Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/07/23

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Subject: [Leica] xtol question
From: Jim at hemenway.com (Jim Hemenway)
Date: Mon Jul 23 04:38:58 2007
References: <20070723032003.EB8FE1CE303@ws1-6.us4.outblaze.com> <441685.4987.qm@web56311.mail.re3.yahoo.com><002201c7ccf1$1895bec0$6601a8c0@asus930> <46A46947.3050904@dlridings.se> <002d01c7cd09$4266c6a0$6601a8c0@asus930> <46A4746D.1060709@dlridings.se>

D-76 forever!  :-)

Jim

Daniel Ridings wrote:
> Hoppy,
> 
> I certainly agree with you about false economy! I would have dumped that 
> jug without giving it further thought.
> 
> The only reason to use it is to experiment with Xtol's shelf life. That, 
> the shelf life, has never been an issue with me. The 5-liter bags are a 
> good size for me. I run through them at a rate of about 1 bag a month. 
> That is much shorter than the 6 months storage Kodak mentions.
> 
> So, I agree about not taking any chances with developer that has been 
> around about a year.
> 
> My guess, though, is that it would work just fine. It was in a full 
> bottle, stored in a dark area ...
> 
> But why take the chance? I agree.
> 
> Daniel
> 
> 
> G Hopkinson wrote:
> 
>> Daniel I agree with all that your opinions on the XTOL. I use only 
>> that now myself (1:1) I've had zero problems with it myself (not
>> that I'm a volume BW user). I have read a number of reports in the LUG 
>> of problems.
>> I was just commenting on what seemed false economy to me if you were 
>> doubtful, taking any real or imagined risk to save a couple of
>> dollars of chemicals and the effort of mixing the new batch.
>>
>> Just my opinion of course. Probably our original poster will come back 
>> and say that it was all good and I should have had faith.
>>
>> Cheers
>> Hoppy
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> Subject: Re: [Leica] xtol question
>>
>> G Hopkinson wrote:
>>
>>> Very interesting detail from Marty.
>>> But I have to say, given the XTOL reputation of rapid onset and 
>>> catastrophic failure to soup, don't even mess with the current
>>> batch.
>>
>>
>> XTOL's reputation of catastrophic failure is about as exaggerated as 
>> the reports about Mark Twain's death that he got tired of hearing.
>>
>> Here is a snippet from a commercial processor from another list:
>>
>> --------------- snippet begin ------------------
>> I know I am not about to change anyone's mind on their favorite and 
>> least favorite
>> developer but,  in defense of XTOL I will chime in.
>>
>> I do custom film processing for a handful of people and have done 
>> since 1981.  I switched
>> to XTOL when it was the hot new developer back somewhere in the early 
>> 90s.  In the early
>> 80s I used FG7 mostly until I got tired of the inconsistancy and 
>> switched to D76 so I could
>> replenish.  Then I switched to XTOL because the people I worked with 
>> wanted me to. I have
>> processed well over 25,000 rolls of film in XTOL and to this day still 
>> process 1000 rolls a
>> year since I cut processing down to one day a week.
>>
>> I have been buying the 5 liter mixes since the old packaging style and 
>> I wouldn't know
>> how to even guess how many packages I have bought.  NEVER a failure.  
>> I did try to switch
>> back to D76 a year an a half ago because I was trying to use Plus X.  
>> I got half way through
>> a batch with replenisher and dumped it as it was way out of control.
>>
>> What XTOL does is give beautifully glowing tones especially on the 
>> modern films.  It is
>> beautiful with ACROS, TMAX 100 and TMAX 400 and Delta 100.  It is very 
>> sharp and fine
>> grain and consistent over a long period of time.  I use the extended 
>> time system for a tank
>> of developer that I run to 150 rolls.  That is about 3 liters of 
>> developer stock.  I keep the
>> developer in the processing tank with a floating lid and don't even 
>> worry about the length
>> of time between mixes. Even after a 3 week vacation I take it for 
>> granted it is still good.
>>
>> The sudden death syndrome I think was related to a few instances with 
>> the old packaging
>> and I wonder how long it has been since anyone had that problem.
>>
>> Anyway I am not a KODAK rep and I don't care what developer you like 
>> but I am very happy
>> with XTOL as is the main pro lab here in town.
>>
>> Dennis
>>
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>>
>>
>>
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>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
> 

Replies: Reply from dlr at dlridings.se (Daniel Ridings) ([Leica] xtol question)
In reply to: Message from freakscene at weirdness.com (Marty Deveney) ([Leica] xtol question)
Message from pmcc_2000 at yahoo.com (pmcc) ([Leica] xtol question)
Message from hoppyman at bigpond.net.au (G Hopkinson) ([Leica] xtol question)
Message from dlr at dlridings.se (Daniel Ridings) ([Leica] xtol question)
Message from hoppyman at bigpond.net.au (G Hopkinson) ([Leica] xtol question)
Message from dlr at dlridings.se (Daniel Ridings) ([Leica] xtol question)