Xtol, again

[Melvin J Bramley]

Rodinal is the IPA of developers.

If Rodinal is the IPA of film developers then Xtol is Miller light!

 

[Cholentpot]

If Rodinal is the IPA of film developers then Xtol is Miller light!

Nah. D-76 is the Budweiser of developers. It gets the job done. Xtol is a little more niche. Xtol is Sam Adams of developers, really good stuff, accessible to all and made by the big guys but way better than the standard Bud and Miller. The D-76 guys would love it if they gave it a chance.

 

[MattKing]

Nah. D-76 is the Budweiser of developers. It gets the job done. Xtol is a little more niche. Xtol is Sam Adams of developers, really good stuff, accessible to all and made by the big guys but way better than the standard Bud and Miller. The D-76 guys would love it if they gave it a chance.

I would have expected that an acetic acid based developer would be closer to a sour - something like a Belgian lambic or Flanders red ale.

 

[Cholentpot]

I would have expected that an acetic acid based developer would be closer to a sour - something like a Belgian lambic or Flanders red ale.

I mean if we're going by flavor profiles I'd agree. I don't generally drink my developer unless it's caffenol

 

[loccdor]

If Rodinal was the IPA then I wouldn't use anything else. But it strikes me as more of a peated cask-strength whisky.

I tried to think of a film developer bad enough to get compared to Southern Comfort, but none of them deserved such dishonor...

 

[Sidd]

Andy, consider also Crawley's FX-55, which can be made up easily from two stock solutions plus a weight of ascorbate mixed in just before use.
I keep a 1% solution of Phenidone in Glycol and use that instead of weighing dry Phenidone for the mixing of working solution — it makes things a bit faster and more precise. The nice thing about FX-55 is that the alkali + sulfite stock Part A lasts a long time, and you can avoid entirely the failure of Mytol due to the Fenton reaction.

Can you suggest what is the approximate longevity of FX-55 solution A? Mine was 1 year old and I think the activity reduced somewhat. Also I use the PG version of solution B, that may also be weakened!

 

[relistan]

PC-512 Borax is different from FX-55 but looks more like XTOL and it is only two solutions, with no powder to mix for each roll. The concentrate lasts a couple of years at least (so far). You might give it a try.

 

[Sidd]

PC-512 Borax is different from FX-55 but looks more like XTOL and it is only two solutions, with no powder to mix for each roll. The concentrate lasts a couple of years at least (so far). You might give it a try.

I am pretty much hooked on your PC-512 Borax, recently. Earlier tried FX55 for some time. Again tried my stock after months, it was somewhat weak. I am trying to find out what went wrong?

 

[runswithsizzers]

I mixed up some Kodak Xtol on Nov. 11, 2024. This batch was made by Photo Systems, Inc. Per Kodak's recommendation, I marked the bottles with an expiration date of May 11, 2025 (six months). Today I wanted to develop some film, and I still had four liters left, so I gave it a try (after testing a piece of film). Looks like it worked great on all 3 rolls, so this batch was still good after 10 months.

I use DI water from the grocery store to mix my Xtol, and this batch was kept in full, 1-liter amber glass bottles with good lids. These are kept in a basement that doesn't get hot, but it was warm enough today that I needed several trays of ice to keep my water bath at 20*C.

 

[mshchem]

I mixed up some Kodak Xtol on Nov. 11, 2024. This batch was made by Photo Systems, Inc. Per Kodak's recommendation, I marked the bottles with an expiration date of May 11, 2025 (six months). Today I wanted to develop some film, and I still had four liters left, so I gave it a try (after testing a piece of film). Looks like it worked great on all 3 rolls, so this batch was still good after 10 months.

I use DI water from the grocery store to mix my Xtol, and this batch was kept in full, 1-liter amber glass bottles with good lids. These are kept in a basement that doesn't get hot, but it was warm enough today that I needed several trays of ice to keep my water bath at 20*C.

The way you are preparing and storing you should be good for a year or longer. Still best to test. I love XTOL!

 

[runswithsizzers]

The way you are preparing and storing you should be good for a year or longer. Still best to test. I love XTOL!

I hope so. I still have two liters from this batch left. Yesterday, I made up some Kodak D-76 as "Plan B" in case the Xtol failed my snip test. But I was pleasantly suprised to not need the D-76.

 

[mshchem]

I hope so. I still have two liters from this batch left. Yesterday, I made up some Kodak D-76 as "Plan B" in case the Xtol failed my snip test. But I was pleasantly suprised to not need the D-76.

Post in thread 'Xtol longevity / shelf life' https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/xtol-longevity-shelf-life.190991/post-2535180

 

[BobUK]

If Rodinal was the IPA then I wouldn't use anything else. But it strikes me as more of a peated cask-strength whisky.

I tried to think of a film developer bad enough to get compared to Southern Comfort, but none of them deserved such dishonor...

The smell of Southern Comfort reminds me of the glass of pink water the dentist gives you.
I don't like the pink stuff, so I spit it out when the dentist isn't looking.

 

[loccdor]

It reminds me of liquified hard candy of some kind.