Shooting Eastman (Double-X) 5222 in the Leica

For weeks I have been reading through all 110 pages and I am only halfway through this thread. Wow! 👍👍👍

The bad news is, on returning to using Eastman 5222 film, I need a little help in fine tuning my developing protocol. Yes, I know everyone has their own but it might be helpful if I can see where my current understanding is, both good and bad, for only a single one-shot developer, Ilford DD-X. Your input will save me a lot of time. Thanks in advance!😇

Here is where I am at the moment…

Developing Eastman 5222 XX (with Ilford DD-X)

EI = 250

Developer
Dilution: 1:4
Time: 6min. 30sec @ 70°F/21°F
Agitation: 6 inversions first 30 sec.
+ 2 inversions each min.


Stop Bath
Water only
Time: 2 minutes
Agitation: 6 inversions


Fixer
Ilford Rapid Fix
Dilution: 1:4
Time: 6 minutes
Agitation: 6 inversions first 30 sec
+2 inversions each min.


Wash
Water only
Agitation:
Fill Tank, 5 inversions and Dump
Fill Tank, 10 inversions and Dump
Fill Tank, 20 inversions and Dump
Fill Tank, 30 inversions and Dump
Fill Tank, 40 inversions and Dump
Rinse 5 minutes


Photo Flo
Dilution: 5ml / 500ml water
Time: 2 minutes
Agitation: 3 inversions first 30 sec.

Rinse.
Hang to dry.
 
dave lackey said:
For weeks I have been reading through all 110 pages and I am only halfway through this thread. Wow! 👍👍👍

The bad news is, on returning to using Eastman 5222 film, I need a little help in fine tuning my developing protocol. Yes, I know everyone has their own but it might be helpful if I can see where my current understanding is, both good and bad, for only a single one-shot developer, Ilford DD-X. Your input will save me a lot of time. Thanks in advance!😇

Here is where I am at the moment…

Developing Eastman 5222 XX (with Ilford DD-X)

EI = 250

Developer
Dilution: 1:4
Time: 6min. 30sec @ 70°F/21°F
Agitation: 6 inversions first 30 sec.
+ 2 inversions each min.


Stop Bath
Water only
Time: 2 minutes
Agitation: 6 inversions


Fixer
Ilford Rapid Fix
Dilution: 1:4
Time: 6 minutes
Agitation: 6 inversions first 30 sec
+2 inversions each min.


Wash
Water only
Agitation:
Fill Tank, 5 inversions and Dump
Fill Tank, 10 inversions and Dump
Fill Tank, 20 inversions and Dump
Fill Tank, 30 inversions and Dump
Fill Tank, 40 inversions and Dump
Rinse 5 minutes


Photo Flo
Dilution: 5ml / 500ml water
Time: 2 minutes
Agitation: 3 inversions first 30 sec.

Rinse.
Hang to dry.
Click to expand...

That looks fine Dave. What problems have you encountered to suggest that you need to ‘fine tune’ your process. If you do all that consistently, all you need to do is match your exposure and development. Less exposure and more development to increase contrast, more exposure and less development to decrease contrast.

Marty
 
Thanks!👍👍👍

I’m not quite sure what I need yet.. the film I used before was expired, and the meter on the FTN has been wonky lately. But the real question is using DD-X with 5222… haven’t done that yet as I always used D76 and Rodinal in the past.

So, with new 5222 film that I will be ordering, I hope to have a workable protocol. If this looks good, I will give it a whirl soon. 😃

I generally shoot TMax 100 and Acros II 100.
 
dave lackey said:
For weeks I have been reading through all 110 pages and I am only halfway through this thread. Wow! 👍👍👍

The bad news is, on returning to using Eastman 5222 film, I need a little help in fine tuning my developing protocol. Yes, I know everyone has their own but it might be helpful if I can see where my current understanding is, both good and bad, for only a single one-shot developer, Ilford DD-X. Your input will save me a lot of time. Thanks in advance!😇

Here is where I am at the moment…

Developing Eastman 5222 XX (with Ilford DD-X)

EI = 250

Developer
Dilution: 1:4
Time: 6min. 30sec @ 70°F/21°F
Agitation: 6 inversions first 30 sec.
+ 2 inversions each min.
Click to expand...
This seems within range for DD-X, though you don't say how you're printing or scanning. Almost everything I shoot now ends up digitized using a sony mirrorless camera and macro lens - that pulls out almost any detectable density in thin areas of the film so I rate at box speed (250 for daylight) and don't worry much about shadow detail. I develop about the same as you're proposing, 7 minutes at 68F, and the negatives for me retain sufficient shadow detail without highlights becoming too difficult to deal with. The grain structure with DD-X looks the best among the developers I've tried. I think if I were printing with an enlarger I'd probably try for a bit more contrast in development.

I'd like to play with it more in Xtol, my first attempts gave negatives so flat I thought there was something wrong, but I think I just got steered wrong with a starting time.

The other developer I found to be really nice with 5222, weirdly, is PMK.
 
Just developed a couple more rolls of Cinestill XX. FWIW, here’s the development sequence I followed, which is based on the recommendation of Alan Ross, who was Ansel Adams’ darkroom assistant in the 1970s and still prints from Adams’ negatives for the Ansel Adams Gallery in Yosemite. I took a printmaking workshop with Alan last October and learned a ton.

I exposed Cinestill XX at 200, even though I developed in Ilfotec DDX. That gives a small amount of overexposure.

Once the chemistry is mixed up and the film in a two roll Patterson tank, I followed this procedure:

- Wash film in water for 1 minute, continuous agitation. Dump.
- Develop film following agitation procedures recommended for the developer. For DDX, Ilford recommends 4 inversions in the first ten seconds followed by 4 inversions on the minute thereafter. So that’s what I did. Dump the developer when done.
- Stop bath (Ilford Ilfostop), 25 seconds, continuous agitation; reuse the stop bath.
- Fixer (Ilford Rapid Fix), 5 minutes, following same agitation procedure as used w/ the developer; re-uese developer unless it’s over the hill.
- Wash film, 1 min., continuous agitation, then dump.
- Hypo clearing agent, 2 mins. w/ 15 secs continuous agitation on the minute.
- Rinse film, either 5 min. continuous agitation or the Ilford method. I use the Ilford method: 5 inversions, then dump; 10 inversions, then dump; 20 inversions, then dump. For the final 20 inversions, I use distilled water, to avoid water spots (I live in an area w/ fairly hard water).
- Foto-flow soak: soak each reel in distilled water w/ a few drops of Foto-flow (or Ilford equivalent), for a couple of minutes.
- Hang the film to dry.

I should note that I develop all my negatives for scanning.

I’m now using this sequence with other films, and am pretty pleased w/ the results. YMMV.
 
If you’re interested in trying Xtol, Adox XT-3 is an improved Xtol substitute. I recommend it. I have n]o affiliation with Adox, just impressed with this product. You can get it in a 1L pouch too.
 
Bingley said:
Thanks, Dave. I used 1:4 dilution. I should add that I developed the film for 7 minutes.
Click to expand...
When you say 1:4 do you mean the recommendation on the package (one part concentrate plus four parts water) or are you modifying the dilution to one part concentrate to four parts total (which would be one part concentrate plus three parts water)? Sorry about being pedantic, but I want to keep experimenting with this and there's always the risk of misinterpreting dilutions.
 
Oh No! I've done it now !! The EL/M is loaded with 120 XX, with 80mm F2.8 black T* Zeiss Planar. Adding a Bay 50 Hasselblad Medium Yellow Filter, 80mm Black Shade, and the original Meter Prism (reads out directly in EV's). Microprism Screen.

Ready to roll.

XX 500ELM 80mm A12 Meter Prism by Nokton48, on Flickr

Next a roll will go into my Black Plaubel Makina II with the 100mm F2.9 Orthometar, Medium Yellow Plaubel Filter. EI 200 is fast enough to shoot medium format XX in interesting light. Sort of going back to the roots of this thread, and screw mount 35mm's. Except bigger :)
 
qqphotos said:
When you say 1:4 do you mean the recommendation on the package (one part concentrate plus four parts water) or are you modifying the dilution to one part concentrate to four parts total (which would be one part concentrate plus three parts water)? Sorry about being pedantic, but I want to keep experimenting with this and there's always the risk of misinterpreting dilutions.
Click to expand...
I should have written 1+4, which is more precise. I’m specifically referring to the dilution instructions in the DDX data sheet, which also provide dilution instructions at the 1+4 strength for tanks of different sizes.
 
Update: a minor one. Yes, I managed to develop my latest roll of Eastman 5222 (DD-X) and scanned the negatives.

In spite of my M2 being loaded with other film for a specific project, and despite the old FTN meter, I did get some good results. Next roll I will use the protocol Steve presented above and a different camera with a better meter to see if the expired film still performs well.

From the garden:

Magic Mushroom
Magic Mushroom 2 by Black FTN June 2023.jpeg

Gnome
Garden Gnome by Black FTN June 2023.jpeg

I am looking forward to getting this film working like clockwork!

Dave
 
How is everyone breaking down 400' (or larger) rolls? I just have a boring, old 100' bulk loader.

Tendrils by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

Silvershot Vineyards by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

Silvershot Vineyards by Jim Fischer, on Flickr

Nikon F2, Voigtlander 40mm f/2 Ultron, Eastman-5222, Xtol 1:1

The lack of anti-halation layer (or very weak anti-halation layer) is a serious draw for me. The highlight bloom is one of the reasons I love this film (and something like Fompan 400).
 
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