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Thread: I think I am in love...

  1. #1

    Join Date
    May 2006
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    Calgary, Alberta
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    I think I am in love...

    Dear Group,

    For the past few weeks, I toiled over film development times and different developers, while processing my 8X10 black and white negatives in a JOBO rotary drum...

    I started with FP4+, D76. Perceptol, ID11, HC-100, and any other developer sitting on the shelf at my local supply store. FP4 is my standard film with 4X5, developed in D76 and, or HC-110. So, I decided to start with that combination. Nice, but troublesome. I say troublesome, while thinking of non stationary objects, such as a tree gently rocking in the wind. Over the past few weeks, while hiking late in the evening, I encountered many beautiful scenes with soft mountain light, but the wind in Alberta knows when to howl like a friggin banshee, just as I am about to click the shutter.

    The greater depth of field issues, while using the 8X10, drove me to look for a different film developer combination, allowing for faster shutter speeds, while using the smaller required f-stops. FP4, at my rated film speed, and Delta 100 and TMX 100, for that matter, have the same issue. At the request of a new friend on this site, Donald Hutton, I tried TMY, but not his suggested Pyro developer. Instead I tried XTOL.

    I am in love with TMY and XTOL...

    This combination is just brilliant, and scans beautifully. The midtones, compared to TMY and D76, opened up fabulously, and the subtle details in the shadows are very visible, compared to being blocked in D76. The difference between XTOL and D76 can be compared to a quality drum scan that opens up numerous shadow details present in a negative, and a get-by product flat bed scanner, which ultimately tends to create large blocked shadow detail areas.

    Once my heart calms down, I know there are other developer combinations that could be associated with TMY, and I know everyone has their own lustful combination, so I will always keep my eyes open to that end. For the moment, TMY and XTOL are at the Prom, but they are not married.

    I hope to see what PYRO development brings in the coming weeks. Maybe my love affair with TMY and XTOL will be short, but then again maybe I do not need to be so esoteric with my film development. If PYRO is better, then XTOL will be toast.

    I thank Donald, and the archived notes in this forum, for helping me with my 8X10 film development process...

    jim k

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Aug 2005
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    152

    Re: I think I am in love...

    Jim,
    Lets see some scans !

  3. #3

    Join Date
    May 2006
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    Calgary, Alberta
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    1,102

    Re: I think I am in love...

    Dear Steve,

    I will do that shortly, once I finish a few more scans. I am in the process of trying to get my preview negative scans to lay flat on my scanner.

    I should be able to post the comparative images from Photoshop later this evening...

    I must find out how small the image file should be, prior to posting.

    jim k

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    Re: I think I am in love...

    What dilution of Xtol? If you have not tried 1:3, you may have even more good news in store.

  5. #5
    Resident Heretic Bruce Watson's Avatar
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    Sep 2003
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    USA, North Carolina
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    3,362

    Re: I think I am in love...

    Quote Originally Posted by Ed Richards
    What dilution of Xtol? If you have not tried 1:3, you may have even more good news in store.
    I'll second that. I've been using XTOL 1:3 with 5x4 Tri-X in a 3010 drum. Excellent results, plus my EI is 400 which is 1/3 stop above ISO rating.

    Bruce Watson

  6. #6

    Re: I think I am in love...

    I third Xtol 1:3! Just be sure ot use plenty of stock solution - 100ml stock per 8x10 sheet.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Jan 2001
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    4,589

    Re: I think I am in love...

    Just wait until the first time your Xtol fails to work.
    Wilhelm (Sarasota)

  8. #8

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    Mar 2005
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    Baton Rouge, LA
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    Re: I think I am in love...

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill_1856
    Just wait until the first time your Xtol fails to work.
    Just make sure you do a test sheet or at least something you can reshoot whenever you mix a new batch. I have only had on batch that was bad, and if it is good when you mix it, and you keep it in a tank with a floating lid (about $25 from B&H), you will not have any problems.

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Feb 2005
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    2,955

    Re: I think I am in love...

    Would anyone who has had an XTOL failure mind answering these questions:

    Is distilled water used to mix it?

    How long is the powder stored (at home) before mixing?

    I plan to test several developers this summer, but am hesitant to give XTOL a try if there have been a signifigant number of failures since the new 5 litre packaging has been implemented.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Mar 2005
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    Baton Rouge, LA
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    Re: I think I am in love...

    I had one failure about 6 months ago, with a 5 liter pack, but the old style. While I had not stored it long, I have NO idea how long it was stored before I got it, and whether it had been cooked along the way. Since you should be testing any developer before you put priceless negatives in it, I do not see this as a problem, and it is a very good developer. (Plus it is not very toxic.)

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