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NO, I meant that figuring out how XTOL worked was like figuring out how anything else works. In truth XTOL is superb with MINIMAL AGITATION.
It allows you to place the shadow and highlight where you want them to be, and then shape the curve through the midtones. Stick-in-the-mud Zonies say you can't do that, but anybody can.
It is totally 'zonable', repeatable. It has its limitations, like all developers.
The reason I gave a short answer and referred the O.P. to earlier discussions is that we are such a diverse group here it is nearly impossible to tell who is pouring gasoline on the flames just to watch it burn, who is peeing on the fire, and who really, actually and truly knows what's going on and wants to help.
Read what Sandy King says about minimal agitation with Pyrocat, what Steve Sherman says about the technique. Avoid ANYTHING that says 'uh, I left the film in for three days and didn't agitate it, and it was great.' That's probably my cousin that took too much acid in 1970 and still thinks he's a banana.
TMY (1600) & Xtol / 1/60 @ f/1.4 Minimal Agitation
The image below, the trick was to lift the shadows, hold the highlights, and keep the midtones, midtones. It pulled the highlights, pushed the shadows, and kept Zone V at Zone V. Minor White explained how to do this back in the '70s.
We can do almost anything we want to do in photography if we set our mind to it,
and are not governed by other folks' expectations. We are also bound by 150 years of photo rubbish that declares what we can do, what we should, and what can't be done. Try it, test it, work with it. Learn.
Then teach.
Peace to you all.
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