[Leica] Long Xtol rant -- digerati may wish to delete

[mark at rabinergroup.com (Mark Rabiner)]

> Len,
> 
> Thanks!  I've been using the datasheets in the film
> boxes or on the chemistry bags, which tend to be
> limited to plain vanilla combos.  This appropriately
> named little chart seems to be just what I was looking
> for.
> 
> I'd like to know if anyone has had hands-on experience
> with 1:3 Xtol and common films such as Tri-X.
> 
> Now I'm in really deep. ;-)
> 
> Hazmat Pete (cough),
> SF, CA
> 
>
1:3 is commonly used by more serious in the loop workers despite Kodak info
to the contrary. Just don't dilute that much with T-grain 100 or delta 3200.
Those films seem to eat the stuff. Have not found any others.

I shot a brick of tri x in May 99 doing the Lewis and Clark route in 10 days
with my first Leicas. St. Louis to Portland and Astoria leaving the day they
left. I did 1:2. After that I quickly switched to 1:3. Its worth it.

Then I switched to the modern T-grain films for a long time the Ilford
delta's and my instincts on that I think was correct. With the Xtol you then
get 100 results with 400 films and so on down or up the line.

Then I switched to the Green Neopan Fuji boxes some were not tab grain
though but in my last years of souping I was going back and forth between
the Neopan 1600 1:3 and the Acros without doing much 400.

Now for the past several years been shooting XP2 and regular color neg
films. I feel as 99.9 of the R&D is in such films the do have a leg up on
black and white and chrome films.
But 400 is overkill I wish they made it in 1600.

I may start shooting Neopan again and souping it myself.
In Beutlers. Maybe get some ascorbic acid into it. See how she floats.

Mark William Rabiner
Harlem, NY

rabinergroup.com