Double-X Movie Stock

[David A. Goldfarb]

I've pretty much stopped using 35mm for B&W, but I have about 400 feet of this stuff--probably in excess of 25 years old--and it's kind of interesting. Despite having a substantial base fog density, the film has such a long tonal scale, that there's plenty of range left over. My densitometer died a while back, but when it was working, I was getting b+f of .5 and then a Dmax of 2.1 over that. I've attached a flatbed monochrome scan from a straight selenium toned print on Cachet (Maco) Expo G grade 2.

I'm processing it in Dektol 1:3, 5 min., 68 deg. F with 2 ml Edwal Liquid Orthazite per 8 oz. developer (planning to try 5 ml next batch to see if I can further reduce the base fog without losing too much speed), and I'm rating it at EI 80. The results are grainy, but fairly sharp. It doesn't respond terribly well to other developers (D-76, Perceptol), but I have yet to try pyro.

It would be great if they made it in a larger format, but it only seems to come in 35mm and 16mm.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Here's a detail.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

I think Aero XX is an extended red sensitivity film. Might be interesting too, particularly if it comes in 70mm cartridges, which would fit a Graflex 70mm back.

 

[LD Horricks]

David...Having been a Motion picture Camera operator for years before doing exclusively stills I have have and still shoot with XX very often. I process in Rodinal 1:00 for 18mins and get great results rating it at 200. Not much reason for them to make a larger format XX...the camera assistants would have a hell of a time squeezing it into the mag.

Larry.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Thanks, Larry. Is that Rodinal 1:100? Looks like you left a number out there.

The XX I have seems to be pretty old, and I think that's why it seems to need a very active developer. When I get through the 400 feet I have, I'll have to buy some fresh stock!