Inversion agitation with XTOL - how fierce?

[Arjay]

Up to now, I souped all my BW films in Prescysol EF, which produces good results for Tri-X 400 film, but very ugly grain with Tmax 3200 (@ EI 1,600). So, Im looking for a developer alternative, and also for an alternative film with lower speed and finer grain.

I am planning to run some tests for Kodak Tmax 100, 400 and 3200 in XTOL.

When reading Kodak's instructions for this developer, I was astonished about what they say about agitation: If I compare these notes to the usual process I followed for Prescysol, it seems XTOL reqiuires very fast and intense agitation, almost like shaking the developing tank instead of gently inverting it.

What are your experiences with XTOL and tank agitation? Do you follow Kodak's recommendations, or do you treat this developer like all other developers, with e.g. one inversion taking about 2 seconds (Kodak recommends twice that frequency)?

 

[naruto]

Gentle inversion is fine. I do 2 inversions every minute, gentle.

D76_agitation_force > XTol_agitation_force > Rodinal_agitation_force

 

[shyoon]

I use XTOL 1:1 and do gentle inverse agitation, continuous for the first minute and then once every 30 seconds for 9.5 minutes. Each inversion takes around 5 seconds. I find that this produces a bit of grain, which I like. You could probably get away with a bit less agitation with good results.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Normal agitation (6 inversions, with a twist, the first 10 seconds of the minute) has always worked for me.

Cheers,

R.

 

[Turtle]

I agitate for 3 gentle inversions per minute with Xtol 1+2 with all my films. I like the results. Kodak agitation instructions are like making cocktails and I believe their original instructions for Tmax were so vigorous as to be almost physically impossible for normally jointed humans. They must have had some sort of spinning NASA gravity simulator in mind 😀

Xtol is very robust in use. I have pushed film with it with zero agitation and had lovely negs. I use 1+2 exclusively now as it gives a bit more bite than 1+1 but with fast films like Tmax 3200, Xtol 1+1 is probably the best combo for speed and controlled grain.

 

[ath]

My standard agitation is the first 30s (after start to pour in) continuous, then 2 inversions every minute.

 

[sevo]

With usual interval regimes of one, two or four sets of inversions per minute, there is no need to be overly cautious about the inversion pattern, as long as you take care not to bust open the lid or shake the film off the spool. The inversions are supposed to replace the used developer at the film surface as completely as possible - no need to be gentle about that. I turn the tank over vigorously two (with 15s intervals) to five (for a minute) times, and bang it on the table (to dislodge the bubbles collecting at the top rim of the spools) when I sit it down again.

Things are different with continuous agitation, where movement pattern and intensity are as critical as time and concentration, as they modify the surface depletion of the developer. Personally I use a Jobo processor for continuous regimes, but if you choose to do so by hand, you'll have to develop a very even pattern, and test for the proper development times.

 

[Turtle]

Not being gentle can cause severe frothing with some film/developers/ater type combos. This increases air bubbles sticking to film and is a royal PITA. I have found Xtol and D400 to be one combo that froths like a foam party. Ilfosol and numerous films do the same. Devs like rodinal just dont seem to froth no matter what.

 

[Tim Gray]

I guess I'm pretty rough. 5 agitations every 30 seconds, takes about 4-5 seconds to do all 5 agitations. I've never had any problems with this.

I've also done stand with XTOL and the results were decent, so as long as you are consistent with your agitation, I think you'll be fine.