Had good results from Fuji Acros/Tmax in Dixactol/Exactol L

[Tom Stanworth]

I'd really like to hear if anyone has had good results from Dixactol /Exactol Lux with Acros, esp 5x4. Oh, I have also deviated (a lot) as I go along from the original purpose of this post.

I have just done some experimentation with Exactol Lux and Tmax100, yet to be refined, but gives a start point for anyone interested:

100Tmax 5x4 sheet film @ ISO 100
21 degrees C
10ml A + 10 ML B in 1100 Ml water
Combitank
Agitation every 30S
Total time 11 Mins
Colour Head - prints fine on G2 1/2 Polgmax FB etc (tho I found it quite low in contrast on Oriental Seagull, which I have always found to ge a good grade softer than MG1V - Anyone else found this?

I used multiple water stops, alkaline fix and got a good stain. (did resoak in dev after fix, as per instructions and used full 20 min wash.

Results were very smooth tonality (not commenting on the curve, just the creaminess), very fine grain and excellent acutance for such a fine grained film. Still not sure it is sharp enough in appearance on smaller prints (like the engraving you get with grainier films like HP5 plus at smaller print sizes, before grain emerges and tonality breaks up)

Considering the good results I have had (especially in the ability of these developers to hold highlight seperation and provide amazing acutance esp with older emulsions) I can only deduce that other peoples' problems could be due to water pH/quality etc. If the water is slightly acidic, presumably it prevents the build up of the stain. If this is the case, it wou account for very thin appearing negs (they do look quite this anyway)and lots of grain (due to no stain masking effect) as the stain is essential printing density...?

With staining develpers, is there a difference in apparrent grain on the print between graded and VC papers, due to the differing grain masking effect with VC filtration vs no filtration. Presumably the stain masks less in VC, hence the softened highlights etc. I am confusing myself now....

I am moving house soon and would hate to start again if the water ain't to Exactol's liking...


Tom S

 

[baronfoxx]

hi Tom
I use Dixactol for Acros 35 mm film exposed at both 100 & 80 iso and developed by the "partial stand" method, water stop bath and Activix alkaline
fixer.
I dont know what you consider to be good results but I get almost grain free sharp prints size 12"X 16" on multigrade FB paper which win awards in photo club competitions.

 

[Tom Stanworth]

baronfoxx,

Do you get a good stain? I used acros 120 in Exactol LUx and found that it did not stain well, but this could well have been me coc**** things up on that occassion

 

[baronfoxx]

tom

I do get a reasoable stain but not very pronounced.
the stain is not the end objective, the quality print is the objective and these are very good with the Acros/Dixactol combination

 

[Tom Stanworth]

I agree that image quality is the only objective, however, along with the lack of stain came low speed and shadow drop out (at iso 50!) which leads me to think that I did something wrong. I thought that as the stain is printing density, the lack of it may have been the cause of the low speed etc. I will try another few rolls and see what happens....

regardless of the lack of stain, grain just was not visible to anything but the most detailed stare!

 

[baronfoxx]

Tom
i wish to emphasise that my comments only apply to Dixatol and Dixactol Ultra , I also use Ilford Delta 100 with Dixactol Ultra and there is very little difference between the two films.

Ialso use distilled medical grade water for the developer which ifound makes a difference to the stain