Pros & Cons of the Kodak Developers

[presspass]

Xtol stored in brown glass bottles - filled to the top - easily lasts a year. I used it for years, either that way or, when I was doing a lot more film, replenished in a one-gallon hard rubber tank. The replenished Xtol went on forever; I would finally toss it after a couple of years just to get rid of the gunk in the bottom of the tank. A very flexible developer that works weil with Tri-X at box speed or pushed. The only reason I don't use it now is I have switched to D-23.

 

[lawrence]

Xtol stored in brown glass bottles - filled to the top - easily lasts a year. I used it for years, either that way or, when I was doing a lot more film, replenished in a one-gallon hard rubber tank. The replenished Xtol went on forever; I would finally toss it after a couple of years just to get rid of the gunk in the bottom of the tank. A very flexible developer that works weil with Tri-X at box speed or pushed. The only reason I don't use it now is I have switched to D-23.

Personally I found that although replenished Xtol gives very fine grain there is a loss of film speed with TMY2 of about two thirds of a stop, so I've gone back to straight plus time compensation or else 1+1. But of course this may not apply to Tri-X.

 

[Highway 61]

Just processed two 135-36 films altogether (Tri-X and T-Max 100) in 400cc of D76 1+1 (so using 200cc of straight D76) in my usual Nikor vintage steel tank that takes two 135-36(24) or one 120.

The negs (which are now being rinsed) are perfectly developed, as usual.

 

[Fotohuis]

If a 5 ltr. Xtol is too much you can buy the one liter Fomadon Excel W27, Xtol clone.

I am both using Excel W27 and HC-110 B or H. Talking about toxidity, non film developers are toxid free but of course there is a difference in Pyro type deveopers or Ascorbic Acid type like Xtol/Fomadon Excel W27; Ilfosol-3 ; PC-TEA or FX-50.

In longevity all Vitamine C developers, except PC-TEA better not to use after 4-6 months. Especially Ilfosol-S can be very short in life span.

Box speed: yes with Xtol 1+1, 1/3 F stop less with HC-110 for most films due to the Benzotriazole in it.
For the longevity HC-110 is the best Kodak product. 2-3 years, when stocking in glass bottles 3-4 years without noticable change in activity. Almost like R09/Rodinal.

 

[lawrence]

For the longevity HC-110 is the best Kodak product. 2-3 years, when stocking in glass bottles 3-4 years without noticable change in activity. Almost like R09/Rodinal.

Tmax developer also has excellent keeping qualities, don't you think?

 

[Fotohuis]

In HC-110 all materials are dissolved in Glycol, a kind of alcohol. The same for PC-TEA (T.E.A.) or Pyrocat-HD. Without water hardly oxidation is possible. Tmax is a water based developer. In R09/Rodinal a very special reaction is taking place with the para-Amino Phenol, hence crystals are formed which are preventing furher degradation of the developer. Said that also R09/Rodinal is changing a little bit after 4 years but this you can only notice with the film curve and densitometer measurement. There is also a difference between the Calbe R09 and Rodinal (Agfa) version. NaOH, KOH, filled under Nitrogen and the Calbe version generates a tick more grain.