Tri-X and Xtol

ColColt · Apr 30, 2016

I've read about and seen some examples of Tri-X and Xtol and thought I'd try some but good grief, it seems to only come in 5-gallon variety. It would take me a decade to go though that much. I've also read mixed it only last two months so you have to do an awfully lot of shooting before it went bad.

I can't imagine why it's not offered by the liter instead of 5 gallons or did I possible miss something in my scouting around for it?

pentaxuser · Apr 30, 2016

In the U.K. it comes in 5 litres. I'd have thought that in the U.S. if you still don't use metric it would have come as 1 U.S. gallon

pentaxuser

ColColt · Apr 30, 2016

I don't see it in anything less than 5 gallons. It doesn't matter if it's 5 gallons or 5 liters. Either way it's way too much.

pentaxuser · Apr 30, 2016

ColColt said:
I don't see it in anything less than 5 gallons. It doesn't matter if it's 5 gallons or 5 liters. Either way it's way too much.

You have my sympathy. I know that everything in the U.S. is big. On this occasion it would seem that "big" works against you. Just as a matter of interest what is the charge for 5 gallons( that's U.S. gallons I assume)? Thanks

pentaxuser

pentaxuser · Apr 30, 2016

Just did a quick search and found that B&H in NY does 5 litres. Is this unique to B&H?. Well I have found you 5 litres which is much less than 5 gallons at least. I have kept 5L successfully for over two years Use it at stock in say a Paterson tank and that's only just over 16 135 film in two years. Do you use much less than 16 films in 2 years?

Anyway I hope this helps and I feel I can say that the special U.K./U.S. relationship that we speak of with misty eyes is not dead

pentaxuser

ColColt · Apr 30, 2016

Xtol here runs around $10 for the 5 gallons mentioned but, I made an error in that it's 5 liters-not gallons. You'd think they would have made it available in 1-liter as well. It's hard to say how much film I use. It varies a lot. Some weeks none at all while other times I may run through several rolls per week.

baachitraka · Apr 30, 2016

There is one xtol equivalent from Foma which comes in 1l.

gorbas · Apr 30, 2016

At the beginning, Xtol was sold as 1 and 5 liters packages. Then they had some serious issues with 1 liter packaging and Kodak stop making it.

Peter Schrager · Apr 30, 2016

It's not a big deal...buy 4 or Boston rounds and fill them to the brim..keep a 500ml cannister around and always try to keep it topped off so air gets in...one answer to your dilemma is to shoot more film! !!...no seriously it's one of the best all time developers and very cheap by comparison..why do you think everyone makes clones??,.. have a great day! !
Peter

Peter Schrager · Apr 30, 2016

I meant to type NO AIR GETS IN!

Ronald Moravec · Apr 30, 2016

It still has a shelf life even sealed. The other bad news is it does not color indicate it is bad.

Sirius Glass · Apr 30, 2016

Ronald Moravec said:
It still has a shelf life even sealed. The other bad news is it does not color indicate it is bad.

If you shoot 35mm film, save the clipped of leaders from earlier batches to test ANY developer before developing the next roll of film. I found that I get much better results from replenished XTOL that putting my film in soup. Even a good Kosher chicken soup will not work as well as XTOL.

pentaxuser · Apr 30, 2016

ColColt said:
Xtol here runs around $10 for the 5 gallons mentioned but, I made an error in that it's 5 liters-not gallons. You'd think they would have made it available in 1-liter as well. It's hard to say how much film I use. It varies a lot. Some weeks none at all while other times I may run through several rolls per week.

Well at several rolls a week( say 3) you will only have to use film say 4 times per year to make it 16 rolls

I didn't realise that powder developers in a sealed packet have what seems like a limited life based on another contributor. I usually turn the powder into stock solution within days of obtaining it but it then gives me over 2 years of use

Maybe I have been lucky. On the other hand compared to U.S. prices I am definitely not so lucky as 5L of Xtol costs close to £10 compared to $10 in the U.S. At about the equivalent of £7 for 5L I might risk some waste.

There's always Rodinal and HC110 of course. I was given some Rodinal by my great grandfather who got it from Kaiser Wilhelm II. How can I be sure of this? Well the occasion hair in it from his glorious Prussian moustache sometimes sticks to the film and yes, I have checked that it is not a scanning artefact which we don't talk about on APUG anyway.

pentaxuser

ColColt · Apr 30, 2016

Rodinal, HC-110 and ID-11 pretty much cover the bases for me but I just wanted to try Xtol. If what I read and the way I read it is correct then mixed it only last some two months. I could live with a bit longer but that seems awfully short.

If I were going on vacation somewhere I may be able to shoot close to 16 rolls up before it goes bad but no plans in the new future for that. I may just try it anyway. After all, ten bucks ain't a whole lot of money.

ritternathan · Apr 30, 2016

It lasts at least six months in glass containers with no air. I regularly keep it up to 12 months (because it does only come in 5L bags) and after 9 or 12 months it is the same as the first day I mixed it. It is great and cheap and especially good for 35mm. Xtol plus FP4+ is a dream in 35mm. Or simply mix up one liter of DS-10 and get even finer grain with all the benefits of Xtol and only 1L.

ColColt · Apr 30, 2016

Well, that puts a whole new light on things. I have enough brown glass bottles for all occasions and in four sizes. I need to try this developer.

Thomas Bertilsson · Apr 30, 2016

5 liter packets are used up very quickly. Especially if you use it stock (it's beautiful that way).

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=kodak+xtol&N=0&InitialSearch=yes&sts=ma&Top+Nav-Search=

It's $9.95 for a 5 liter kit, less than 500ml Rodinal. Or you can buy the Eco Pro, which works exactly like Xtol (I tried about five 5-liter kits, and got identical results), which is a couple dollars less.

ColColt · Apr 30, 2016

One problem I may have is the largest container I have for mixing is 4 liter. I'll have to scout around and see where/who has one larger.

Thomas Bertilsson · Apr 30, 2016

ColColt said:
One problem I may have is the largest container I have for mixing is 4 liter. I'll have to scout around and see where/who has one larger.

I bought one of those large stainless steel pots that people use to heat jars for canning. It holds 20 liters or so. Makes mixing very easy, and it's cheap and easy to clean out afterward.

ColColt · Apr 30, 2016

I guess about anything would do. Perhaps even a plastic bucket from Lowe's of the proper size..

Sirius Glass · Apr 30, 2016

ColColt said:
Well, that puts a whole new light on things. I have enough brown glass bottles for all occasions and in four sizes. I need to try this developer.

I have a lot to trouble squeezing the sides of glass bottles to get the air out.

mike c · Apr 30, 2016

I use those 2 1/2 gallon plastic buckets from Home Depot or Lowes for mixing.

Sirius Glass · Apr 30, 2016

mike c said:
I use those 2 1/2 gallon plastic buckets from Home Depot or Lowes for mixing.

I use a plastic bucket from a paint store. I mark the inside at the 4 liter and 5 liter levels. I start with 4 liters of warm water [mixes faster than cold water], add packet A slowly while stirring. I make sure that it is thoroughly mixed and there are not unmixed crystals. The I slow add packet B while stirring. I make sure that it is thoroughly mixed and there are not unmixed crystals. I then add water to the 5 liter level. I fill five 1 liter bottles.

Thomas Bertilsson · May 1, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
I have a lot to trouble squeezing the sides of glass bottles to get the air out.

It's much easier to use glass marbles to fill up the volume in glass bottles than to squeeze the air out of them.

Sirius Glass · May 1, 2016

Good point!

Tri-X and Xtol

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency