ADOX Atomal 49 (ATM49, A 49)

Has anyone had experience with Atomal 49 (re-branded ATM 49/A 49), more specifically with Tri-X, at speed and pushed? What does it compare to? And, how did you find the results?

I've used this a lot with everything from Agfapan APX100 and APX400 to TMax 3200, Ilford films and a number of Kodak films.

It's sold as a fine-grain developer, and generally I would agree with that. I usually use it at the 1+2 dilution.

I've found that it gives very good negatives that aren't too thin nor too dense. Shadows don't block up.

I recall reading that it was similar to Kodak's Microdol-X. I haven't used Microdol-X enough to compare the two.

I've probably processed maybe 80 or 90 rolls in this developer. I'll hunt down some photo samples.

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your response, and experience. Sorry, if I misunderstood — when you mentioned "shadows don't block up", did you by chance mean highlights, instead of shadows?

I was made to understand that ATM49 is very similar to D-76 and ID-11.

Dear Andrew,

I used it 1+2 for a while with Tri-X and some of the Adox CHS films. I quite liked it and would have stuck with it longer. Unfortunately, when Retrophotographic went under it became very difficult to get in the UK, so I have gone back to Xtol. In fact I have got rather fed up with chopping and changing films and developers; I will stick with Tri-X and Xtol and concentrate on the photos instead!

Yours,

John