All About Xtol

[wontonny]

I was thinking of trying another developer other than D-76. I've been seeing good results from people who are using xtol. What do you like about this developer matched with tri-x or apx 400?

Are there any different methods of storage and disposal compared to D-76 (which i've been dumping down the drain after each use)?

 

[venchka]

I'm about halfway through my first 5 liter batch. So far, I like it. Alas, not in the films you mention.

See my thread here:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66227


And a gallery of recent work with HP5+ in Xtol 1:3. The first 4 photos are HP5+:

http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/venchka/Gruene+TX/

What do I like? It only takes 100ml per 80 sq. in. so I can use it 1:3 in Jobo tanks with continous agitation and keep my devlopment times relatively long. I like longer times so if I screw up it's not a disaster. I have developed a few rolls and sheets in Xtol 1:3 with Rodinal added at 1:100. Very promising combination that I'll explore further.

Good developer. I came from D-76 exclusively since forever. I may never go back.

Good luck!

 

[bmattock]

(which i've been dumping down the drain after each use)?

Please don't, unless you've checked and found it is OK in your location.

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/faqs/faq5026.shtml

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=4191&pq-locale=en_US&_requestid=4761#j300

Many communities have their information online. Here's my location:

http://www.oakgov.com/health/how_do_i/eh_waste.html

Selected Examples of Extremely Hazardous Substances:

* Ammonia
* Chlorine (pool chemical)
* Formaldehyde
* Hydrogen Peroxide
* Hydroquinone (photo developer)
* Paraquat (weed killer)
* Sodium Hydroxide (drain cleaner)
* Sulfuric Acid (car batteries)
* Warfarin (rat poison)

It's not hard to store and dispose of properly. Worthy of consideration, IMHO.

 

[kipkeston]

xtol is amazing stuff. works extremely well with just about anything. my favorite: tri-x in xtol.


yikes, I just checked my flickr, 1711 photos with xtol! haha I must love the stuff.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3255/2899749851_ef0b2c8eb5_o.jpg (trix)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3114/2887371327_481495d50f_o.jpg (trix)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3279/2885579873_05a8e3aaac_o.jpg (trix)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3162/2884377183_3068e1f402_o.jpg (apx100 this time)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3274/2676280225_51fd220a69_o.jpg (fomapan 100 this time)

 

[Svitantti]

It's great with Trix and most films anyway. A good all-around developer. For slower films I use Rodinal and these two developers are all I need.

With friends I've used 15 or 20 liters so far and no problems. It has kept well long times, more than 6 months in closed, airless bottles (maybe a drop of air though, but anyway).

 

[Freakscene]

There are three toxic components in D76: hydroquinone, metol and borates. Xtol has no hydroquinone or metol and has less borate. It's a quite low toxicity developer. The legality of putting it down the drain varies depending on where you are. In practical terms, small amount will be diluted so much that they will be harmless.

Xtol improves almost all B&W films in terms of grain for speed and sharpness. All the B&W film shots in my gallery:
http://gallery.leica-users.org/main.php?g2_itemId=7617 were developed in Xtol. The first 5 are a mixture of APX 400 and Tri-X.

Store Xtol carefully in small, completely full, airtight bottles and mix with good quality water that contains no iron and few other divalent cations (calcium, magnesium etc). Some tapwater is okay, others are not. Take a look at my long Xtol rant too, if you like: http://leica-users.org/v35/msg07982.html (contains information on chemistry, reasons for failure and ways to get around it). Also be ware heat - my only failure occurred when my Xtol was stopred at over 35 ° C for two weeks during a heatwave.

Marty

 

[bmattock]

The legality of putting it down the drain varies depending on where you are.

True.

In practical terms, small amount will be diluted so much that they will be harmless.

So, you are saying you are ready to indemnify anyone who puts Xtol down the drain and someday has legal problems due to this? Please let me know where you prefer to receive legal service, if that is the case.

I am being sarcastic to make a point. In real terms, the chances of any one person being pinched for putting illegal chemicals down their sink is probably astonishingly low. However, I would hope one would prefer to read and heed the legal advice given by their own locality and listen to the experts at companies like Kodak, as opposed to taking advice on the relative danger of photochemicals from someone one met on the Interweb. No offense intended.

 

[Freakscene]

>No offense intended

None taken.

To be absolutely clear - what I am saying is that everyone should check what is legal where they are and follow the law. But if wherever you happen to be you are permitted to dispose of Xtol down the sink, dilution will aid in minimising your environmental footprint. Normal wastewater treatment will neutralise most photographic chemicals apart from borates.

I dispose of my used Xtol via a licensed chemical disposal company.

Marty

 

[troym]

I was thinking of trying another developer other than D-76. I've been seeing good results from people who are using xtol. What do you like about this developer matched with tri-x or apx 400?

Are there any different methods of storage and disposal compared to D-76 (which i've been dumping down the drain after each use)?

XTOL is less toxic than D-76, as was mentioned by Marty. The only difference in handling that I've noticed is that (unlike D-76) it does not change color when it has gone bad. So, you have to be careful about storing XTOL and keeping track of how old your solution is. I religiously dispose of it after about 6 months, even though I've had full containers last much longer than that. But better safe than sorry.

At the risk of being arrested and sent to Gitmo for saying this, in all likelihood you can relax about disposing of your developer down the drain after each use. (I'm assuming you don't use a septic system.) Obviously, check to see if there are specific regulations in your area that prohibit disposing used developer into the municipal sewage system. But I very much doubt that there are such regulations if you live in the US.

I've lived in parts of the country with extremely restrictive chemical disposal laws, and I've never encountered a prohibition on darkroom hobbyists' disposing spent D-76 down the drain (well diluted, of course). I'm not saying that there are no such prohibitions, but it is highly unlikely that you live in an area with them.

Used fixer may be a different matter, however. It contains metallic silver, which is a bigger concern for municipal waste water systems.

 

[bmattock]

But I very much doubt that there are such regulations if you live in the US.

Every place I have lived in has had such restrictions, although they are often badly worded, calling all chemicals used in photography 'photographic chemicals' and forbidding their disposal into the sewer system, whilst at other times, the law makes assumptions that if you have photographic chemicals, you're a business and hence need a locked cabinet for your MSDS sheets and a document custodian, etc.

All I'm saying is that it is everyone's responsibility to check such laws out for themselves before putting chemicals down the drain.

The irony here is I'm not a bunny-hugger, but I've noticed many prominent granola-crunchers think nothing of putting their spent chemicals down the drain. Kind of funny, when you think about it.

 

[troym]

Please don't, unless you've checked and found it is OK in your location.

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/faqs/faq5026.shtml

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=4191&pq-locale=en_US&_requestid=4761#j300

Many communities have their information online. Here's my location:

http://www.oakgov.com/health/how_do_i/eh_waste.html




It's not hard to store and dispose of properly. Worthy of consideration, IMHO.

You're mixing apples and watermelons. The list of "Extremely Hazardous Substances" pertains to chemicals that must be labeled and reported when manufactured, stored, or used by regulated commercial establishments. (http://www.oakgov.com/erp/info_pub/sara.html) It is not the same as a prohibition on putting D-76 into the municipal sewage system in small, diluted quantities.

Otherwise, you're really telling me that you can't put household hydrogen peroxide down the drain in Oakland County, Michigan? Or you can't use chlorine bleach to wash your clothes?

If that's true, I shudder to think what will happen to all those bright smiles and tighty whities in the Detroit suburbs.

 

[bmattock]

You win. Do whatever you like.

 

[ljosha]

Coming back to the original question. I shot about 80 rolls of APX 400 this year. I tried Diafine, Perceptol, Rodinal and DD-X and found out that I really like XTOL for processing it. Not so grainy as in Rodinal (1:25 or 1:50), quite sharp and speed around 320. I use 1:1 dilution.

Unfortunately, I couldn't get excellent results with this film. The grain is still too big for me. I will be switching to Arista Premium (Tri-X?) shortly.

 

[presspass]

I've been using Xtol since it came out. I've used it in deep tanks and replenished it - works fine with Neopan 400, HP5, Tri-X. I'm now using it 1:3 semi-stand with Tri-X and Arista Premium. It works well at box speed and 800; so far, I haven't tried 1600.

 

[venchka]

presspass,

Please elaborate on your methods for Xtol 1:3 semi-stand development. I'm doing the ooposite, continuous agitation, with good results. I have processed a few sheets & rolls with Rodinal 1:100, semi-stand. Xtol and semi-stand is interesting.

 

[Honus]

I'm a big fan of Xtol. Like Svitantti, Xtol and Rodinal are all I need. Xtol and Tri-X work extremely well together.

I'd be interested in hearing Presspass's 1:3 semi-stand with Tri-X method. I will often shoot Tri-X @ 2000 and develop it in 1:3 Xtol for 17.5 min.

 

[venchka]

Xtol works!

Xtol works!

HP5+, flat even light, low contrast subject, -2 stops (1600 if you like), Xtol 1:3, Jobo 3010 tank, continuous agitation, 15 minures at 75 degrees F. Works for me.

 

[RObert Budding]

It's an excellent developer. I get very good shadow detail rating HP5+ at EI 400. I had to rate at EI 200 when I used D76 for the same shadow detail. And nice tight grain to boot!

 

[M like Leica M6]

A few years ago I dropped all other developers and only use XTol and in very rare cases Diafine, that's enough for all films I ever use, which is mainly Tri-X, Tmax 100, Tmax 3200.

I also dropped all other films because it makes no sense for me having more than these three. If there were no Kodak films I would use the Fuji or Ilford equivalents, but I would continue using XTol.

Actually that decision came after some unpleasant results with that overrated, overpriced Rollei R3 film and its praised Wonder Wart-Hog developers, I really fell for marketing BS and paid dearly. Then I stroke that manufacturer's name off my list forever and fledged. Now I can concentrate on photography instead of trying to teach a lame duck (bad film and developer) flying at supersonic speed (as advertised).

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

I use xtol exclusively now for two years. I have tried Rodinal, D76 and DDX but xtol is best for me. It gieves me consisten resulst with all the films i Use and it is convenient to use too.
I've settled for 1+2 dilution. I also tested DDX for Delta 3200 and neopan and I'm not sure which is better for these films. DDX is much more expensive, that's for sure.

Cheers,

Michiel Fokkema