Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/08/16

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: Re: [Leica] Recipe for using Xtol developer; WAS: Varianton"Foodfor Leicas"
From: Christer Almqvist <christer@almqvist.net>
Date: Wed, 16 Aug 2000 12:35:07 +0100
References: <B5BF50D1.15E%john@pinkheadedbug.com>

>Thanks! I will try it as you suggest, Mark. I use stainless reels and
>tanks. But why do you think Kodak puts so much sulfite in, if it works
>so much better dilute?
>
>Jesse

I can see a couple of reasons, but basically you, Mark and I are not
typical Xtol users. If people do not use Leica glass they may not notice
the difference between 1+1 or 1+3 sharpness. And if they notice the
difference it may be of little relevance to them. When I was at the V&A
museum in London I looked at some original prints made from 35 mm negatives
made by the world's greatest photographers. On a good day, with a bit of
luck, my prints show less grain, higher acutance etc. etc., but they are
still not great photographs. However I like fiddling with developers,
something many people do not. They care more about the picture itself than
about the developer. Last week I went to two exhibitions; both
photographers had their films developed by FNAC, a nationwide chain. I
would not even give my film to Mark for development! Unless he would do it
in 1+1 for me.

Also, if people like to develop their own films, the often do not like
development times of a quarter of an hour or longer, and also if people
want low sulphite they can dilute (the other way round is somewhat more
difficult) and the developer probably keeps longer with more sulphite.

Chris

- --
Christer Almqvist
D-20255 Hamburg, Germany and/or
F-50590 Regnéville-sur-Mer, France

In reply to: Message from John Brownlow <john@pinkheadedbug.com> (Re: [Leica] Recipe for using Xtol developer; WAS: Varianton"Food for Leicas")