Is my Microphen formula correct?

[Keith Tapscott.]

The formula I have seen which seems most authentic was posted by pentaxpete. He said he got it from an Ilford employee just as they closed their plant in Brentwood IIR correctly. Hopefully he will reply here soon.

Sodium Tripolyphosphate 3.4g
Sodium sulphite 100g
Sodium metabisulphite 0.65g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 6.8g
Boric acid 2.8g
Potassium bromide 1g
Phenidone 0.2g
Water to make 1 litre of stock.

[Ornello]

The formula I have seen which seems most authentic was posted by pentaxpete. He said he got it from an Ilford employee just as they closed their plant in Brentwood IIR correctly. Hopefully he will reply here soon.

Sodium Tripolyphosphate 3.4g
Sodium sulphite 100g
Sodium metabisulphite 0.65g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 6.8g
Boric acid 2.8g
Potassium bromide 1g
Phenidone 0.2g
Water to make 1 litre of stock.

ID-68:

Sodium Sulphite (anh) 85 g
Hydroquinone 5 g
Borax 7 g
Boric Acid 2 g
Poassium Bromide 1 g
Phenidone 0.13 g
Water to 1 litre

See how similar they are?

[Keith Tapscott.]

The formula I have seen which seems most authentic was posted by pentaxpete. He said he got it from an Ilford employee just as they closed their plant in Brentwood IIR correctly. Hopefully he will reply here soon.

Sodium Tripolyphosphate 3.4g
Sodium sulphite 100g
Sodium metabisulphite 0.65g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 6.8g
Boric acid 2.8g
Potassium bromide 1g
Phenidone 0.2g
Water to make 1 litre of stock.

ID-68:

Sodium Sulphite (anh) 85 g
Hydroquinone 5 g
Borax 7 g
Boric Acid 2 g
Poassium Bromide 1 g
Phenidone 0.13 g
Water to 1 litre

See how similar they are?

Yes, very much so. I suspect it would be very difficult if not impossible to tell the results apart from these two formulas.

[pentaxpete]

yrs -- that IS the Formula I was given many years ago together with the 'Perceptol' one -- I have used it but as i have NO Tripolyphosphate I use de-ionised water as used by Wife for her Steam Iron, not our 'Hard' tap water here in Essex. I use it diluted 1+1.

[Yak_Forger]

I've used this formula and it has worked fine for me with various cameras and types of film, I've developed parts of the same film with commercial microphen and homebrewed one and have obtained similar results.

Thanks for the recipes! I don't always find microphen for sale locally and have to order it online, but at least, now, I know I can do it with what I find in hardware shops.

[pirateoversixty]

not that it is relevant at this point, but I went back through my collection of formulas, and I found a page that I had torn out of Peterson's Photographic, Feb. 1976, "Technical Index Sheet," by Perry C. Yob. He gives what he calls a substitute formula for Microphen, and also a replenisher. His formula matches Kenny's almost to a "T". He also states that distilled or deionized water should be used in mixing. He doesn't indicate where he got the formula, but that it is proprietary to Ilford. It is also noted that the 100g of sodium sulfite is for dessicated powder.
Jim

[Matroskin13]

I'd like to prepare powder mixture and according to Ilford it was devided into 2 packages A and B.

Taking into account this recipe, what should be in pack A and B?

Sodium Tripolyphosphate 3.4g
Sodium sulphite 100g
Sodium metabisulphite 0.65g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 6.8g
Boric acid 2.8g
Potassium bromide 1g
Phenidone 0.2g

[Keith Tapscott.]

Pete has used the formula he gave very successfully, so nothing to worry about in that respect. Have a go and see what you think.