Exposing Eastman (Double-X) 5222 in the Leica

Wow.......

Just read all 26 pages while scanning my first couple of roll's of 5222. Developed in D76 for 12.5 min's at 19 degree's C. I shor the film at 400.

From what I've sen so far I'm amazed, the scan's are looking amazing. I'll do some work and post images later.
 
Towards the beginning of this thread, I mixed up a litre of the monobath developer TD-201. Today I dusted it off, and filtered it, since it had particulate crap in both solutions. I loaded up three rolls of XX, a 35mm roll of HP5+, and two rolls of 120 Efke R100 (Hasselblad stuff). Used six minutes, and six minutes, at 20C ambient.

Used this particular developer for a run or two previously, the monobath developer does a great job holding the high values, not allowing them to burn out, even with 2-3 stops overexposure (I vary the exposure, if I like the shot). Looks like this developer would be great for scanning, with these old retro films. Low contrast, and tons of middletone detail. And, like Diafine, this is a no-brainer developer. Time and temperature are not as critical, it's a "to-completion" process.

So now I want to load some 5231 +X Motion Picture film, for the upcoming summer sun, ahead. This dev would be great with that film, at about 64EI, I would think. It certainly has great storage properties long-term, like a lower box-speed Diafine.
 
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Nokton48 said:
You really don't need a bulk loader, there's just more chance of scratching, with that. All is need is a 400' foot of XX, a pair of scissors in your back pocket, and some masking tape, and some reloadable film cartridges. I still prefer the Kodak Snap Caps, although you have to be careful with those, if you drop them, they have a tendency to pop open, which will light-streak your XX. 😱😱😱
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No, I don't even have a bulk loader...I am probably just going to do it in my "changing room" bag, and measuring the film length against a six-foot piece of string or paper or something. Maybe I'll sacrifice a cheap 36-exposure roll of something and use it as a template. And I think I'll just try to use saved cassettes from other films. Guerilla style!!
 
mabelsound said:
No, I don't even have a bulk loader...I am probably just going to do it in my "changing room" bag, and measuring the film length against a six-foot piece of string or paper or something. Maybe I'll sacrifice a cheap 36-exposure roll of something and use it as a template. And I think I'll just try to use saved cassettes from other films. Guerilla style!!
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I have found in using this film, if you wind enough around the spool to -just- fit into the cartridge, without binding, then you have -about- a full roll, give or take. In a changing bag, that is what I would do. And you can tear XX with your fingers, scissors are not required. But it does have a strong, motion-picture base, very tough.
 
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Nokton48 said:
I have found in using this film, if you wind enough around the spool to -just- fit into the cartridge, without binding, then you have -about- a full roll, give or take. In a changing bag, that is what I would do. Ans you can tear XX with our fingers, scissors are not required. But it does have a strong, motion-picture base, very tough.
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Better still!
 
Just started loading this film but as Nokton48 say's I've found a full spindle is roughly 37 to 38 exposures, this is one option for you. I built a darkroom just for handling film and open tank 4x5 developing. I've no plans for wet printing.

I bought 100 snap cap cassette's from Photo Warehouse in California

Photo Warehouse

I've found them to be excellent to deal with and when there web shopping cart wouldn't accept my overseas credit card I was able to send them the money via Paypal. Excellent communication via e-mail.

Also Freestyle Photo have 35mm snap caps for sale.

One point from reading the entire thread yesterday was that Tom A said he hated SS reels. I too have had a bad time with them but recently bought a bunch of Hewes 135 and 120 reels from Free Style and these are nothing short of fantastic. I can load a 36 exposure roll of 135 in about 1 minute. No jamming and easy to clean/dry reuse!

One thing though I'd like to see, there is a lot off info in this thread but it’s a long read. Could it be condensed and posted on somebody's web site? Develop's/Times etc...?
 
I'm wanting to try this Beutler developer but Metol is no longer available here in the Philippines but I've found 2 suppliers ..

JD Photo Tom A mentioned them before. in Canada.

And

CJ Chemical in the US.

My concern is just how dangerous is Metol?

I can send this to a friend in the US and they will ship it on to me but I wouldn't like to cause them any trouble by shipping dangerous chemicals.

Secondly, just to be sure I get everything CJ Chemical also sell's the Sodium Sulfite and Sodium Carbonate Mono, I'm assuming that the Mono is what is needed?

Just want to double check before I order, as it has to travel a long way to get to me.....
 
If you are going to have it shipped from the US - buy in the US. Shipping chemicals from Canada to the US can be tricky.
Metol is pretty benign - should be no problem shipping it and Sodium Sulfite and Carbonate are commonly used chemicals. The Carbonate is used in the meat packing industry and Sodium Sulfite is pretty common as a Pool cleaner. Buy enough so you dont have to restock to fast. I usually buy 1-2 lbs of Metol at a time - lasts a long time too. Sodium Sulphite I buy in 5 lbs bags and the Carbonate in similar quantities.
Have fun with the Beutler - great developer for slow films, very sharp and it does work on faster stuff to - though the grain gets quite aggressive with it.
 
Got three rolls of XX to process, I'm going to continue with the old TD-201, I'm liking that alot. I will fill the 8 reel Nikor tank up with 120/blad stuff of various flavors of emulsions. TD-201 sort of self-limits the highlight values. XX Shots of my son rocking out in his two outdoor concerts last weekend, and test stuff with my new Leitz 400mm F5 Telyt, some handheld action stuff, and some static tripod stuff. Got a cool #1 Leitz 40cm Yellow Telyt filter to play with too, only cost me 20 Bucks.

Clayne, I've never been dissapointed by any developer I've used with this film so far (storebought or homebrew). Myself I think homebrew is more fun, just like spooling the stuff straight off the giant roll. Labor intense but I enjoy it.
 
I finally developed my first two rolls. I used HC-110 B since I had some syrup around. Really nice!

I have bulk ingredients so I can try TD-201 but PMK is really the one I'm wanting to get working with it.
 
PhotoJim said:
PMK is really the one I'm wanting to get working with it.
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PMK+ is absolutely my favorite developer so far with XX. I used fifteen minutes @ 20C, fifteen seconds agitation per minute. That's alot of agitation, but it works well for me. I also add -amidol- for a bit of speed boost (I'd say about 320EI). Good luck!
 
Thanks Nokton, I'll give that a try. I agitate 2-3 seconds every 15 so that's not that different from what you're doing.
 
Woops. Sorry. You can get free 'samples' of this film, and pretty much any motion picture film stock by calling up a rental house and simply asking for some. We have Panavision here so from time to time I give them a call and tell them I'm trying to decide between film or shooting digital and simply ask for some samples of their film stock. They've always been more then eager to give me a few hundred feet.
 
Mephiloco said:
Woops. Sorry. You can get free 'samples' of this film, and pretty much any motion picture film stock by calling up a rental house and simply asking for some. We have Panavision here so from time to time I give them a call and tell them I'm trying to decide between film or shooting digital and simply ask for some samples of their film stock. They've always been more then eager to give me a few hundred feet.
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You realize that's not the brightest idea to post in a public forum, right?
 
clayne said:
You realize that's not the brightest idea to post in a public forum, right?
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Most people won't do it because they think it's 'dishonest'. I don't mind because I get film samples from them anyways and make runs to panavision usually every week.

It's also worth putting it into perspective. A few hundred feet of film is nothing when you consider a single movie production can use 1million feet, and that a single print is 20 thousand feet.
 
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