scott jones
20-Jan-2004, 16:18
Hello again,
I recently posted my test results for the new 320 Tri-x 4x5 sheet film for
ISO testing and development times for N-2, N-1, N, N+1, N+2 developments and
found that the times have increased significantly (more than Kodak suggests
for this worker) and I had trouble even achieving a good N+1 and N+2 development.
The old thread is: here (http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0072sn" target="_blank)
This posting generated a lot of interesting comments, much of it centered
around capacity problems of the Xtol 1:1 that I was using and perhaps that
is why I was having trouble with the expansions. After thinking about this
for quite some time, I decided to do it all over with this in mind and I am
reporting the results and the improvements I discovered.
The last test was done with Xtol stock that was 3 months old in tightly stoppered
brown bottles. Shelf life is supposed to be at least 6 months, but I decided
to be safe and mixed a fresh batch. My technique is as follows: Xtol 1:1, 68
degrees, Jobo CPP-2, 3010 Expert drum, RPM setting 4, tap water, no pre-wet,
standard stop-fix-wash cycle, densitometer warmed up and stable. My ISO came
out at 320 with a density of 0.10 above fb+fog. My goal for development time
testing was 1.25-1.35 for Zone VIII. N-2 was for moving X to VIII. N-1 was
for moving IX to VIII. N+1 was for moving VII to VIII. N+2 was for moving VI
to VIII.
I rechecked N-2, N-1, and N using the same 500cc 1:1 which should be more
than enough capacity and everything was OK. For the N+1 and N+2 I used a full
1000cc 1:1 which by all figures is a whopping over-capacity for just one sheet,
and WAS able to achieve successful N+1 and N+2 expansions. My conclusion is
that possibly Kodak's figures about capacity are overly optimistic with expansions
and for this "new" film. I am going to do only a few sheets at a time in a
full 1000ml of 1:1 Xtol. Also of question in my mind is whether the 3010 Jobo
expert drum really does mix fluids from compartment to compartment as they
claim or whether each of the five compartments somewhat sequesters 1/5 of the
fluid and thus this would contribute to capacity problems. Figuring all this
out would be way too much testing for me, but perhaps others would be intrigued
enough to do capacity/volume testing...
Thanks for all the previous comments and here are the final times so you can
see what the new development times for this film look like in one darkroom:
<table width="256" border="1">
<tr>
<td width="68">N Factor </td>
<td width="74">Old Tri-X </td>
<td width="92">New Tri-X </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>N+2</td>
<td>10:15</td>
<td>15:30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>N+1</td>
<td>8:10</td>
<td>11:30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>N</td>
<td>6:45</td>
<td>8:30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>N-1</td>
<td>5:20</td>
<td>7:10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>N-2</td>
<td>4:15</td>
<td>5:45</td>
</tr>
</table>
ScottJonesPhoto.com (http://www.scottjonesphoto.com" target="_blank)
I recently posted my test results for the new 320 Tri-x 4x5 sheet film for
ISO testing and development times for N-2, N-1, N, N+1, N+2 developments and
found that the times have increased significantly (more than Kodak suggests
for this worker) and I had trouble even achieving a good N+1 and N+2 development.
The old thread is: here (http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=0072sn" target="_blank)
This posting generated a lot of interesting comments, much of it centered
around capacity problems of the Xtol 1:1 that I was using and perhaps that
is why I was having trouble with the expansions. After thinking about this
for quite some time, I decided to do it all over with this in mind and I am
reporting the results and the improvements I discovered.
The last test was done with Xtol stock that was 3 months old in tightly stoppered
brown bottles. Shelf life is supposed to be at least 6 months, but I decided
to be safe and mixed a fresh batch. My technique is as follows: Xtol 1:1, 68
degrees, Jobo CPP-2, 3010 Expert drum, RPM setting 4, tap water, no pre-wet,
standard stop-fix-wash cycle, densitometer warmed up and stable. My ISO came
out at 320 with a density of 0.10 above fb+fog. My goal for development time
testing was 1.25-1.35 for Zone VIII. N-2 was for moving X to VIII. N-1 was
for moving IX to VIII. N+1 was for moving VII to VIII. N+2 was for moving VI
to VIII.
I rechecked N-2, N-1, and N using the same 500cc 1:1 which should be more
than enough capacity and everything was OK. For the N+1 and N+2 I used a full
1000cc 1:1 which by all figures is a whopping over-capacity for just one sheet,
and WAS able to achieve successful N+1 and N+2 expansions. My conclusion is
that possibly Kodak's figures about capacity are overly optimistic with expansions
and for this "new" film. I am going to do only a few sheets at a time in a
full 1000ml of 1:1 Xtol. Also of question in my mind is whether the 3010 Jobo
expert drum really does mix fluids from compartment to compartment as they
claim or whether each of the five compartments somewhat sequesters 1/5 of the
fluid and thus this would contribute to capacity problems. Figuring all this
out would be way too much testing for me, but perhaps others would be intrigued
enough to do capacity/volume testing...
Thanks for all the previous comments and here are the final times so you can
see what the new development times for this film look like in one darkroom:
<table width="256" border="1">
<tr>
<td width="68">N Factor </td>
<td width="74">Old Tri-X </td>
<td width="92">New Tri-X </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>N+2</td>
<td>10:15</td>
<td>15:30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>N+1</td>
<td>8:10</td>
<td>11:30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>N</td>
<td>6:45</td>
<td>8:30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>N-1</td>
<td>5:20</td>
<td>7:10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>N-2</td>
<td>4:15</td>
<td>5:45</td>
</tr>
</table>
ScottJonesPhoto.com (http://www.scottjonesphoto.com" target="_blank)