APX100 - 120 developer recommends?

Canuck · Feb 9, 2005

Looking to see what you folks are using for developing APX100-120 film. Currently using PMK but the results are not too satifactory. I use PMK with APX100 4x5 and Delta 100 and the results are great. Just can't seem to get the same results in the 120 size, The prints are rather lifeless looking but bumping up the paper grade tends to burn out the highlites. TIme to experiment thus goes out my feelers into this great cyber info space

Kevin Caulfield · Feb 9, 2005

I get good results with both Agfa Rodinal (1:25) and Paterson FX-39 (1:9).

david b · Feb 9, 2005

Rodinal 1+25 / 8 @ 68
Rodinal 1+50 / 13 @ 68
XTOL 1+1 / 9 @ 68

mikewhi · Feb 9, 2005

Rodinal. Can't recommend time\dilution since I think everyone has to test fot themselves, but 1:50 for 12-13 minutes is about right.

taurineman · Feb 9, 2005

Rodinal! Rodinal and then theres Rodinal! Absolutely stunning! 1+50 seems to work well for me.

titrisol · Feb 9, 2005

Second Rodinal 1+50 (use 25% less than the time reccomended in the Rodinal bottle)
I have also used DDX, FG7, and IlfosolS with very good results.

taurineman said:
Rodinal! Rodinal and then theres Rodinal! Absolutely stunning! 1+50 seems to work well for me.

martin@jangowski.de · Feb 9, 2005

Canuck said:
Looking to see what you folks are using for developing APX100-120 film. Currently using PMK but the results are not too satifactory. I use PMK with APX100 4x5 and Delta 100 and the results are great. Just can't seem to get the same results in the 120 size, The prints are rather lifeless looking but bumping up the paper grade tends to burn out the highlites. TIme to experiment thus goes out my feelers into this great cyber info space

I had good results with Suzuki's DS-12, a thin acutance developer containing ascorbic acid. This gives excellent, very sharp negs. The grain however isn't the smallest you've ever seen, I use a homebrew-version of Perceptol 1+3 for studio portraiture. Slow at 40 ASA, but sharp and very fine grain. I reported my recipes here, it should be easy to find.

Martin

Tom Hoskinson · Feb 9, 2005

Martin's homebrew Perceptol recipe is at:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

titrisol · Feb 9, 2005

Tom just beat me in posting this as well.....

eric · Feb 9, 2005

taurineman said:
Rodinal! Rodinal and then theres Rodinal! Absolutely stunning! 1+50 seems to work well for me.

I used to use PMK with my apx100

But I seem to like it better with 1:50 and sometimes 1:100 Rodinol

pschauss · Feb 9, 2005

Rate it at 200 and develop in Diafine.

http://www.beststuff.com/forum/download.php?f=26&id=3204&fileid=1875&file=Sintra.jpg

VoidoidRamone · Feb 9, 2005

Rodinal 1:50 13 min (I'm so original...)
-Grant

Tom Stanworth · Feb 9, 2005

seems to work well in anything. Ive used ID1 which is fine or pyrocat HD to Aculx 2, which had great tonality....pretty flexible I think.

Canuck · Feb 9, 2005

/LONG RAMBLING ON

Looks like I have some work to do this weekend. Some good starting points. I used to use Rodinal for everything but when I started shooting more LF stuff, I found PMK works great for what I was shooting (mainly landscape and some portraiture). Since its a hobby, I didn't mind spending the time to fine tune things to do what I want my prints to look like and not worry about making $$ of this hobby

The reason I started this whole thread is my MF prints doesn't have the same look as my LF prints. Since I wasn't getting anywhere fast with a particular test printing session, I had to blow off some steam. So took a break to see what all you people were doing for developing negs. Just started playing with MF so I am discovering how things are the same and show things aren't the same. Discovered things didn't translate as well from LF to MF with PMK. So I will start with the basics again ... neg exposure and development.

My negs have decent density and contacts looks good but upon enlarging, I loose much of the nice graduation I expected and want. I know from my old days with a condenser setup, the contrast due to Callier effects(?) made things a touch more difficult to print what I imagined and saw.

Maybe its my itching to get to do some more experimenting with more stuff I was wondering also, who was using the TEA and DS-* formulations and how they were working out. Been wanting to try them but getting the chemicals, especially the TEA up here in Canada, is a pain.

/LONG RAMBLING OFF

Ian Grant · Feb 9, 2005

Well in preferance Rodinal at 1:50 or when I need N+1, N+2 then 2:75

But I found Rodinal uneconomic for my 5x4's and now use Xtol on a replenishment basis, there's no differance in neg quality, and the resulting prints match perfectly.

Canuck · Feb 9, 2005

I haven't used Xtol for a couple of years now, since the stock solution died on me rather quickly ... less than 6 months, the last time I used it. I have some powder sitting around, so maybe off to the races again

Baxter Bradford · Feb 9, 2005

It is a lovely film, I have been happy with it in DiXactol and PMK so surprised by your comment reporting dissatisfaction. Shame still not done in 5x4 of course.

Canuck · Feb 9, 2005

I love the 4x5 version (still have a few sheets left in the freezer) but for some odd reason, the prints off the 120 size is lacking tonal range compared to my 4x5 negs. I am stubborn and I like the film well enough so I am going to find out whats up with some different developers

Ian Grant · Feb 9, 2005

Canuck said:
I love the 4x5 version (still have a few sheets left in the freezer) but for some odd reason, the prints off the 120 size is lacking tonal range compared to my 4x5 negs. I am stubborn and I like the film well enough so I am going to find out whats up with some different developers

Think I have about 10 sheets 5x4 left, still using APX25 in 120 about 20 rolls left.

The good thing about APX100 is with zone system tests and all my experience I can use it at 100iso and get superb tonality, sharpness & fine grain. I can get equally good results with Tmax50, oh sorry I meant Tmax100 which I always rate at 50iso

I just wish APX25 was available in 5x4 & 10x8, even AP25 would do that was superb, still have some left . . . in 120.

Canuck · Feb 9, 2005

Never shot too much of the APX25 but what I did, I liked. I liked how APX25, Rodinal, and Brovira made such a nice combo. I was not happy when they discontinued the 4x5. I was even less happy when I couldn't get a straight answer from the distributor here in Canada and before I could get anymore, it was all gone. Think of trying the slow stuff from JandC just to see what its like.

john_s · Feb 9, 2005

Canuck said:
The reason I started this whole thread is my MF prints doesn't have the same look as my LF prints.

Maybe do some 35mm for a week or two. Then your 120 results will be seen in a new light.

Mark Layne · Feb 9, 2005

Canuck said:
I haven't used Xtol for a couple of years now, since the stock solution died on me rather quickly ... less than 6 months, the last time I used it. I have some powder sitting around, so maybe off to the races again

I had abandoned Xtol because of its habit of sudden death, until I printed an FP4 35mm negative which enlarged to 11x14 with virtually no grain. When I checked my records it was developed in Xtol.
I recently took many rolls of APX 100 120 in the Bright light in Barbados and developed in Xtol 1:1. The tonality is simply beautiful. The one possible negative is the almost total lack of any edge effects.
Mark

Silverpixels5 · Feb 9, 2005

Rodinal for a classic look. FX-39 is great as well...just did a roll of 135 in the 1:9 dilution with excellent results.

MikeK · Feb 10, 2005

Canuck said:
Looking to see what you folks are using for developing APX100-120 film. Currently using PMK but the results are not too satifactory. I use PMK with APX100 4x5 and Delta 100 and the results are great. Just can't seem to get the same results in the 120 size, The prints are rather lifeless looking but bumping up the paper grade tends to burn out the highlites. TIme to experiment thus goes out my feelers into this great cyber info space

I have had great success developing APX100 in D23 diluted 1:1. I have a couple of 16x20 shots of Eucalytus trees in fog and the tonality is wonderful, lots of detail and extremely fine grain.

Our Canadian buddy of Hey Lloyd fame turned me on to this combination. He has a good set of articles on his web site.

Mike

APX100 - 120 developer recommends?

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