Delta 100... Xtol or ID-11?

brian steinberger

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I'm going to try out some Delta 100 in 4x5. I process my sheet film in a slosher that holds 6 sheets at a time in an 11x14 tray. I'd like to use either Xtol or ID-11 and either at the 1:3 dilution. Anyone have any experience using either developer with this film? I'm looking for sharpness and great tonality. I'm not after really super duper fine grain. Thanks!
 

jovo

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I've been using Delta 100 in ID11 1:1 for the entire length of my re-entry into photography (almost every photograph in my gallery here is that combination with a very few Tri-X shots in the same developer and dilution) which is a span of a bit more than ten years. That includes roll film and 4x5 sheets in 5x7 trays. I love that combination and the results speak for themselves. I get very consistent results with the way I meter and then develop at 68 degrees for about 9 minutes. Good luck....I hope you settle on a formula that works well for you.
 

fschifano

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Most folks here already know this, but I'm sure there are a few who don't. ID-11 and D-76 are for all practical purposes, identical twins. They behave exactly the same in use and can be used interchangeably. I use D-76 regularly, but used ID-11 when it was a better value than D-76 in the US market. That's no longer the case, so I stick to D-76.

A dilution ratio of 1+3 with ID-11 or D-76 is do-able, but tricky. XTOL at that dilution can be a little bit of a challenge too. Either will give with very long development times, and there is a risk of early exhaustion of the developer. I've pretty much given up on using either developer at that dilution ratio, with the exception of using D-76 1+3 for PanF+ for which it works very well.

I've processed a good amount of Delta 100 in rollfilm formats using both D-76 and XTOL and the results are remarkably similar. If I had to give one the edge over the other, XTOL would get the nod. The differences are subtle and not likely to be very noticeable unless one were to compare two negatives where all conditions except the developer are identical.

If you do decide to go with the 1+3 dilution, be sure that you use enough developer. Kodak recommends a minimum of 100 ml. of stock solution for each 80 sq. in. of film. Six 4x5 sheets equals 120 square inches, so you are looking at a minimum requirement of 150 ml. of developer. I'm usually in agreement with Kodak's assessments, but not on this one. Too often I would get really thin, low contrast negatives using that recommendation in a high dilution ratio working solution. Interestingly though, that same minimum works a lot better in a more concentrated working solution. Increasing the minimum requirement by 50% solved the problem most of the time, but not always, and I haven't bothered to analyze the reasons why. Either my development times were too short, or the developer exhausted early. I don't know which. When I stopped using the 1+3 dilution, and started using a little more stock solution, the problem went away. That's good enough for me.

Bottom line is that I don't think it's a really good idea to use either developer at that dilution. I've been much happier using either at 1+1 for almost all the films I run. Most of my negatives produced this way print well using #2 to #2 1/2 contrast filters, so "tonality" must be pretty good. I don't often need to do very extensive dodging and burning unless the scene brightness ratio was exceptionally bad when I made the exposure. Can't complain about sharpness either. Grain, when you can see it, is well defined and not mushy looking.

Compared to the cost of film, the developer cost is chump change. Don't be penny wise and pound foolish here.
 
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I tested them side by side some years ago. Xtol was the winner then and have not changed. The only drawback for me is its life. When it dies it dies!
 

Craig

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I've used both (but at full strength) and the Xtol gives some really wonderful tones with Delta 100. That's my favourite film/developer combination.
 

FrankB

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Just to be contrary, Paterson Aculux!

I went looking for fine grain and superb tonality with Delta 100 a couple of years back and, after a grand tour of the developer shelves, I'm very happy to have settled on that.

Lovely soup!
 

Ben 4

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A Vote for ID11 1:3

I've been experimenting lately with ID11 1:3 for both FP4+ and Delta 100 in 120 size. Wonderful results with both; haven't yet had any of the problems described above (I'm using Paterson tanks which call for 125ml of stock solution for 120 film at 1:3). The Delta does have finer grain, but neither could be described as grainy in medium format. My "usual" developer, by the way is XTOL 1:1, but I did not care for the look with Delta; I was also looking for something a bit sharper.
 

Jim Chinn

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XTOL and Delta 100 is one of my favorite combos in 35mm and MF. I have used 1/3 in a JOBO and never had a exhaustion problem, so I think you are pretty safe using a slosher. I never have stock XTOL on the shelf for more then a couple months. Prolonged storage of the stock is probably the culprit with cases of XTOL failure. I don't know what the shelf life is but I would do a test strip first with anything over 3 months old.
 

Kilgallb

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I find XTOL has excellent tonality but is slightly softer (less acuity) than D76but that is not a problem with 4x5 sheets of Delta 100. I think XTOL shines with Delta 100 in roll films.

D76 or ID11 are great too. I find D76 is a little less forgiving when it comes to development time,especially with Delta 100. Just a little over development or a little too high a temperature and the contrast changes rapidly. Of course, if you use the zone system this is a good thing.

Personally, I think both developers should be in your arsenal. Learn to use and apply both.
 

Daniel_OB

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.. sharpness and great tonality

For D100 the best is rodinal around 1:50. This is for what you are looking for. Even Leica recomends for full utilization of their lenses, to use Delta olus rodinal. Right on the money, high accutance, "great" tonality, grain is what is.
 
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