add about 1/5 of the contents of the large package and wait until it is completely dissolved.
3. 3Add the fenidone, stirring thoroughly to break up any lumps until it is completely dissolved.
4. 4Add the remaining contents of the large package and wait for it to dissolve.
5. 5Add the glycine and stir the solution thoroughly.
6. 6Let the concentrate cool to room temperature, then bring the volume up to 0.1 L.
7. 7To prepare a standard working solution (1:50), dilute 10 mL of the concentrate in 500 mL of water at 20–22°C.
8. 8Stir continuously for the first 30 seconds, gently tapping the container on the table, and then make 5–6 turns of the spiral every 4 minutes.
9. 9After developing, pour out the developer, add water at the same temperature, and let the film sit for 5 minutes without agitating it to allow for post-development.
10. 10For conditions with high contrast, prepare a stronger working solution—1 mL of concentrate per 100 mL of water; the development time increases accordingly.

Development times for film (source data, 1:50 dilution, 20–22°C)

The development times are taken from the recipe’s original source (not from the Massive Dev Chart)—this is the only recipe in the collection with its own film-specific table. For high-contrast conditions, when diluted 1:100, the development time roughly doubles or triples (for example, FP4 Plus—25 min, Fomapan 100—32 min). For technical films such as Mikrat-300/-200 and A-2Sh, the times are different—see quickFacts.