Back to Microdol-X

[Nokton48]

I used to use Microdol-X exclusively, some 40 years ago. How do you replenish the LegacyPro product?

Nope. I make my own Microdol-X Replenisher, based on the internet info (which you can google) from Kodak "Microdol-X Developer J-4027"

!. Start with 2 U.S. quarts of water at 90-100F

2. Add contents of gallon-size Microdol-X (I substituted Legacy Pro Mic-X) with sufficent stirring to keep the chemicals suspended.

3. Add 24 grams of photographic grade Sodium Carbonate, monohydrate (Photographer's Formulary, Artcraft, etc)

4. Mix until all the components are dissolved.

5. Add water to bring up the solution volume to 3.0 U.S. quarts

6. Mix until the solution is uniform

7. That's it! 😀

8. A starting point for Replenishment is 30ml of Legacy-Pro Mic-X Replenisher per 135-36 exposure roll.

 

[tjh]

Nope. I make my own Microdol-X Replenisher, based on the internet info (which you can google) from Kodak "Microdol-X Developer J-4027"

Thanks! Maybe I'll have a go at this soon.

Tom

 

[alfredian]

Plus-X plus Microdol-X 1:3 is perfection

Plus-X plus Microdol-X 1:3 is perfection

Sepiareverb has it down: Plus-X and Microdol-X -- the "X-twins". When I started in the late Sixties the scene was all Tri-X and D-76, at least in the USA, for Grain. I went the other way, with Plus-X and Microdol-X 1:3 (disposable). Ahh, those happy hours agitating every 30 seconds, for most of an evening it seemed.

Infinite gray scale, zero grain, and wonderfully sharp. I have one can of "real" Microdol-X that was part of an Ansco junior hobbyist package deal - the developer, an Ansco tank with the plastic ratchet reels & "thermometer", plus a contact-printer thing with an Xmas tree light bulb, up to 2 1/4" square size.

For over a decade Microdol-X was the only thing I used, ever. In a fit of tiny-grain frenzy I did some Panatomic-X in Microdol. I will check out Freestyle's Mic-X product as soon as I can.

 

[Bill Clark]

I don't use replenisher.

Cost benefits aren't there.

See if I did this correctly:

I use Freestyle Mic-X at a little less than $10.00 cost per gallon of powder.

Distilled water is less than a dollar, but let's make it $1.00

Total is $11.00

Isn't replenisher to help (prolong) save the developer, hence lower the cost?

I use Paterson tanks, 10 oz. per 35mm film. It says on the bottom of the tank.

Stock (128 oz.) develops about 13 rolls.
Cost $.85 per roll.

1+1 (256 oz.) develops about 26 rolls or about cost of $.43 per roll.


1+3 (512 oz.) develops about 51 rolls or about cost of $.22 per roll.


Does it make sense to use replenisher?

Cost of replenisher has to be taken into consideration when figuring true cost when using it.

Hope this helps you.

 

[raytoei@gmail.com]

Hi, i still have my last twenty rolls of plus-x
and a box of perceptol (microdol-x by ilford).
At what speed should i shoot the plus-x ?
box-speed ?

raytoei

 

[Nokton48]

Does it make sense to use replenisher? Cost of replenisher has to be taken into consideration when figuring true cost when using it.

Everybody has a different scenerio, I think it is more expensive to run straight with replenisher than one-shot, but cost is not my only concern. I am running film in my basement darkroom, which right now has an ambient temp of 15 degrees Centigrade. That is downright chilly! My adjusted development time with straight Microdol-X is 24 minutes, and it worked very well on my last film run. The negs look amazing to me.

Also I want to use this developer with Fuji Neopan 400 and 1600, I have ALOT of both still left, and Microdol-X is a developer recommended by Fuji for these two films. But I see only specs for using straight developer, as well as not really wanting to end up with a half-hour of agitating an eight-reel stainless Honeywell Nikor tank, which I would probably have to do with diluted developer 😀

I really think the long developing times with Microdol-X are an advantage, especially when you are making a big film run. Less chance of uneven development, most likely.

Three quarts of Microdol-X Replenisher will run 90 rolls. It's more expensive, but that's a lot less than using Ilford DDX at 1:4, for example. And I'm hoping to get that amazing Microdol-X tonality with the Fuji 😀

 

[sepiareverb]

I really think the long developing times with Microdol-X are an advantage, especially when you are making a big film run. Less chance of uneven development, most likely.

I've always used Microdol-X at 1:1, occasionally at 1:3 when I had a LOT of it to run- as you say much easier with the longer times. I will have to mix up some Perceptol for my 5222, a mid-speed film with the extra X in the combo must be good.

 

[Noserider]

The benefits of replenishment are more than just economy: the developer gains from the seasoning. Search APUG about replenishment especially XTOL...

 

[Nokton48]

The benefits of replenishment are more than just economy: the developer gains from the seasoning. Search APUG about replenishment especially XTOL...

Yes, I was going to mention the "seasoning" of the Microdol-X as an attribute. I used to know a Guy who kept a gallon in a gallon brown glass jug from the local Pharmacy, and it kept for several years. It gets better and you "season" it. Time will tell.

 

[Athiril]

You're not the only one not keen on D-76.

Microdol-X/Perceptol is great, but I'm stuck on Xtol myself.

Such high solvent developers are less sharp in terms of acutance on the negative but can provide increased resolution.

 

[Nokton48]

Microdol-X developed photos:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/microdol-x/pool/

 

[kxl]

As others have said, Plus-X and Microdol-X were fantastic together. I still have some bags of Microdol-X, but alas, out of Plus-X / Arista Premium 100.

 

[sepiareverb]

As others have said, Plus-X and Microdol-X were fantastic together. I still have some bags of Microdol-X, but alas, out of Plus-X / Arista Premium 100.

I'm out of both.

 

[Nokton48]

This weekend I will load up six rolls of Neopan 400, and two more rolls of Eastman XX, for another processing run. It is still winter here in Ohio (with corresponding ambient basement temperatures). 24 minutes at 15 degrees Celcius in stock Mic-X worked amazing well the first time around. I added 240 ml of the Mic-X Replenisher to my stock solution Mic-X, so I am now good to go again.

All of these films were exposed at a base EI of 250. In most cases (if I -really- like the photograph), and it is not a non-repeatable event, I shoot multiple frames, adding one stop extra, then two (sometimes). That way, I am sure I am getting what I want regardless of conditions.