Exposing Eastman (Double-X) 5222 in the Leica

Thank you for all your metrology work. Seriously, you saved many test meters of the film. The only variable, I cannot replicate is the developer as I have no way to make my own concoction.
 
The only variable, I cannot replicate is the developer as I have no way to make my own concoction.
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So far tested with commercial available developers. The problem from making a developer from scratch is that for the first time you have to order sometimes a rediculous high amount of chemicals (kg) and maybe you need 5g-10g for a liter developer stock.
The balance is not a problem anymore. There are enough resonable good electronic balances in 100mg accuracy for Eur. 30-40.

HC-110 is available from Kodak in a 1 liter concentrate. It is Glycol (alcohol) based, without water so you can keep it at least 3-4 years without to many problems.
Microphen (or ID-68) is a powder delivered in a 1 liter packing. You use it 1+0 or 1+1 for speed enhancing. You can keep it 6 months in a full bottle.
Alternative Xtol (based on Ascorbic Acid, Vit. C) but delivered in a 5 liter powder packing. Also used 1+0 ; 1+1 or 1+2 and you can also use the Foma Excel W27 (Xtol compatible) in a 1 liter packing. Alternative PC-TEA from Pat Gainer where the Ascorbic Acid (Vit. C) is dissolved in TEA, also a kind of alcohol. It will keep 1 - 1 1/2 year instead of 4-6 months for the Xtol developer. In 1+50 diluted it is approx. Xtol 1+2 compatible.

Most XX data:
http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php?Film=Eastman&Developer=&mdc=Search&TempUnits=C
 
Fotohuis said:
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XX in HC-110 (1+31) for 6:00 minutes (20C), E.I. 200. M7+Summicron 50mm on F/4.




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XX in HC-110 (1+31) for 6:30 minutes (20C), E.I. 400. M7+Summicron 50mm on F/4.




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XX in Microphen 1+0 for 10:00 minutes (20C), E.I. 800. M7+Summicron 50mm on F/4.



Conclusion: This is a very flexible film suitable from iso 100-800 (1600), a first class Kodak product. It dries flat too and it is very easy to (Split Grade) print. Some measurements on the Grey card, zone V:

iso 200 0,72 logD, right on the spott!
iso 400 0,64 logD.
iso 800 0,78 logD.

The characteristics are like Plus-X, Tri-X, double speed comparing with Plus-X (maybe hence the name Double-X) and not much less speed then the famous Kodak Tri-X 400. In price, when you can get S/E it is a very interesting film. Also available in 135-36 (pre-loaded) at some addresses in Europe and the USA.
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This is great - I have rated at EI 800 before but only have developed in D-76. Although the results were OK (I made some wet prints that were great), the shadows get pretty blocked and muddy. I like the Microphen results, I'll have to pick some of that up for the upcoming months when light isn't as readily available. Thanks for these tests!
 
Thanks for these tests!
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You're welcome.

Because for the time being, I have no visitors for that sleeping couch Mr. test bear can stay for a while. 🙂

Next step can be a real high acutance type developer like FX-1 (Geoffrey Crawley), a Beutler modified developer. And if people want R09/Rodinal although there are already enough examples of this very populair type developer and XX.
Maybe better a test on E.I. 100 with Windisch W665, an ultra fine grain type developer, based on ortho- Phenylene Diamine. My results with this developer and Fomapan Creative 200 (E.I. 80) were extremely good.
 
It is a rediculous price for XX. The same for that, so called Svema film. In their last years of existance they loaded Fomapan in their cassettes. I am talking now in the era end of 90's so you can imagine. I have visited the old broken Svema factory in Ukraine. It is completely demolished. But OK if you want to pay for nice stickers on the cartridge. 🙂
 
Your price is OK (incl. VAT) for one 122m/400ft roll. But I suppose that FPP is ordering in the USA, no tax on it and cheaper and they are not ordering one roll at Kodak, otherwise it would be bad business. 🙂

If you want a cheaper price in Europe you can search for S/E. It will save about 30% on the regular XX price. You only have to ask for the batchnr. and / or production date. However XX is not critical in storage because it is a regular iso 200-250 B&W film.

BTW the M.O.Q. at Kodak Europe is Eur. 2000,- whatever you are ordering.
 
Fotohuis said:
(...) BTW the M.O.Q. at Kodak Europe is Eur. 2000,- whatever you are ordering.
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That's why I wonder how to get a new 400 ft. roll ! I'm an amateur and one box in enough for me for two years of photography.

Since you are also a dealer, why dont' you sell this film in original 400ft roll ? I'm sure several Europeans on this forum would be ready to buy from you if you could dispatch single boxes at a normal price. What do you think ?
 
What do you think ?
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I can tell you that the market for 30,5m/100ft bulk film in Holland is neglectible. The same for sheet films in bigger formats. So 122m/400ft will be worse and the machinery for packing and spooling in 30,5m/100ft I do not have. So ordering packing material for this in Spain, spooling over 122m/400ft films in Germany, sent to Holland again is simply to expensive. Nobody is going to pay Eur. 90,- (or more) for an XX bulk 30,5m/100ft. I also do not think people are going to pay Eur. 140,- for a bulk 30,5m/100ft Tri-X 400 at Kodak's new price policy.

I will be happy if I am selling 50-100 Bergger BRF400+ films (also cine) (Eur. 4,25) in a time schedule of a year. The same for this Kodak 5222 Double-X project in 135-36 films (Eur. 4,50). And, for the time being Foma's Retropan 320 Soft 135-36 for Eur. 4,25. All 21% Dutch VAT included. And sending abroad is normally also to expensive if the package with box or enveloppe is going over 2000 grams.
 
Fotohuis said:
I can tell you that the market for 30,5m/100ft bulk film in Holland is neglectible. The same for sheet films in bigger formats. So 122m/400ft will be worse (...)
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are you sure of that ? Kodak's current price policy is not understandable when 100ft. of bulk film is at the same price than the same amount of film in ready-made cartridges. But for a film as XX, never avaible in cartridges (at least from Kodak), the situation may be different.

Fotohuis said:
(...) Nobody is going to pay Eur. 90,- (or more) for an XX bulk 30,5m/100ft.
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I'll be happy to find a fresh 400ft box for (around) 250 euro in Europe.
 
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Well, another problem is the US$-Euro rate which is in the mean time almost the same. (1,08 rating). Which means that the "made in USA" XX film has gone higher in Euro price too. Further I am obliged to add the Dutch 21% VAT so we will end just over Eur. 300 for the 122m/400ft excl. sending it out in Europe, average Eur. 16,00-Eur. 18,00. If 10 RFF people wants to order it and pre-pay, it is not any problem to make this order at Kodak Europe.
 
I am glad that I could help you with this test. HC-110 and XX is working very well.

I just made some fine adjustment for the W665: 9:45 minutes (20C) seems to be around the optimum and this is exactly the same time as Fomapan Creative 200 is doing with this W665 developer. So XX and FP200 both on E.I. 100 are sharing the same developing times. 🙂
 
I have my own receipt for Microdol-X because Kodak doesn't have it in their program anymore and one can original Kodak Microdol-X left. And a bag Perceptol so maybe the next developer is one of them. Great examples for XX in this Microdol-X developer.
 
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