Xtol Developer

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I am very new to developing (just processed my first roll yesterday), so I apologize if my questions are near the "duh" threshold.

Because my tank uses about 475 ml of developer (120 roll), I divided the Xtol into two 500 ml bottles after mixing. My thinking was that as I learned to refine my technique, I'd have a second bottle for future use. Given Kodak's recommendations on the number of rolls developed per liter of Xtol, does anyone suppose I'd be safe in assuming that I can get half as many uses per 500 ml?

Also after fixing, the Kodak Fixer took on a slightly brownish tint. Is this pretty much normal? Should I have only used it once instead of returning to the bottle?

As for that first roll of film, I was very pleased by the results and was much like a kid with a new toy.

Many thanks in advance.

-- Wes Sechler (wes_sechler@muccmail.missouri.edu), March 15, 1998

Answers

Yes, you will get about half as many uses from 500ml as from 1 liter. Remember to increase development times after half as many uses as well.

It's not unusual for fixer to pick up a brownish (or pinkish) tint after fixing (especially with T-grain films). Don't worry about it.

If you don't mind longer development times, using Xtol at a 1:3 dilution then discarding it yields great results, and you don't have to worry about adjusting development times to maintain consistent results.

Mike

-- Mike Dixon (burmashave@compuserve.com), March 15, 1998.


Dilute Xtol

I've been using dilute Xtol for a long time and like it a lot, it really is a terrific general purpose developer. I mix up 5 liters, store it in 5 one-quart bottles (which fill to the brim with 1 liter) and haven't had a problem with storage time (Kodak says a full bottle will last one year, partially full two months).

Note that Kodak specifies a minimum stock solution requirement of 100ml per 80 in^2. I usually process 35mm films in an 8 oz tank with 1+1 or 1+2 dilute developer, and I process 120 films in a 20oz tank with 1+3 dilute developer.

My experience indicates that one shouldn't be sloppy about the agitation - 30 seconds initially and 5 every 30, by inversion, work very well for me.

I won't soup my T-Max in anything but Xtol.

John (Spectrum Photo) observes that Ilford Microphen is quite similar to Xtol and has stored better for him, but I haven't tried this developer myself yet.

Dana K6JQ Dana@Source.Net

-- Dana Myers K6JQ (Dana@Source.Net), March 21, 1998.


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