Hello,

I use xtol essentially as my only developed at this time. I have everything worked out for the films I use and would like not to change. I have heard rumors/read postings that the solution Kodak has come up with to the packaging problem of Xtol (especially part A) in the 1 liter sizes is to stop selling Xtol in that size.

I noticed I could not purchase it from Calumet recently (at least it is not on their web site). I have gotten in the habit of ordering a number of packages from large volume dealers who should have high product turn over (locally most 1 liter Xtol has been on store shelves a while and is frequently "caked"). I tend to work in bursts in the darkroom and like knowing my developer is fresh so use the 1 liter packs. I could never use up the 5 liter batch in the time I would be comfortable having it stored.

Anybody else know if Kodak will actually stop selling Xtol in the 1 liter size?

Robert

-- (rardinger@kc.rr.com), December 20, 2001

Answers

I have heard the rumour as well, but can't speak to the issue factually. I use X-tol as my favorite developer. One liter packs were too small and five liters packs too large. I now buy the five liter packs and evenly divide the materials in half, making two two and one half liter packs using a precision gram scale. I have never had a problem with the product. The mixed developer will last at least five months in a dark air tight bottle.

-- Arden Howell (Serenisea@aol.com), December 20, 2001.

I notice that the 1 ltr package is not listed in B&H photos' current print ad. Not a good sign.

-- Robert Orofino (minotaur1949@iopener.net), December 21, 2001.

I was at Denver Pro Photo about 2 months ago and noticed they had a large quantity of XTOL 1 liter packages in stock. They are not really an internet or mail order company, but you can contact them about whether they are willing to sell and ship some to you. http://www.denverprophoto.com/

-- Michael Feldman (mfeldman@qwest.net), December 21, 2001.

Others on this board, as well as my local camera store, have confirmed that Kodak has dropped the 1 litre size. That's unfortunate as I really liked this developer and was finally gotting consistent results from it (by mixing at 100 degrees instead of Kodak's ill- advised room temperature). But I get very similar results with DD-X, plus it's much easier to use. I'm not sure how many home darkrooms use 5 litres of chemistry at once, so unless Xtol is widely used in commercial labs it may not be around much longer.

-- Jon Porter (kodiakalaska@hotmail.com), December 21, 2001.

Why be concerned? Buy the 5 liter kit and enjoy all the developer you can use. If it gets old, dispose of it and mix up a new batch. Shoot all the film you want! For the next 2 months or so (you pick the time period) you have all the developer you can use for $8.00

What I do is make the 5 liters, divide it into 1 liter, 500ml, and 125ml bottles. All brown glass, quite full and tightly capped. When the smallest bottles are used up I transfer the contents from the larger ones to the smaller ones. So I have 125ml premeasured bottles to work from that are always as fresh as possible. If I think its getting old I just dump it and make a new batch.

Why 125ml? Because I can simply mix it with 125ml of water for 250ml of 1:1 or 250ml water for 1:2 or 375ml water for 1:3. Want 500ml of 1:1? Use 2 125ml bottles. Simple, fast and always as fresh as it can be.

-- Henry Ambrose (henry@henryambrose.com), December 21, 2001.

Kodak online Pro site lists 1L with this, Available in 1 liter, 5 liter, and 50 liter (sizes may vary from country to country) I can only state that most dealers are stocking less b&w chemicals due to lessening demand. I can not find FG7 that is not at least 6 months out dated(it is open dated).

-- Steven Alexander (alexpix@worldnet.att.net), December 24, 2001.

Yes it is true that Kodak has eliminated the 1 liter size package of Xtol developer as an effort to reduce costs. If enough people call Kodak and complain and threaten to switch to a competitors product, maybe Kodak will bring back the 1 liter package. 1800 242-2424

-- Dave Ditzel (ditzel@eznet.net), December 24, 2001.

I used to buy Edwal FG-7 in brown glass 16 0z. bottles until it was no longer sold that way. If you buy it in a plastic quart size container and transfer it into smaller tightly stoppered brown glass bottles it will last a long time.

B & H Photo in New York is selling Agfa Black & White hobby kits for about $12. The kits include a 500cc bottle of Rodinal and a bunch of other chemicals. It's quite a bargain. If you are in NY and can park near the store you can take home a bunch of them. Rodinal will work well with slow fine grain films but it doesn't keep as well as FG-7 once it is opened up.

Jeff Adler

-- Jeff Adler (jadler444@aol.com), December 27, 2001.

You can email Kodak to express your displeasure over the discontinuation of XTOL 1-liter size. There's an email feature accessible on their website.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 02, 2002.

Here's How:

email KODAK

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 03, 2002.

. . . . and they did indeed email me back that there are no plans to market XTOL in packets smaller than 5 liters, anymore. Their suggestion: get five one-liter bottles.

-- Bob Fleischman (RFXMAIL@prodigy.net), January 06, 2002.