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keith english
22-Apr-2010, 12:21
I know it has been addressed in the past, but I recently tried Xtol developer with TMY film, after using TMax RS. After getting a development time down, I ran two batches in 1:1 dilution in BTZS tubes, with no problem. I did not see any real gain in film speed however, it was still about 250. When I ran the third batch negs were more like -2 development. This was a new 5 liter batch, had been mixed about 2-3 weeks in a partially full 1 liter brown bottle. Could tap water cause that much decay, or is it oxygen? Needless to say I went to HC-110 for now, as a reliable backup. I stopped using TMX RS due to slime in part A (I was using the seperate A and B stock method), and the fact that I can't buy it locally.

Ron Marshall
22-Apr-2010, 13:26
Depends what is in your tap water!

What volume of 1:1 were you using for each neg?

Perhaps you could try again with a test neg to see if it is the batch or a processing error.

I have used many five liter batches of Xtol for six monthes with no loss of speed.

Henry Ambrose
22-Apr-2010, 17:55
I've never had Xtol go bad, but I'm extra careful with how I mix and store all my photo chemicals. Brown plastic bottles are not the best choice nor is tap water. Mix Xtol with distilled water and store it in glass with no air and you're good for a long time. I keep mine in dose size bottles (dose = the amount of stock solution needed for one run of film). I've used Xtol up to almost a year after mixing with perfect results.

Ed Richards
22-Apr-2010, 19:22
Or get a 2 gallon floating lid tank from BH. They are cheap and a great way to handle Xtol.

David Michael Bigeleisen
22-Apr-2010, 21:13
I have never had any problems with x-tol. It is remarkably consistent. It gives a fine grain and a sharp image. I use it in small tanks and in large tanks with the film in hangers. Just be fairly consistent in your processing, and you will have consistent results.

David Michael Bigeleisen

Andrew O'Neill
22-Apr-2010, 21:23
How full is partially full? I only had problems with Xtol stock, if the bottle was say half to 3/4 full and I didn't squeeze out the air. I use collapsable brown plastic bottles. The stock developer was good for 6 months.

keith english
23-Apr-2010, 06:50
I was using 6oz of stock to 6oz of water, 2oz total in each 4x5 btzs tube, one shot. The stock was maybe 2 weeks old, and by then a half full 1 qt brown bottle. I know I should have used air evac bottles and distilled water. It's just too delicate for me. I've never had that kind of problem with other developers and tap water here. By the third batch the negatives were almost clear except for highlights.

venchka
23-Apr-2010, 07:45
When I mix 5 liters of Xtol with distilled water and fill my 3 liter wine in a box bladder I always have some Xtol left over. Duh, right? The extra Xtol goes in a food grade amber plastic half gallon bottle (Arizona Tea) in the fridge next to the full wine box of Xtol. I use the Xtol in the plastic bottle until it's gone. 1-2 months as I recall. Certainly longer than your 2-3 weeks. No problems. Then I use the Xtol in the wine bladder over the next year. No problems. Distilled water. No air in the container. Refrigerated. Several months. Works for me.

J.Medlock
23-Apr-2010, 08:10
I too use distilled water to mix XTOL, and I store the contents in five 1-Liter bottles using compress air. The bottles are stored in my darkroom which is < 70F all year round (much colder in the winter).

I know I'm taking a chance when I do this, but I've used XTOL that was 18 months old, and didn't have a problem.

Bruce Watson
23-Apr-2010, 08:12
I know it has been addressed in the past...

Yes it has. Over and over. Your answer is in the archives. Search around and see.


...had been mixed about 2-3 weeks in a partially full 1 liter brown bottle. Could tap water cause that much decay, or is it oxygen?

What little consensus there is, is that it's the iron in some tap water. I use steam distilled for XTOL without problem. I store it in old wine bottles using a vacuvin stopper system. Excellent results with year old stock.

I'm just saying it's not the XTOL. It's something you are doing.

With TMY-2 and a Jobo 3010 drum, Zone System testing gets me an EI of 500 with XTOL 1:3. Just for comparison HC-110H typically gets me 2/3 stop less real film speed than XTOL 1:3.

ic-racer
23-Apr-2010, 09:35
I did not see any real gain in film speed

Did you expect one? When it comes to shadow detail, T-max developer is about as good as it gets.http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/chemistry/bwFilmProcessing/selecting.jhtml?pq-path=14053

Armin Seeholzer
23-Apr-2010, 09:53
Could it be thad you did not clean your tubes after the last use in Fix and did you kill XTOL with a small part of Fix from last time!!!!!
XTOL is bullet prof your handling not so maybe!

Cheers Armin

Paul Kierstead
23-Apr-2010, 09:57
I store X-Tol in full 250ml & 500ml bottles (filled to the brim). After a year+, no failures, no even highly noticeable changes.

I just went to a local store and buy canning jars, which are available in a variety of sizes and very economical.

Robert Hughes
23-Apr-2010, 10:33
I store X-Tol in full 250ml & 500ml bottles (filled to the brim). After a year+, no failures, no even highly noticeable changes.
I keep my gas tank full to the brim. But I can't drive anywhere, because then the gas tank wouldn't be full any more! :confused:

Ron Marshall
23-Apr-2010, 11:04
I keep my gas tank full to the brim. But I can't drive anywhere, because then the gas tank wouldn't be full any more! :confused:

You need a collapsible gas tank!

Robert Hughes
23-Apr-2010, 14:05
You need a collapsible gas tank!
Oh, like the one on my Ford Pinto. It doubled as a barbecue! :D

Paul Kierstead
23-Apr-2010, 17:34
I keep my gas tank full to the brim. But I can't drive anywhere, because then the gas tank wouldn't be full any more! :confused:

You might note the small bottles. I use a full 250ml bottle for 6 sheets, the larger bottle for 12 sheets.

dsphotog
23-Apr-2010, 19:55
Does developer need to be refrigerated?

Jack Dahlgren
23-Apr-2010, 22:57
Does developer need to be refrigerated?

No. It is fine at 68 degrees F.

Allen in Montreal
24-Apr-2010, 06:40
This is what I do also, as soon as a batch of chemicals has cooled down after mixing, it is broken down in "single serving" sized containers varying from 64 oz, 32, 16 or 8 oz.
Not only do they last longer, but they are more consistent and faster to mix up a working batch and get the darkroom up and running for each session.





I store X-Tol in full 250ml & 500ml bottles (filled to the brim). After a year+, no failures, no even highly noticeable changes.

I just went to a local store and buy canning jars, which are available in a variety of sizes and very economical.

Tim Gray
27-Apr-2010, 18:44
My last batch of XTOL was mixed in October I think. I'm down to 8 oz. Still fine.

I mix it with distilled water and pour the it in 10 .5 liter water bottles filled to the top. I mark them clearly and store them in the closet.