B&H no longer carrying Xtol?

[PKM-25]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/124564-REG/Kodak_8751752_Xtol_Developer_Powder_for.html

Looks like they are out for now. I recently stocked up and went to get more and found the note. I know sometimes they will post that when they don't feel like stocking something anymore and then change it again once back in stock.

At least Freestyle and Adorama carry it...

 

[brian steinberger]

They are not just out for now, they have it marked as discontinued. Looks like Xtol is gone from B&H and on its way out in general.

 

[PKM-25]

Well I have a good supply of it, 50+ 5 liter packs, but what makes you say it is on its way out? It's the preferred soup for TMX 100 sheet Film.

Like I said before, I have seen B&H do this before with items that were not really discontinued.

 

[Bruce Osgood]

I was in B&H Thursday and the Darkroom dept. is now just a couple of shelves. I wasn't looking for Xtol but I got everything I wanted.

 

[Sal Santamaura]

...what makes you say it is on its way out?...I have seen B&H do this before with items that were not really discontinued.

B&H, as well as other retailers, frequently list an item as "discontinued" when manufacturers terminate the SKU even though they're going to introduce the same product in different packaging, which will carry a different SKU. For example, single rolls of 120 Acros were discontinued, but 5-packs subsequently filled the distribution pipeline and became "new" products in the retailers' on-line listings, even though exactly the same film is involved.

In this case, I suspect that Champion, having been stiffed for quite a substantial sum by Kodak's Chapter 11 filing, is either not interested in or wants substantially more money (to cover losses and/or risk) to continue manufacturing chemistry for Kodak. If Kodak successfully contracts with one or more replacement chemistry suppliers, it might change the size, packaging or some other aspect of XTOL that would result in a different SKU.

Alternatively, perhaps all the XTOL bashing has driven volume down enough that Kodak really is discontinuing the product. If that's the case, my cache of 40 5-liter packages will be sufficient for the next 20 years. Should I still be around and kicking after that, there's always scratch-mixed D-76H to go with my freezer-stored 320TXP.

 

[brianmquinn]

PKM-25 Why did you you post this?
You have lots of good posts and I think -
You should know better by now.
Xtol is in no way on it's way out.
Uninformed people that read this may feel it is.
The big name sellers sometimes have poor web sites.
If they are out of stock the computer program (not a person) says NO MORE EVER!
Xtol is just great and I have gone through 100s of rolls of film with it.
It will live on unlike Plus-X RIP.

 

[brian steinberger]

Obviously I don't know if it's really on its way out or not. All I can say is that I've shopped with B&H for a long time now and if something is simply out of stock it will say so on the site and you can elect to be informed when the product is available again. Everytime I see something listed as discontinued it usually is. I'm sure this isn't a website error. It may be as Sal mentioned that they are changing SKU numbers. I surely hope this is the case.

 

[Roger Cole]

It doesn't much matter. The formula, or something close enough as to work just like it, is no secret and is available from several other sources.

 

[Роберт]

Fomadon Excel W27 is very close to Xtol and available on several places too.

 

[brucemuir]

Does Champion make the color chemistry also?

 

[Sal Santamaura]

Does Champion make the color chemistry also?

I've not read anything that distinguishes between color and black and white. Just that Kodak subcontracted its photo chemistry manufacture to Champion several years ago.

 

[PKM-25]

Brian, I did not post Xtol is on its way out, just that B&H is not stocking it right now and do people have insight as to why? If it is on its way out, I figure people would want to stock up rather than find out the hard way.

 

[Photo-gear]

It doesn't much matter. The formula, or something close enough as to work just like it, is no secret and is available from several other sources.

Ilford DD-X apparently gives the same results, although they are chemically different of X-tol.

 

[Roger Cole]

I think DD-X is more like T-Max developer (which is excellent and I use it.)

Here are some other ascorbic acid based film developers:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/74771...ic-Acid-Powder-BandW-Film-Developer-to-make-5

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/70022...rbic-Acid-Film-Developer-to-make-1?cat_id=301

 

[Uncle Bill]

I think DD-X is more like T-Max developer (which is excellent and I use it.)

Here are some other ascorbic acid based film developers:

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/74771...ic-Acid-Powder-BandW-Film-Developer-to-make-5

http://www.freestylephoto.biz/70022...rbic-Acid-Film-Developer-to-make-1?cat_id=301

The Eco-Pro product is the exact same product as Xtol so I'm told, chances are made by Champion too.

 

[MattKing]

The Eco-Pro product is the exact same product as Xtol so I'm told, chances are made by Champion too.

Bill:

The MSDS information linked to on the Freestyle site for the Eco-Pro product seems very different (in terms of Sodium Sulfite at least) then the MSDS for X-Tol.

 

[Uncle Bill]

Bill:

The MSDS information linked to on the Freestyle site for the Eco-Pro product seems very different (in terms of Sodium Sulfite at least) then the MSDS for X-Tol.

Looks like I got my information wrong.

 

[brianmquinn]

I maybe totally off here but if I recall correctly Kodak stopped making all their chemistry years ago. I think it was Champion Chemicals that has made all of Kodak chemistry under contrast since then. When Kodak went bankrupt they owed Champion a lot of money. Perhaps until Kodak can prove they will pay Champion for any Xtol they make and give to Kodak they will not produce any more.

Again I know nothing. This is just a guess. Xtol is too nice and popular for me to think that Kodak would actually kill it. But then again Kodak had done a lot of stupid things in the last few years.

 

[Uncle Bill]

I maybe totally off here but if I recall correctly Kodak stopped making all their chemistry years ago. I think it was Champion Chemicals that has made all of Kodak chemistry under contrast since then. When Kodak went bankrupt they owed Champion a lot of money. Perhaps until Kodak can prove they will pay Champion for any Xtol they make and give to Kodak they will not produce any more.

Again I know nothing. This is just a guess. Xtol is too nice and popular for me to think that Kodak would actually kill it. But then again Kodak had done a lot of stupid things in the last few years.

I would start worrying if other major retailers start de-listing Xtol from their product line ups. Until then, it looks to be just a B&H issue.