Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Who knows how good is their quality control.
https://www.dpreview.com/news/18766...l-division-to-its-largest-chinese-distributor
https://www.dpreview.com/news/18766...l-division-to-its-largest-chinese-distributor
Ronald M
Veteran
Any updates on XTOL? Before I order any . . .
Sure. Production went to some well respected German company called Tetenal. They declared bankruptcy and the current guy is having issues.
I would avoid it period. The yellow syrupy stuff is changed also.
I had so many issues with original Xtol I was on first name basis with pro reps in Rochester. Even remember the phone -800 242 2424.
Mix D76 as I advised above. Always same always fresh. Over my career I used Microdol X, packaged D76, Xtol, raw chems D76 and will never change.
They can’t change it or discontinue it. It is mine.
Steve_Pfost
Established
I've been using EcoPro developer which I'm told is identical to XTOL. I love the results I get. In fact, I never hear anyone say anything bad about it.
Rob-F
Likes Leicas
Sure. Production went to some well respected German company called Tetenal. They declared bankruptcy and the current guy is having issues.
I would avoid it period. The yellow syrupy stuff is changed also.
I had so many issues with original Xtol I was on first name basis with pro reps in Rochester. Even remember the phone -800 242 2424.
Mix D76 as I advised above. Always same always fresh. Over my career I used Microdol X, packaged D76, Xtol, raw chems D76 and will never change.
They can’t change it or discontinue it. It is mine.
Sorry to hear Tetenal is having trouble. I remember the name. I was 18 years old, in the US Air Force, in training for electronics and radar, and in my spare time indulging my photo hobby in the base darkroom. I used Tetenal Neofin Blue developer. It came in little one-shot bottles, easy to store and use.
I'm with you. I'll skip XTOL for now and use D-76. I notice B&H won't ship it, you have to come into the store. A bit too far from my home in St. Louis. I just ordered my D-76 from Amazon. I pay for the Prime shipping, so why not order from Amazon?
Steve_Pfost
Established
B&H can't figure their ass from their elbow these days when it comes to shipping chemicals. One day they ship a chemical the next they don't. I've gone through this four times in the last year where D-76 would ship, then a few months later not ship, then back to shipping, and now, NOT shipping. EcoPro shipped forever then stopped shipping for 4 months and now is shipping again. Each time I file comments and questions with B&H and each time they have different answers from shipping regulations to manufacturer not providing the correct information. It's a real pain.
jawarden
Well-known
B&H can't figure their ass from their elbow these days when it comes to shipping chemicals. One day they ship a chemical the next they don't. I've gone through this four times in the last year where D-76 would ship, then a few months later not ship, then back to shipping, and now, NOT shipping. EcoPro shipped forever then stopped shipping for 4 months and now is shipping again. Each time I file comments and questions with B&H and each time they have different answers from shipping regulations to manufacturer not providing the correct information. It's a real pain.
It is frustrating. I don't know what they're doing.
gfeucht
Member
Ugh. Just saw 3 of my five bags are in the recalled batch. I mean, if they are recalled. Haven't heard what to do with them. Maybe I'll go to ECO Pro. As much as I like being cheap, I've got enough busy work from analog photography and won't be mixing my own chemistry anytime soon. Each roll of film costs $.33 of developer to process so I'm OK with not saving the $.20 I would per roll by mixing my own developer from raw ingredients.
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