What's so great about XTOL?

[Richard Jepsen]

I've used XTOL since 1998 with FP-4 and Tri-X. Negative quality is slightly improved over D-76 1:1 and XTOL's reliable.

XTOL improves on shadow detail, sharpness, grain, micro-contrast, longer shelf life, lower toxicity, clean replenishment. I like the researched chart times for films. The developer is flexible; sharpness increases at 1:2 & 1:3 approaching a non-physical developer.

Disadvantage is 5L volume. I store in 1L hard plastic water bottles. I discard at 8 months just to be safe.

 

[TareqPhoto]

Is there any another developer that is similar or almost same job of XTOL? I have XTOL and never used it yet [still in the box], that 5L volume is too much.

 

[albada]

Is there any another developer that is similar or almost same job of XTOL? I have XTOL and never used it yet [still in the box], that 5L volume is too much.

I've been working on a concentrated form of XTOL. You can read about it in the thread "Progress on XTOL-concentrate" in this forum. The work is not finished yet, but I've posted a couple of formulas that look as good as XTOL. Here's the latest (2nd posting on page): (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
Here's an earlier posting (also 2nd posting on page): (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
If you can buy chemicals, you can make the concentrate yourself. Or, if you don't want to make a concentrate, you can mix the formula directly into water when you need the developer. It lacks a "chelating agent", so the water-developer won't last long, so mix it soon before using.

Cheers,

Mark Overton

 

[brian steinberger]

Is there any another developer that is similar or almost same job of XTOL? I have XTOL and never used it yet [still in the box], that 5L volume is too much.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/758649-REG/Ecopro_747716_LegacyPro_Ascorbic_Acid_Powder.html

Supposedly exactly the same. I'm about to order some to see for myself.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

That's my first impression too. I was printing on grade 3 or higher to get enough contrast. I crept up the development time and now I print On grade 2 and the prints look gorgeous. Don't give up on xtol yet. I use hc-110 with Arista edu 400 but I don't get the same shadow detail at ASA 400 as xtol. HC-110 looks "crunchier". Xtol works softer.

 

[TareqPhoto]

I've been working on a concentrated form of XTOL. You can read about it in the thread "Progress on XTOL-concentrate" in this forum. The work is not finished yet, but I've posted a couple of formulas that look as good as XTOL. Here's the latest (2nd posting on page): (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
Here's an earlier posting (also 2nd posting on page): (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
If you can buy chemicals, you can make the concentrate yourself. Or, if you don't want to make a concentrate, you can mix the formula directly into water when you need the developer. It lacks a "chelating agent", so the water-developer won't last long, so mix it soon before using.

Cheers,

Mark Overton

Thanks Mark!

Well, i keep looking at your thread since you started it, but as you said you are still experimenting and didn't finish i will not use yours until it is finished and confirmed, take your time, i will go with your formula when you successfully done with it for a while.

 

[TareqPhoto]

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/758649-REG/Ecopro_747716_LegacyPro_Ascorbic_Acid_Powder.html

Supposedly exactly the same. I'm about to order some to see for myself.

I added this item on my order list but then removed it, first because i wasn't sure if it will have same performance or effect of XTOL, and second i saw that it is to make 5L, then it is not different than XTOL, i wanted something with lower volume, i can't use XTOL 5L on time all or most of it, wasting volume is not lovely, good that the developer is cheap enough to discard that extra wasted volume if the dev exhausted sooner or later.

 

[Smudger]

XTOL developer Concentrate..

I've been working on a concentrated form of XTOL. You can read about it in the thread "Progress on XTOL-concentrate" in this forum. The work is not finished yet, but I've posted a couple of formulas that look as good as XTOL. Here's the latest (2nd posting on page): (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
Here's an earlier posting (also 2nd posting on page): (there was a url link here which no longer exists)
If you can buy chemicals, you can make the concentrate yourself. Or, if you don't want to make a concentrate, you can mix the formula directly into water when you need the developer. It lacks a "chelating agent", so the water-developer won't last long, so mix it soon before using.

Cheers,

Mark Overton

Mark,I'd like to add a vote of thanks for your pioneering work on this developer. While the chemistry is over my head,the potential has not escaped me.
We (Antipodeans) have an expression.."More power to your elbow".
Cheers,mate.

 

[albada]

Mark,I'd like to add a vote of thanks for your pioneering work on this developer.

Thank you (to several people) for the encouraging comments. My goal is to make a concentrate that's suitable for those of us who shoot only occasionally and can't consume 5 litres of developer in 6 months.

Why am I doing this? What's so great about XTOL? XTOL delivers the finest grain (or close to it), with reasonable sharpness, and is almost non-toxic. I'll whole-heartedly give a +1 to XTOL.

Mark Overton