Xtol and Tmax 100 Q

[Freakscene]

[*]Use Stock Xtol preferred method, (try 1:1, 1:2 or 1:3 with bottled water)

I prefer dilute Xtol for the speed and sharpness, for all films including TMX. Just use enough stock. It is very important that you avoid using any water supply that has transition metals in it to use demineralised water to mix your Xtol, irrespective of how you intend to use it. Iron in particular will kill the developer's activity.

Plus-X/Acros, may be a better film for Xtol.

Almost all films are improved in terms of sharpness, grain and speed, but retain a very moderate, classical tonality, by use of an ascorbate developer. Xtol is the most readily available one of them. I like the look of some films in Rodinal and D76, but Xtol is what I mostly use, because I prefer it.

I just ordered 4 rolls of TMX 100, so this will be first run though.
I'll try to find Plus-X at a not so local camera shop next. Non of the local places carry Plus-X or Acros anymore... though a few months back, I could get Acros and or Plus-X at a local food/general merchandise store. and at Walgreen's or CVS.

You sound like you're starting out, so I apologise if you're not, but if you are I'll give the same simple comment that I tell everyone starting out: pick one film, expose it one way, use one developer and one set of process criteria (for Kodak film, why not use Kodak's guidelines as a start?) and practice until you get it right. Make sure you scan or print everything and look at it critically. Ask for advice if you have problems you can't diagnose or fix.

Once you have that working, then try other films, developers and processes. The internet is full of all sorts of good and bad advice, but if you learn the basic processes yourself you'll be able to discriminate a lot of it for yourself.

Marty

 

[DNG]

I prefer dilute Xtol for the speed and sharpness, for all films including TMX. Just use enough stock. It is very important that you avoid using any water supply that has transition metals in it to use demineralised water to mix your Xtol, irrespective of how you intend to use it. Iron in particular will kill the developer's activity.



Almost all films are improved in terms of sharpness, grain and speed, but retain a very moderate, classical tonality, by use of an ascorbate developer. Xtol is the most readily available one of them. I like the look of some films in Rodinal and D76, but Xtol is what I mostly use, because I prefer it.



You sound like you're starting out, so I apologise if you're not, but if you are I'll give the same simple comment that I tell everyone starting out: pick one film, expose it one way, use one developer and one set of process criteria (for Kodak film, why not use Kodak's guidelines as a start?) and practice until you get it right. Make sure you scan or print everything and look at it critically. Ask for advice if you have problems you can't diagnose or fix.

Once you have that working, then try other films, developers and processes. The internet is full of all sorts of good and bad advice, but if you learn the basic processes yourself you'll be able to discriminate a lot of it for yourself.

Marty

Well, I did have a system down as you suggest, but, that was 41 years ago 😱

Things has changed a little, for me, No more Microdol-X, I liked it over D76. No more Panatomic-X, although, there are some films that slow, but with very thin emulsions (scratch city).

So, I am a beginner of sorts.
And all your experience shared is very much being adsorbed.
Along with everyone else that has shared their experience on using Xtol

I will give TMX 100 a try for a while, and I will most likely try "Stock Xtol" for a few months, and try a dilution for a few months..

Only 4 days until my stuff arrives from B&H/Adorama 😀

 

[venchka]

Freestyle has a Microdol-X stand in. Many camera stores still have bags of Microdol-X on the shelf. Houston Camera Co-op is clearing out their stock at 1/2 price.
Panatomic-X is another story.

You may me the only person on the planet using Xtol straight. Everyone I know (large format folks) is using it at 1:2 or 1:3.

 

[DNG]

Freestyle has a Microdol-X stand in. Many camera stores still have bags of Microdol-X on the shelf. Houston Camera Co-op is clearing out their stock at 1/2 price.
Panatomic-X is another story.

You may me the only person on the planet using Xtol straight. Everyone I know (large format folks) is using it at 1:2 or 1:3.

@Xtol Straight:
well, I have never used Xtol, so, as long as I get 7min+ dev times, I'll give a go. I understand that I want longer Dev Times with Xtol, with little agitation after the initial one.
AFA Microdol-X, It was OK, But, Xtol is supposed be a sharper and better grain holding dev.

 

[venchka]

In my limited experience, Xtol 1:3 for 10 minutes at 68F-70F will be very close to right on for a variety of film. Certainly close enough for a starting point and fine tune from there.

 

[Freakscene]

In my limited experience, Xtol 1:3 for 10 minutes at 68F-70F will be very close to right on for a variety of film. Certainly close enough for a starting point and fine tune from there.

Agreed - certainly for conventionally exposed traditional emulsions from Kodak and Ilford. T-Max, Delta and Fuji films need a lot longer in my experience (up to 16 minutes).

If you PM me your email address I can send you a .pdf of kodak's Xtol file from before they decided 1+2 and 1+3 dilutions were a bad idea. Kodak's times are a very good starting point.

Marty

 

[venchka]

Agreed. I think Tmax 100 in 120 went for about 13 minutes with rolling agitation.
HP5+ and Plus-X were in the 10 minute range. + or -.

 

[DNG]

I agree completely that it's important to follow Kodak's instructions regarding the minimum quantity of developer. However, the German language Xtol developer document ("XTOL Entwickler - Informationen für Professionals und Amateure", no publication number) claims 70 mL is the minimum stock per 36-frame 135 roll of film. My suspicion is that 70 mL is in fact the minimum, but they rounded it up to 100 to compensate for sloppiness.

I've had no problems diluting 80 mL Xtol + 240 mL water for a 1:3 dilution, but I'm very anal about the preparation and storage of my Xtol.

As for the original question, I would not shoot 100 TMX at EI 50. To my tastes, the result is gray and boring with no advantage over properly exposed TMX. The nice thing about the combination of 100 TMX and diluted Xtol (1:1 but a bit more so at 1:3) is that you get increased true speed. Put another way, if you expose for the highlights, you still retain detail in the shadows.

I would try the following: expose for the highlights, rating the film at EI 100. Or expose for the shadows, rating the film at EI 200. Develop at the normal time (eg, 8-1/2 min at 21 C / 70 F). The result should give you normal contrast, good highlight detail, and still retain shadow detail, as though the film were 100 in the highlights and 200 in the shadows.

Hi Thomas,
What agitation (I like using the stir method), I generally stir for the 1st 30s, than 5s every 2min. (that was 41 years ago 😀), for the remainder of the time. At what dilution is your 8.5min at 21c for?

 

[Thomas-Paris]

Hi Thomas,
What agitation (I like using the stir method), I generally stir for the 1st 30s, than 5s every 2min. (that was 41 years ago 😀), for the remainder of the time. At what dilution is your 8.5min at 21c for?

I use the following agitation: continuous agitation (tap hard, then stir) for the first 30s; five gentle inversions every minute thereafter. I guess stirring for 5 seconds every minute would probably be about the same agitation. The 8.5 min / 21 C was for Xtol 1:1, I guess I could have been more explicit 🙂. That's just Kodak's recommended time for that dilution/temp, so you can adjust the time per Kodak's chart if 21 C isn't convenient for you. But I picked that time/temp, because it's what I use myself.

 

[DNG]

I use the following agitation: continuous agitation (tap hard, then stir) for the first 30s; five gentle inversions every minute thereafter. I guess stirring for 5 seconds every minute would probably be about the same agitation. The 8.5 min / 21 C was for Xtol 1:1, I guess I could have been more explicit 🙂. That's just Kodak's recommended time for that dilution/temp, so you can adjust the time per Kodak's chart if 21 C isn't convenient for you. But I picked that time/temp, because it's what I use myself.

Thanks, have darkroom App programed 😀
I too have 20c-21c room temps. I downloaded the fact sheet also.

 

[DNG]

Here is partial image of my 1st B&W Tmax100 in Xtol 1:1 @ 23c (Room Temp for Liquids)
-- 14oz for a single roll in a plastic tank. (about 1/2" over the top of real)
-- for 7min, Agitation every 30s for 10s
their drying now in my bathroom....

Leica M5
Zeiss 50mm f/1.5 C-Sonnar at different f/stops, and f/1.5 at a few close distances (I have a f/2.8 opt lens)

Not bad, Good contrast, a few missed exposures I see 😀

I will scan them later tonight..... And post a few... Good or bad !

Ahhhhhhhhh
Brings back found memories when I was 16 years old in my Dad's (rip) darkroom......

 

[Freakscene]

Good work. Stick at it and if you get stumped by any problems please ask.

Marty

 

[DNG]

Here is the 1st image..... A Classic 1967 Benz
Zeiss 50mm f/1.5 C-Sonnar at f/5.6 I think

 

[Freakscene]

Is there any issue with using Kodak T-max developer with T-max 100 film?

T-Max developer or T-Max RS (not the same) work fine with TMX. they are very fast working developers and times are very short at the recommended 1+4 dilution. Using these at 1+7 or 1+9 helps increase times and improves tonality and consistency between batches.

But I prefer the tonality and sharpness of this film in Xtol.

Marty

 

[Ezzie]

First things first. The OP didn't do half bad on his first go. Nice shadow detail and contrast on the Merc picture. It certainly pays to to research before going ahead with your first film.

Regarding TMAX i TMAX developer (not RS), in 1+4 dilution. I find it rather heavy handed. It works just fine, but contrast is a tad overdone to my tastes. I would prefer if it was a bit more subtle, have better micro contrast and for lack of a better word, tonality. I wouldn't recommend anyone go Caffenol on my say so alone, but I find my Caffenol-C-H results resemble the description of XTOL's fortés very nicely. I'll definately give XTOL a go next time I'm restocking.