Musings on 2007

[Tom A]

Double XX and HC 110

Double XX and HC 110

Leo, just did a couple of runs with DoubleXX at 250asa with HC 110 1:60 for 11 min. 30sec intial agitation and then followed by 10sec every 60. Looks good and seems to give me true 250. I suspect that with the Jobo you might have to cut the times slightly as it has more forceful agitation.
It is not a fine grain combination but the mid tones are great. Go to our Flickr site and see. The last batch is all with XX/HC 110 even the "lenstest series". I did blow up a section of a couple of negs in that series to extreme size (took a 4x4mm section of the modelcar bumper and grill and took it up as much as Lightroom would allow me. interesting grainstructure when you do that!
I have about 60 rolls spooled up and I will continue the shooting/souping - All in the name of research of course. Keep me posted on your results too.
Tom

 

[lkgroup]

Tom, Interesting information on using Hc-110 and Double XX. I just developed 4 rolls of XX at 250 in a developer called Adox Borax MQ. It is a D-76 like developer but with enough changes that 10-20% more time is added to D-76 times. It is perfect for using in a Jobo because i can use D-76 times that are listed and because 10-20 % was supposed to be added the agitation of the Jobo cancels that out and D-76 times can be used.

I used 7 min at 68 degrees with this developer and XX at 250 and the results were outstanding. I'm going to repeat this until i find a better developer. The tones are outstanding which is something with this streak of cloudy weather we are having in the NW. I live in Skagit County just south of the Border.

The Formula:

ADOX Borax MQ
________________________________________
Adox Borax MQ

Metol 2 gm

Sodium Sulphite (anhydrous) 80 gm

Hydroquinone 4 gm

Borax 4 gm

Potassium Bromide 0.5 gm

Water to make 1.0 liter

This is similar to D-76 with slightly better sharpness, but development times must be increased by 10 - 20 %.

This developer formula was used for testing the DIN speed of films. It gives full film speed, excellent tonality and improved sharpness compared to D-76


I actually make a quart and have a replenisher formula that I add at the rate of 20ml a roll. If anyone is interested in the replenisher I will list it also.

Tom we should start a new threat just on Double XX.

Good day to get back into the Darkroom to roll some more XX film

Leo

 

[Tom A]

Leo, thanks for the info. I did try the Adox formula a couple of years ago and it is really good. I did not use replenisher, but if you send me the formula for it i will give it a go.
I was surprised how well the XX did in HC 110. So the grain is not fine by any standard, but tonality is great.
I have the D 96 formula somewhere (that is Kodak's recommended soup for XX, shot in movie cameras). It expands the midtones even more as that is what Hollywood wanted at the time. let me know if you need the formula for it and its replenisher.
You are right, we should start a thread on the XX. There seems to be a fair bit of interest in it and it is still a good deal.
I am eagerly awaiting nicer, summery weather, as I have a 400 ft can of Plus X movie stock in the freezer too.

 

[lkgroup]

Tom here is the Replenisher Formua.

Also I posted it in a treat already started on XX 5222 movie film

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/forums/showthread.php?p=719917#post719917

You might jump into that thread also.

Send the Kodak movie formula also.


Adox Borax MQ Replenisher

20 ml per roll

Metol 3g
Sodium Sulphite 80g
Hydroquinone 5g
Borax 18g

Water to 1 liter


I have used Adox Borax MQ developer and replenisher with several types of film and all have been outstanding.

Leo

 

[Rogrund]

Tom: maybe a bit off topic, but I was surprised to read that you grew up on Laboratoriegatan in Lund. I pass that street on my way to work a few blocks away!

Furthermore, if you went to Spyken in the 60's, your principal must have been Nils Kjellman. He's my neighbour. Yes, he's still alive. He turned ninety-seven the other day and still lives in his own apartment!

I attach two recent pictures from Laboratoriegatan, I guess there has been some changes since last time you were there...

 

[Tom A]

Antti, indeed that small house was my abode for 5-6 years. Great backyard and garage which was mainly filled with my motley collection of cars and scooters. Across the street was a parking lot that was used for major surgery on various cars as the city cleaned it. The garage floor I had to clean.
Anazing that my old "rektor" is still alive! I had opportunities to see him occasionally (not by my choice, I might add) and though at the time I probably would not have appreciated his advice, now at a higher age I do. One of the things that still baffles me is that I had less than 2 blocks to the school and was consistently late (one of the reasons that I had to go to the headmasters office frequently)!
Across the street from Spyken used to be a cafe and we all gathered there for smoking and as Spyken had large variation on the age of its students (some were older than the teachers) it was quite interesting to see students in their mid-30's and 40's drop down below the wall as a teacher walked by. All you saw were billowing clouds of smoke rising from behind the wall. Main food group was black coffee and some kind of pastry with "Mormors Hosta" (Grandma's cough) - a yellow custard on it! So much for healthy living among the headmasters students - and thats probably why he is still around at 97. He never went there!