XTOL Bromide Drag / Surge Marks

Hi all,

Quite a while back I posted a question about a problem that I was having. I was seeing bromide drag or surge marks (opinions varied) and was having a hard time eliminating the problem. Actually I never did eliminate the problem, just minimized it. I was using XTOL developer and had been since I reopened my darkroom a few years ago. On a whim I mixed up a batch of D76 and developed a number of rolls with it and what do you know, the problem is gone. Could it be that simple?

I use rotary development and Xtol because 1) I'm lazy and 2) it helps me be consistent. I had one roll with very noticeable surge marks at the spokes of the reels because I got too lazy and just let the rig roll the same direction the entire development cycle.

Now I'm less lazy with switching direction and >boom< back to even tones even in the wide open.

Maybe your technique was too regular or too something for Xtol and D76 likes what you're doing!

Dear Born2Late,

No. You were doing something wrong before. We all do every now and then. There is even a thread somewhere wherein members contributed some of our funnier mistakes. The good news is that you've found a friend in D76, one that is worth nurturing!

Keep having fun,

Neal Wydra

Yeah, it can be that simple.
Vexingly, problems such as this, that are related to agitation technique seem to come and go. If you follow these sorts of threads, it's pretty common that a photographer using the same gear and chemicals he has for months/years/decades has surge marks or similar problems show up seemingly out of the blue. And the solution always seems to be "change something". Agitation technique; less vigorous inversion, more vigorous inversion, adding a twist to the motion, removing a twist to the motion, more often, less often, rotation instead of inversion, inversion instead of rotation. Or equipment change; SS to plastic and vice versa or developer change or some magic combination of all of it. I've had it happen.
Just like everyone's specific technique, the solution seems to be just as unique, because you see a lot of "try this, it worked for me", followed by "did that, it didn't help, but tried this and it worked".

I have seen Bromide drag streaks on 8x10 sheet film processed one way rotation with XTOL. I was also using diluted 1:1. Now always use two way on Beseler roller or Jobo CPP2. YOU need to be careful f you dilute XTOL you need to use more than the minimum volumes listed on the Jobo tanks. I have used XTOL 1:1 for years manually inversion processing roll films never had a single issue.
I'm very careful when using the Jobo to use plenty of solutions or it just runs out of activity. Lately I have been using Xtol straight just to be sure.
And by the way D76 is a fabulous incredible developer one of the most dependable old formulas out there. IMHO ☺
BEST REGARDS MIKE

What agitation scheme are you using? Kodak recommends 5s every 30s. For tank development this would be 2 gentle inversions every 30s. Too little agitation will cause bromide drag and too much surge marks. Hand agitation is preferable to using any sort of roller device. The steady motion with no variation can cause problems. Hand agitation is irregular enough not to cause any surge marks.

In a forum as large as APUG it is almost certain that another or even others will have experienced the same kind of problem as you describe but I doubt that a safe conclusion is that Xtol per se is more prone to bromide-drag/surge marks than say D76.

Gerald has asked a key question, namely did your agitation regime follow Kodak's recommendation. I have used Xtol exclusively for the past 8-10 years at least and have never experienced bromide-drag/surge issues in developing a lot of films.

pentaxuser

I have never gotten bromide drag when using Xtol. I have gotten surge marks, though... but that can happen with any/most developers, especially when you limit the amount of agitation so that bromide can form. The only time I got bromide drag (clear streaks on the negative) is when I did full on stand development with pyrocat-hd. That was nasty!