Anybody For Microdol-X?

[Nokton48]

I have some fond memories of images I have produced in the past using Microdol-X. I know that Kodak has discontinued it, but it is still available from Freestyle as Legacy Mic-X:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/749710-LegacyPro-Mic-X-Film-Developer-to-M

Anyway organizing my basement darkroom, I see that I loaded up on it right before it was discontinued. I just mixed two litres, and poured the stock solution into a two-litre soda bottle. I also have a gallon mix, which I can make into replenisher. You use 3 litres of water instead of four, and add Sodium Carbonate, which I happen to already have around. I also remember that stock replenished Microdol-X can easily last longer than a year, if properly stored.

I'm hoping that this works well in high-contrast situations, with general overexposure. I have 120 HP5+ (four rolls) ready to run, in a Unicolor Film Drum, and Uniroller. According to the Digital Truth website, normal development with most films is about 8 minutes at 20C, which is good, especially if I use an eight-reel Nikor tank. I also have alot of Neopan 1600 (exposed at 800) and I'm looking for a really good combo. I remember that Annie Leibovitz used Tri-X and Microdol-X alot for her early Rolling Stone shots, I have always admired those. I am hopeful and ready to give it a good go with a variety of films.

Anybody else try this stuff? What are your impressions? Seems good to have around.

 

[Mackinaw]

I haven't used it in years but I like how it "mushes" grain. Can be great for portrait photography if used properly.

Jim B.

 

[remegius]

In the 60's, when I first started developing and printing, everyone I knew started out with Microdol-X, but quickly switched to other developers once they got their feet wet. We used to call it oatmeal developer because of the effect it had on grain structure: clumpy, muddled. The demonstration that sealed the deal for me was provided by a friend who had me look at projected negatives in an enlarger, viewing the images through and enlarging tool. As I recall he used negatives developed in Microdol-X, D-76, and Rodinal. The grain structure from the Microdol developed negs were just as I stated above, clumpy and muddled which, by the way, did give the prints the impression of being quite fine grained, if lacking in sharpness. The D-76 negatives appeared much sharper through the enlarging tool, and the Rodinal negatives were the best of all: razor sharp grain patterns. I suppose that one could make a case for Microdol-X as a good portrait developer, but that would be the only case were I would consider using it.

Cheers...

Rem

 

[Nokton48]

I 'm getting ready to hang four rolls of 120 and 220 HP5+ negatives, and I like what I see. The Microdol-X does a good job with the highlights in contrasty light, of course it does not increase shadow detail. That is OK, I often shoot multiple exposures, increasing it, which will increase shadow detail. And I'm sure I'm losing a bit of film speed, I could care less. Extra exposure will be required. BTW the digital stuff from this shoot (which I didn't do) looked awful, and needed alot of post processing. It was a salvage job.

I think it's going to work well for me. D-76 is still my favorite, I just need this option for certain occasions.

 

[sepiareverb]

For small prints Microdol-X 1:1 on Plus-X at 64 is a real dream. Absolutley beautiful tonality, and at small sizes the sharpness isn't an issue.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

Found this on the net:

I developed this last year.
Roll#173 Acros100 in microdolx, ei200 7mins no dilutoion for 7.30min-at 30c M3 with Hektor 135/f4.5

 

[tbm]

I process Delta 100 and Tri-x in Microdol-X at 74 degrees farenheit with a dilution of 1+3 for 18 minutes and I get wonderful highlight details as well as outstanding complete and sharp details via my Leica R and M lenses every time. The photo below was captured with my M6 TTL and my 90mm APO/ASPH lens on Acros 100 which was processed as stated above.

 

[Nokton48]

Hasselblad Rock Band Mansion Shoot.

Hasselblad Rock Band Mansion Shoot.

Hasselblad 500C/M, 40mm F4 C-Distagon, Tri-X Pro 220 rated at EI 200 (approx), processed in straight Microdol-X 13 minutes at 20C, Unicolor Unidrum and Uniroller.

Very acceptable result under extremely difficult lighting.

 

[Nokton48]

I just finished processing six rolls of bulk-loaded and factory-loaded Fuji Neopan Presto 1600, which I normally rate around EI 640. Loaded the six rolls into my Unicolor Film Drum, and ran it in straight Microdol-X 12 minutes at 20C on a Unicolor Uniroller.

Lots of shadow detail, and wonderful midtone tonality. The highlights are not blown out at all, nice detail throughout. Way nicer than DDX! I have been looking for the right developer to use with this stuff, I still have about 800 feet of Presto 1600 left. I think I have found what I have been searching for. BTW this developer will last for years, and only gets better with age, as it is "seasoned". The replenisher is easy to mix and works well. I am totally pleased!

 

[Joeys61]

Plus X, Panatomic X + Microdol X = Black & White Nirvana

 

[Nokton48]

Plus X, Panatomic X + Microdol X = Black & White Nirvana

I have 100' of Panatomic-X in good shape, I am about to load for the spring. Guess which developer I will be using with that stuff? 😎😀😎

The data sheet packed with the film recommends 10 minutes at 68F in straight Microdol-X. I will probably extend the development, 12 minutes seems to do the trick so far.

 

[Monokrome]

Anybody For Microdol-X?

Nah! I don't find the grain radically finer than D-76 and I don't like the speed loss. I also find D-76 sharper even when Mic-X is diluted 1:3 and yes I have read Barry Thornton's books where he extols the virtues of Dilute Mic-X and Perceptol.
I wont miss Microdol-X at all.

 

[Nokton48]

I just finished processing another six rolls of Fuji Neopan Presto 1600 in straight Microdol-X, in a Unicolor Uniroller in a Unidrum, thirteen minutes at 20C. Eyeballing the negs, the tonality with the somewhat contrasty and ultra-quick developing Fuji, looks about as good as it can get in my experience. I think there is a reason, why Fuji and Ilford (Delta 3200) list this developer in their instruction sheets. Who would know better than the manufacturer what works well? Most of the other developers list about a five minute development time with Neopan 1600 and Delta 3200, which won't work for me. 12'-15' is exactly what I am looking for.

I am interested in overall tonality, not fineness of grain, or filmspeed. I could care less. And D76 is still my go-to developer for -most- films.

 

[Nokton48]

Just ordered some chemicals from Freestyle, some HC-110 (which i haven't used in years, looking forward to trying it with Eastman XX) and two of the gallon packets of the Microdol-X clone marketed by Legacy. To replace the lost chemistry from my last Microdol-X film run.

I really like Microdol-X. I'm not one of those who looks through an enlarging magnifier to pick a film developer. I look at the tonality of the final wet prints 🙂

Once again, here is what is still available:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/749710-LegacyPro-Mic-X-Film-Developer-to-M

 

[Roger Hicks]

Perceptol is surprisingly similar to Microdol-X. In fact, the only differences you will see will be the ones you expect to see, even if they don't exist.

Great developer for low degrees of enlargement, where the mushy grain and low sharpness don't matter next to the tonality. Of limited interest (at least to me) at much over 5x, which renders it marginal (again for me) for 35mm.

Cheers,

R.

 

[sepiareverb]

Perceptol is surprisingly similar to Microdol-X. In fact, the only differences you will see will be the ones you expect to see, even if they don't exist.

No wonder I can't tell them apart.

Great developer for low degrees of enlargement, where the mushy grain and low sharpness don't matter next to the tonality.

And it really can deliver wonderful tonality.