Development of Atomic-X with traditional developers

TheFlyingCamera

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Has anyone here had the chance to shoot and process the new Atomic-X film from the New55 folks in a traditional developer (not the New55 monobath)? If so, what is your experience with exposing and processing it? Does it benefit from an altered EI, or is box speed a good starting point? What about developers? I'm particularly partial to Pyrocat HD or Rodinal, but I'll take any other common developer time/temp regime as I can extrapolate from there.
 

vdonovan

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I really like this film. I've been exposing it at EI 50 and developing in Xtol 1:1, using the times on the Massive Development Chart for Plus X. I've been very happy with the result.
 

Roger Cole

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Somehow I missed the announcement of this stuff! I did some reading on it and got excited. Right now I realize that it's premium priced as a fund raiser and $10 a sheet is way too much for me. But I think they were aiming for a final cost after going into production of something like $6 a sheet for New55 so if they could do this negative only version for, say, $3 - $4 a sheet I think I'd use a fair amount of it. So long dust issues!
 

Ken Nadvornick

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Sorry, no. I still have a number of the very early production run sheets of New55 P/N to finish, before buying anything else. Right now is the coldest, darkest, rainiest, and most miserable time of the year to be outside with a handheld 4x5 Crown Graphic.

But if I can get just one or two sunny days on a weekend I can always dress warm and pull the sheets later inside...

Ken
 
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TheFlyingCamera

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New55 is way too pricey, I agree (it's more like $16/sheet). This is Atomic-X, which is the film they use for the negative in New55, but in individual sheet film form, no packet, no developer. You shoot it in 4x5 sheet film holders. When they have it available, (it tends to sell out FAST), it's more like $1/sheet.
 

Roger Cole

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1. I know what New55 costs now (and agree it's way too rich for my blood.) I was referring to the supposedly targeted price they hope to achieve once in full production which was reported here as something like $6/sheet (and while I hope they succeed they still won't sell me any at that price, or not much.)

2. Ok, I didn't know they ever made it available in individual sheets, BUT you can buy it now in Readyload type packages that work in a Polaroid 545 holder and it's $50 for a box of five single-sheet packs:

Dead Link Removed

See also some results and discussion of such:

http://www.largeformatphotography.i...php?122513-Atomic-X-Readyload-film-from-New55

I might try it at $1 a sheet as that's competitive with other "normal, load in holders yourself" films, but with TMX, FP4+, Delta 100, Fomapan/Arista 100, Acros, and Adox CHSII all available in the 100-125 speed range it would have to have some other really remarkable quality to really catch my attention, especially if it's real speed was closer to 50.
 

Steve Goldstein

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vdonovan said:
I really like this film. I've been exposing it at EI 50 and developing in Xtol 1:1, using the times on the Massive Development Chart for Plus X. I've been very happy with the result.
View attachment 121627
Click to expand...

Which MDC Plus-X times do you use? There are several sets for different EI values. My guess would be the ones quoted for XTOL 1:1 and EI 32-64, but that's only a guess.

Thank you.
 

vdonovan

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Steve Goldstein said:
Which MDC Plus-X times do you use? There are several sets for different EI values. My guess would be the ones quoted for XTOL 1:1 and EI 32-64, but that's only a guess.

Thank you.
Click to expand...


Good guess, but nope. The first time I shot Atomic X, I exposed the film at ISO 50, but then forgot to adjust the development time, so I developed at the regular Plus-X time of 7.5 minutes @68 degrees F. The negatives turned out so well that I've stuck with that combination. Right or wrong, I'm happy with the results: good shadow detail, highlights not blown.

If I was going to try another developer (like D-76 or Rodinal), my starting point would be the Massive Dev Chart of Plus X sheet film exposed at 125.
 

Axle

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Big fan of Atomic-X.



Next steps for me (I bought a 25 sheet box) is to develop (ha!) timings for TMax developer and Pyrocat-HD.
 

esearing

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I bought a box and am planning to do a shoot out with Delta 100, FP4, and atomic-x to see the differences.
I'm thinking either diafine or 2-bath pyro HD so processing is same for all three.

Also looking for a fun location. Currently thinking Kennesaw mountain battlefield on the Cannon trail if anyone in Atlanta area wants to join me. Roswell Mill also comes to mind but the water was raging dangerously last weekend.
 

MVNelson

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I did field test today with Atomic X film which I processed in D76 1+1 ... I was very impressed with sharpness and tonal scale. My initial impression is that this film has a true iso range of about 50
-80 ... I'm eager to try it in pyrocat mc .....

Backyard 1

Needing some inspiration to get my photographic mojo going I decided to try something new. I...
 

bsdunek

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I don't currently use 4X5, but thanks for this thread. I wasn't aware of Atomic film. Watched the video on how it's made. Really basic, just by hand. Love the drying line - half a paper construction tube and two hair dryers! With all the hand work, it's no wonder it's expensive. From the posting though, it's good.
 

MVNelson

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After careful BTZS TESTING the Asa for this film in my lab is 40 .... Field testing is on going ... So far I like the tonal range and contrast seems to build fairly quickly ... My biggest critique is that the films true speed is significantly lower than its published iso of 100. Curiously its speed seems to match closely with it's "name -sake" PANATOMIC-X ....
 

grahamp

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I did some comparisons with Delta 100 last week. My EI for Delta 100 is 50, so I tried Atomic X at an EI of 25. My initial feeling is that an EI of 40 might be better (around the same as Ortho Plus unfiltered). I need to warm up the densitometer to see what the equivalent densities are. I use Thornton's Two bath developer in a Jobo, 5 minutes for bath A, and 5 minutes for bath B (times are inclusive of 15 seconds tank draining/refilling time). Not a common combination.
 

adelorenzo

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I bought a bunch of this film a while back, finally got a chance to test it out.

I didn't put too much thought into it, I just figured I'd just start with what I use for Ilford FP4+ which is Pyrocat-MC, 1:1:100 for 10 minutes in a Jobo Expert drum. Exposed at EI 100. The negatives came out pretty thin although still able to make nice prints with them. Unfortunately my densitometer is black and white so I can't read the actual density.

Next batch I'll have to increase exposure or development significantly. Seeing as they recommend Tri-X times as a starting point I should probably have gone with my HP5+ development times which are 14 minutes.

Will post a sample shot tonight.
 

Peter Schrager

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I tried one box of 25 sheets but need to work it more...I still think a film like trix or tmy400 reign supreme. ..there is also foma 100 which I feel is a real sleeper and don't forget adox chs 100
Point? Get one film and make it yours!
Best peter
 

adelorenzo

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Here's a sample from the first attempt that was underdeveloped/underexposed. Because the negative is very thin, the unspeakable process that I used to post this image shows a lot of scratches etc. on the film but it printed in the darkroom quite nicely at 11x14.

 

adelorenzo

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I finally got a chance to shoot some more of this film, 24 sheets of it this weekend actually!

As mentioned above I got really thin negs shooting at ISO 100 and developing in Pyrocat-MC. Seems like most people are shooting it at at half speed or lower so I went with ISO 50. I looked up a Plus-X datasheet and went with HC-110 1:31 (Dilution B) developed for 5 minutes in a Jobo Expert Drum. The negatives are drying now and they look great.
 

adelorenzo

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Tried ID-11 at 1:1 for 8 minutes, exposing at ISO 50 again. Negatives will print nicely but less density than what I got with HC-110. I'm thinking 8 minutes ID-11 stock will be the way to go.

Also I noticed that the Atomic-X sheets are slightly smaller than my Ilford sheet films. This has caused me problems with some of my older Graflex holders.
 
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