Sheet film and DiXactol? Any experiences?

Hi,

I have standardized part of my MF work for DiXactol developer. However nowadays I have been busy with large format and now I am worrying if my Dixactol's will expire before I got use for them with MF films.

Thereby I am curious how would this developer work with sheet films? I know that tray development is the only option because it doesn't work with constant agitation.

So I have to use either partial stand, full stand developing or two bath developing.

But what kind of results I should expect? Similar with Pyrocat-HD?

I am also a DiXactol devotee, and also primarily a medium format shooter. I have developed a few sheets of 4x5, and as best I can remember, I processed them for the same length of time and with the same agitation intervals as I do for roll film. Although I did not do any testing, they printed fine.

I've used it one-shot for 5x7 sheet films in a power driven tray that lifts and falls and sloshes sideways continuously. No sweat. Who said it doesn't work with constant agitation?

outwest said:

I've used it one-shot for 5x7 sheet films in a power driven tray that lifts and falls and sloshes sideways continuously. No sweat. Who said it doesn't work with constant agitation?

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Hi, I read it from there: Dead Link Removed

Rotary or orbital development with continuous agitation is not recommended. The developer's adjacency effects and compensation characteristics are impeded. The relatively small amounts of developer used in many of these devices also leads to premature oxidisation and exhaustion of the solution. If a rotary/orbital device is used, it is important that not less than 600ml of working single bath solution is used as a minimum. Two 35mm or 120 films, or two 5x4 sheets can be processed in each 600ml.


Good to hear success results with sheet film. I have to test myself similar agitation pattern that I use with roll film.

I've used it quite often with my Combi Tank. Works just fine. I've ended up with 3 tanks so I can run basically a dip line. That way I don't have to empty the tanks, just pull the film holder out (in darkness of course) and move it to the next chemical. I've been using the DiXactol in the single bath mode. This way I can leave the working solution in the tank and just go back to it for the final staining dunk.