Tri-x @250 in XTOL 1+2??

totifoto

totifoto

Well-known
Local time
3:28 PM
Joined
Mar 6, 2007
Messages
506
Location
Iceland
View My Gallery
Ok I have been thinking and trying to do the math but wanna get some input on my thoughts.

I have shot Tri-x @ 400-800 most of the time but last year I shot it once @250 and developed it in Xtol 1+1 for 9 minutes @20C° (68F°). The result was good but there was a very little contrast.
I shot another roll yesterday @250 and want to get more contrast out of this one. So I started thinking.
Longer development time gives me more contrast so I thought using XTOL 1+2 would do the trick but I´m having a hard time figuring out the time. DEV chart only has time for the old version of the Tri-x but giving the different between 1+1 vs 1+2 on the old one is about 1.5 minutes should that not be the same with the new one?
So I´m thinking 10 minutes and 20-30 sec in Xtol 1+2 @20C° (68F°)

What you guys think? Any suggestions on how I can pull more contrast out of this one?

Thanx.
 
To get more contrast you will have to develop longer, as I'm sure you know. But I would not change developer modes at this point, remain with you old developer dilution and extend the time. I wish I could tell you how much but I suspect it would be 20-25%. Some member that knows more about Xtol will jump in here, so maybe they will be of greater help. I have always used 250 for TriX and I like my results, and I'm sure you will too:

This is 35mm and cropped and developed in HC-110h with a little bit of Rodinal syrup added:

4068915087_55d604cd4d.jpg
 
Yea I know that a longer development time will give me more contrast as I mentioned before, but using 1:1 for longer will blow out my highlights, right?
 
Toti,

you were complaining about too little contrast. Given a normal scenery with full range of gray scale, underexpose will give you reduced detail in the shadows, whereas underdevelopment gives dull highlights.

I believe that increasing the contrast can be done by carefully reducing exposure and compensating with appropriately longer development.

Having said this - if you do scan negatives, a little poor contrast doesn't really matter too much. Just beef it up with the "Curves" tool, or whatever your fav tool offers.

Rgds
Ivo
 
Either agitate more or increase the development time.

Personally, I was very disappointed when I used TRI-X with X-TOL. I found the results very flat with little perceived 'depth' to the image.

I think that you would get better results with either D76 1:1: 8:30 for EI:250

Or Rodinal 1:50 for 10 minutes.

Or HC110 H dilution for 9 minutes.

XTOL is a better developer for pushing with TRI-X, but when shot at box speed or under, I don't think the results can match the three mentioned above.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom