Shooting Eastman (Double-X) 5222 in the Leica

The D96 does have a bit less contrast build up, compared to the D76. Works well with medium to contrasty subjects. I have some shots on Flickr done with it, just tag D96 and I will look for some more in my files. I know that I shot a fair bit of XX and D96 in 2003 or 2004. I used the same times as D76 stock - about 6.5-7 minutes with XX. Never tried the X in it - looks really good though.
I usually mix up 2000 ml of D96 and 1000 ml replenisher. You need to dump about 20 ml/roll of replenisher in it after each run. Thus 1000 ml will give me 50 rolls and at that stage the stock is getting rather ugly and it is easier to dump it and run a new batch. Seems to store very well - 50 rolls usually represent a month shooting or slightly less and there is no increased activity in the stock after that. D76 tend to go rather grainy after 2-3 weeks.
 
D96 has krb, I think it has a little bit more contrast than D76. I used 7mins for xx ei250 and 10mins for xx ei400 by my Pertason tank. I haven't used Jobo machine, and I think the dev time may cut 10%-15% using Jobo.
It has hard to buy xx from my local Kodak dealer. I search in eBay and I only found some +x in actions. And I sent a email to recans@aol.com, too. But it has noreply to me. Can someone tell another replace still selling recan xx? Thanks.
 
Decided to try something different with the Rodinal 1:100 (no Sodium Sulphite). Put five rolls in my tank. poured in the Rodinal solution and did run it for 14 min as constant agitation. With the XX the grain gets aggresive - but not hugely so. Dont think I would want to print it larger than 11x14 though! Speed held to around 320. The Neopan 1600 @1200 looked a bit thin but scanned all right - another two minutes would fix it. The Acros, shot at @200 insisted on being 100 and lost a stop.
I have loaded up some bodies with XX and will try this again - adding a minute to the 14 and see what happens,
I expected some fried out details (branches in trees etc), but no visible effect in that direction. Slightly less "bite" with sharpness than with the stand development, but no fried density in the edges either. Mid tones held up fine, high lights on the verge of loosing detail - will see what happens at the 15min run. Six shots up on Flickr as we speak.
 
Just posted 39 or 40 shots on Flickr, done with D96 and XX. Not as nice as Malcolmma's images though. My Lightroom 2 decided to refuse any attempt to load the images - so these are straight scans - spots and all!
I am working on a better filter system to remove particles - it is a fairly saturated solution of Sodium Sulphite so it needs this.
I like the tones in the XX/D96 - it gives a filmspeed of around 320 without blocking shadows too much. Not fine grain, but that is OK with me - I find grain being an integral part of shooting bl/w (decades of Tri X use probably). If I needed grainless I would go to a slower film - or (horror of all horror) get a Sony Alpha 900 (24MP and full frame) - amazing mono chrome quality!!!!
 
I try use Xtol 1:4+Rodinal 1:100 develop xx. It looks great.
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Four rolls of XX are now ready for souping, I'll stay with the ADOX Borax MQ for now. It's presently snowing here now, what happened to Spring?
 
I'm starting to play with 5222 and I'm happy with the results. Have anyone developed it using A49 or Neofin? (I've two liters of A49 and some neofin ready to use and I'm wondering if they could be used for the XX 5222 film...

Bests and thanks
 
Larry Manuel said:
Having 800 feet of 5231 Plus-X [and loving the negatives at EI 80] I've been thinking of mixing my own Beutler developer. Currently, I use D-76 at 1+3.

- Does the metol go stale after a certain time? I assume the sodium carbonate and sodium sulphite are stable for several years.

- When ordering the ingredients, the shipping is 1/3 the cost of the goods; enough to discourage me from doing so every six months. Thus I considered ordering enough Beutler raw materials to develop films for 4-5 years. For CAN$56, I could develop 600 films.

- What precautions - if any - are necessary to prevent the metol from oxidizing?

Thanks.
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Larry, I buy 2-3 pounds of metol at a time and "decant 1/2 of it into a sealable plastic bag, squeeze out the air and that is "storage". The rest is in an old Kodak Elon can. So far I have not a has a problem with it going stale.
Mixed (I usually do 1000ml A and B) it seems to store well for at least 5-6 weeks.
Great "soup". With the 5231 I use 1 part A, 1 part B and 10 parts of water for 6.5 minutes with agitation every 60 sec (2-3 turns).
Tom
 
The metol I am using is at least 10 years old. Like Tom I sealed the unused portion in a sealable baggy (Looks like am a drug dealer) and kept the part I am using a plastic 4 oz bottle with a broad screw top.

Maybe I have been lucky but I haven't seem any difference in the developer that I have mixed from the old Metol.

Leo
 
Just did some XX @ 250 in HC 110. Dilution was 1:60 (from raw syrup). Seems to work well, very sharp - but a bit on the grainy side. Nice tones though.
As a counter point I am also shooting some Fuji Minicopy II - nominal speed of 6 asa! It is Fuji's version of Techpan. Looks quite wild in bright sunlight (Hell. it is 6 asa!). Souped it in Rodinal 1:220 for 2 hours stand development.
Going from 250/400 asa to 6 does require a lot of light!!!!
 
Hey guys, after shooting and loving the 20 rolls I got from Leo I don't seem to be able to find a way to get Double-X here is Turkey. I was wondering if there is anyone out there who is willing to part from some of his or her Double-X? Pre-rolled short ends would be the best, though any form of it would do just fine (even a full roll!). Thank you very much guys! :D
 
After using this film for over a year, and shooting over 400' of it, I have been using ADOX Borax (D-76 type) and loving it, but I'm ready to try something -new- and different. Also with the 5231 Plus-X, still have alot of a 400' roll of that. Great for warm-weather shooting, contrastier than XX, incredible middle-values, honest EI80 film. Love them both.

My fav developer of all time, bar none, is Gordon Hutchings' Pyro-Plus PMK. I use this with all types of films, fast and slow, and have never had a bad run with this developer. I also use it with films from 35mm up to 8x10". So, since XX is such a lovely, soft working, retro emulsion, it should be -perfect- for PMK+. BTW the "PLUS" is the addition of the magic photochemical AMIDOL, which increases filmspeed by 1/3-1/2 stop.

I use PMK+ liquid concentrates from Photographer's Formulary, so there is no Pyro Powder to mess with. I have four rolls loaded in my metal Nikor tank, can't wait to see what my old friend does with my fav 35mm film, XX. Normal development time is fifteen minutes, at 20C, about twice the ADOX Borax. Pyro PMK+ developer stains the film, you reuse the Pyro (after the fixer, as an afterbath) and the film "stains" during the wash cycle. Mackie lines, Eberhardt effect, and delicate, seperated high values are the benefits of PMK+.
 
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Here's another new formula I just came across, courtesy of a friendly RFF member:

EDWAL 12

Water Distilled, 900 ml 3600 ml
Metol 6 g 24 g
Sulphite 90 g 360 g
PPD 10 g 40 g
Glycin 5 g 20 g
Water to make 1 liter 4 liters

TX - 12 minutes

-Dan, getting ready to run five rolls XX in PMK+. Very successful medium format run, with FOMA Classic 200, Bregger 400, J&C Classic 100. PMK+ is great with everything, I wonder how it will "stain" with the XX. Probably quite well, and I will optically print B&W on some of the negatives. Firing up my wet darkroom, later this week, for some rush B&W printing.
 
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Tom A said:
I suspect that you would have to talk to Kodak Motion Picture office. In Stockholm I would try one of the production houses or movie industry suppliers.
Also check with Kodak Motion Picture Division in Rochester, New York and they can probably advice you as to who in Europe would stock and sell the 5222/Double XX. Minimum quantity is 400 ft (123 meters), but the price in Canada/US is around $130-140/400 ft so it is actually very well priced.
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Tom A's answer, earlier in this thread. I have bought film directly from KODAK CINEMA AND TELEVISION in New York City. They take VISA and are very fast and professional.
 
Recalling using some cine-FP4 long ago, I expect there are only footage markings on the edge of this sort of film, is that right ?

And if so, what sort of pen/marker is archival and suitable for noting shooting-order or frame-number-substitute information on the film edges ?
 
MartinP said:
Recalling using some cine-FP4 long ago, I expect there are only footage markings on the edge of this sort of film, is that right ?

And if so, what sort of pen/marker is archival and suitable for noting shooting-order or frame-number-substitute information on the film edges ?
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India Ink works well, in a good clean nib. Jet white on the contact sheet.
 
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