Re: [Leica] Xtol needfull

[Mark Rabiner <mrabiner@concentric.net>]

John Brownlow wrote:

> * Use it 1:1. There is no advantage to using straight stock and using it
> 1:3, although it may give a fraction more sharpness and a slight
> compensating effect, increases grain. Since Xtol is already a nice sharp
> developer with good highlight control, the gains are IMHO not worth it, and
> when you dilute 1:3 you may find unexpected things happen because there
> isn't enough developer in the solution (this especially happens with T-grain
> films). If you do develop 1:3, you need to make sure each film has at least
> 100 ml of stock in the dilute solution. e.g. if you develop 4 rolls, you
> need 400 ml of stock, which means you need a total volume of 1600 ml... so
> you have to develop them in a 2l tank. What a pain.
> 
> In spite of all this I find the results are worth it... very clean working
> with spectacular midtones, holding detail in the highlights and producing
> assertive blacks. A great leica developer. Are we on topic yet?
> 
> --
> John Brownlow
> 
John, as you know this Xtol topic is close to my Rabineristic essence!
> I think Tmax is rocket fuel rather than developer.  It's good for pushing
> but that's about all. Kodak only called it Tmax as a marketing ploy: their
> t-grain films are actually optimized for D76, like almost all BW films since
> this is what they use to do the ISO ratings etc.
I say we bottle this statment and ask for no dilution!

> * Buy the 5 liter packs... there have been problems with 1 liter packs (the
> 'A' powder goes solid -- it still works, I have found, but why risk it?)
I'd like to feed this into the memory of my lable maker!

But i've done OK on the 1:3 dilution with the exception of the Delta 3200 which
seems to be more needfull of developer than Tri-X, the Neos or the slower
Delta's. I'm getting grainless 7X enlargments with 400 speed films at 1:3. My
prints are asking to be 11x14 with an insistful little voice.
But my Delta 3200 says "1:1 please!" so I"m not going to argue with it. It's the
exception. "I need another dose of Xtol please" or something like that.

For me a direct comparison test is in order on 11x14's made with 400 speed films:
between the 1:1 and 1:3 dilutions to see what differences there are.
I do suspect a slight advantage at 1:3 in "edge." Xtol for a confirmed Rodinol
user is almost too smooth.
Our tastes and requirements are so varied. I've gotten into (rare) patterns
where I do much printing in 20x24 that the 16x20's feel like snapshots. Or more
often one paper size down from this. At the bigger sizes the difference between
Xtol dilutions with 400 speed films would be noticeable and at issue perhaps.

I like pouring 500 mls into a two quart developing tank and pouring the rest
into a half quart bottle. It's convenient. But that also works out well at 1:1
pouring out a full liter or half again. I also have 250 ml bottles for odd
remains from one liter tanks.

We are really seeing what our Leica lenses can do with this stuff and that's no
yoke! 
"The grain of Microdol and sharpness of Rodinol" that's what I say when you pull
that little string which comes out of my chest! 
No! that's not the cable release of my Leica!
mark rabiner