Processing sheet film

[dennis]

Since my minor catastrophe with the blank 35 mm film I now need to sort another developer. Does anyone have any experience of using XTOL with Adox or Foma film (100 ASA)? Kodak say it is an updated D76. Thanks. Dennis.

[Neil Barnes]

I ran out of ID11/D76 before I found a good time for it with Adox CHS 50. I don't think Adox likes dilute developers and long times; I was using 1:3 and not getting full development at 25 minutes.

R09 for 17 minutes looks about right (20C in both cases).

Neil

[Peter B]

XTOL works out as the ideal developer environmentally, plus its characteristics are very good. The downside (and you just knew there would be one!) concerns the fact it may fail after several months in bottles. I currently have sonme in the cupboard, but tend to use D-76 and Rodinal for their reliability.

[Ed Moss]

XTOL works out as the ideal developer environmentally, plus its characteristics are very good. The downside (and you just knew there would be one!) concerns the fact it may fail after several months in bottles. I currently have sonme in the cupboard, but tend to use D-76 and Rodinal for their reliability.

The sudden failure was with 1l packs, problem was sorted out years ago.

[dennis]

Thanks for the suggestions. I always found with ID11 & D76 that if it was kept in small, full bottles it would keep almost indefinitely. In other words it always worked even if a year or more old. Can I expect similar keeping properties with XTOL?

[Ed Moss]

You should be OK if you store it properly.
I use it so quickly I've never tested it myself past 4 months. It's loads better than ID11 and better for the environment

[Georges Giralt]

Hello !
I've used a lot of Xtol when I mostly shooted small format or 120 roll film. Now, as my photography is 95 % LF, !I use HC110 which is cheaper.
But I've learned a lot with Xtol.
In order to keep it for very long time (long here means years) you have to split it in small bottle using the following method : Kodak recommend 100CC of stock for one 135/36 or equivalent surface. Suppose your tank needs 300 CC for one 135/36 film and you prefer 1+1 dilution. You need 150 cc of stock for your film. Buy a set of 150 CC brown glass bottles, and pour exactly 150 cc of stock into each. This leaves some air above the liquid. Fill the bottles with water up to the brim and close them as tight as you can. For use, pour the whole bottle in a measure, complete to 300 cc with plain water and you've your 300 cc 1+1 Xtol to brew your film in. These bottles keeps for a very long time. As I mixed the 5 litre version, I poured the stock in 4 one litre bottles, up to the brim, and split the remaining stock in 150 cc bottles. When these bottles were empty, I split another litre into small bottles and so on.

This worked well for me. But being a bit paranoid, I try every working solution before actually committing a film into it : I mix the developer at working strength and drop into it a bit of film (the start of the 135/36 I'll process or cuts from a sacrificed sheet of film ) make and dev times are irrelevant, as I let it soak during the time it take to prepare the tank, film, stop and fix. After this which could be more than 5 minutes, I look at the bit of film. If it's solid black, this means the developer is working, otherwise, I toss it and make a fresh bath... I was once very disappointed by a Thornton two bath I kept for too long and ruined a valuable film. so now, I'm paranoid !

Hope this helps.
BTW, if your Xtol part A is solid and hard in the package, do not bother mixing it. It's done.

[dennis]

George,
Thanks for your input. It rather puts me off! I've looked at HC110 & thought it too complicated, maybe I'm wrong. Another think, I think. Dennis

[Georges Giralt]

Well speaking about HC110, one thing you should know if you work from the concentrate is you're better weighting it instead of measuring by volume;
It's so thick that event using a syringe you will make errors because it sticks to the innards and make a non flat surface at the top.
Weighing it is the only reproducible and consistent way to measure. If you own a scale (0.1 gr precision is largely enough) its easy : put a lager pot on the scale, zero it; weight the amount you need and add water up to the volume you need, and you've your working solution. Nothing to clean after use, nothing else than the measure ... And the stock itself keeps for more than a year. So it's cheap.

[lostlandsuk]

Maybe a little late in the day, but Rodinal and D76 both work well with Adox and Foma. HC 110 is good too, but I would honestly go the Rodinal route - it gives a nice classical look with Adox, and as for grain . . . who's worried!
Phil