Adox XT-3 no instructions sheet? shelf life (mixed)?

removedacct2 · Apr 4, 2021

my local importer of Foma is currently empty for Fomadon Excel, as well as Fotoimpex where I otherwise buy most of the time, so I am thinking to buy Adox XT-3 instead.
Typically Fotoimpex site provides declaration/safety PDFs, as per the strong euroempire bureaucracy, but practical instructions are on Adox site. In this case, when looking at the domestic german site there's no XT-3 listed in the Chemie>Filmentwickler section ...
http://www.adox.de/Photo/adox-chemie/adox-filmentwickler/

the label on the picture of the pouch says capacity 10 films/liter but I was wondering about shelf life once mixed.

Tom Kershaw · Apr 5, 2021

I would assume shelf life to be similar or better than XTOL from the marketing info.

radiant · Apr 5, 2021

I understood that they started developing (sic) new product 6 months ago so they don't have enough data to promise anything.

And .. your mileage may vary. It surely depends in what kind of water you mix it in and how do you store it. I mix in DI water and store in 1 liter bottles filled 100% without any air.

removedacct2 · Apr 5, 2021

water at my place is almost as pure as distilled, storage in plastic bottles used for domestic chemicals like salmiak or bleach, non air porous plastic, bottle can be squeezed to push the liquid to the top and they stay squeezed over time. Only Adox developer I use besides Rodinal sometimes is Atomal-49 and its shelf life mixed is one month, never used Xtol because no 1 liter doses, but since I read it keeps long, then XT-3 should mimic this too, specially since it comes in doses for 5 liters at once.
Anyway for the price I will just buy couple pouches...

tom williams · Apr 5, 2021

Antonio, did you see this website: https://www.fotoimpex.com/chemistry/adox-xt-3-developer-to-mix-5000-ml.html ? In the descriptive blurb I read the following:

"Well balanced film developer based on ascorbic acid yielding full box speed negatives with high sharpness and very fine grain. Hydroquinone-free and without boric acid yet with improved storage capacities compared to earlier ascorbic-acid developers."

I took that phrase "improved storage capacities compared to earlier ascorbic-acid developers" to indicate that XT-III's shelf life would be superior to Xtol's, so Kodak's assertions for Xtol's shelf life should give you a baseline. I also assumed "storage capacities" referred to the mixed solutions.

I also did not find a specifications sheet.

removedacct2 · Apr 7, 2021

tom williams said:
Antonio, did you see this website: https://www.fotoimpex.com/chemistry/adox-xt-3-developer-to-mix-5000-ml.html ?

I mentioned in the initial post that I buy from Fotoimpex.... I am very familiar with Germany, and Fotoimpex ....

"Well balanced film developer based on ascorbic acid yielding full box speed negatives with high sharpness and very fine grain. Hydroquinone-free and without boric acid yet with improved storage capacities compared to earlier ascorbic-acid developers."

I took that phrase "improved storage capacities compared to earlier ascorbic-acid developers" to indicate that XT-III's shelf life would be superior to Xtol's, so Kodak's assertions for Xtol's shelf life should give you a baseline. I also assumed "storage capacities" referred to the mixed solutions.

I also did not find a specifications sheet.

I have NEVER used XTOL, so have no idea about the shelf life I can use for reference. Now I have looked up and it seems to be in the 6 months, mixed. So very nice.

could have asked Fotoimpex directly but typically forums have faster answer....

tom williams · Apr 7, 2021

antonio_b said:
I mentioned in the initial post that I buy from Fotoimpex.... I am very familiar with Germany, and Fotoimpex ....

I have NEVER used XTOL, so have no idea about the shelf life I can use for reference. Now I have looked up and it seems to be in the 6 months, mixed. So very nice.

could have asked Fotoimpex directly but typically forums have faster answer....

Perhaps you saw the latest version of Kodak's data sheet on Xtol - if not, check it out here: https://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/uat/files/wysiwyg/pro/chemistry/J-109_Feb_2018.pdf.
The earlier 1988 version quotes a 1 year mixed shelf life, in a full, tightly sealed bottle. The url I quoted above is the 2018 reference.

removedacct2 · Apr 7, 2021

tom williams said:
Perhaps you saw the latest version of Kodak's data sheet on Xtol - if not, check it out here: https://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/uat/files/wysiwyg/pro/chemistry/J-109_Feb_2018.pdf.
The earlier 1988 version quotes a 1 year mixed shelf life, in a full, tightly sealed bottle. The url I quoted above is the 2018 reference.

thanks. This is all good anyway
depending the film used and the intended result, for fine-grained developer once in a while I always used Foma Excel or Atomal-49, Foma Excel is said to be an Xtol alike, with the advantage of coming in 1 liter doses. The 5liter doses was one of the reason I never bought Xtol.

Besides the practical reasons I prefer to buy from Foma or Fotoimpex, they have done a lot of work in order to keep film alive. Fotoimpex was reselling Czech and Yugoslavian film, ie. Foma and Fototeknika (Efke) in the aftermath of reunification, then they bought Adox patents/name from the croats, then relaunched Rodinal when Agfa went down. They have been keeping R&D active.
It's the opposite of Kodak, that as been destroyed by the usual american financial speculation games and lack of cultural interest for small companies.

Danner · Apr 8, 2021

XTOL stock solution will keep 6 months in tightly closed, air-free, bottles. I regularly do this, and it does.

Adox XT-3 no instructions sheet? shelf life (mixed)?

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