Re: xtol wrecked my HIE!

["Christina Z. Anderson" <tracez@xxxxxxx>]

Not true anymore, according to the reps I talked with at Kodak.  When xtol
first came out, that was probably the case.  Then they found out that many
people were having problems with underdevelopment, and since they originally
tested Xtol in tanks with NOT complete rolls of film but with film strips,
they did not spot the fact that the developer must be at the 100 ml per 80
sq. in amount in order to provide enough developer to do the job and not
exhaust.  I already know Anchell recommends a higher dilution, and maybe he
would be good to talk to in person; however, I have heard his 'cookbook' has
errors and I would tend to trust Kodak more, given the caveat that Kodak
would love everyone to use lesser dilutions because they sell more product.
The bottom line, though, is that if you achieve this 100 ml figure, you can
dilute it up to 1:3 successfully just fine, if your tank is large enough,
but Kodak says the biggest jump in sharpness comes from going full strength
to 1:1 and after that the sharpness is not as much of an increase.  Since
the original post had to do with underdevelopment, too, that is why I even
brought this issue up.  The real question would be to ask if anyone using
Xtol and HIE at full strength or 1:1 perceives problems with sharpness or
bullet proof negs..it seems you find the former problem to be true....
Chris
> Anchell and Troop suggest that higher dilutions are often preferable. I
> believe they cite Kodak and personal experience.
> I find that undiluted xtol gives grain that is too smooth and therefore
> slightly unsharp in appearance. Higher dilutions give more prnounced
> edge effects and a higher perceived degree of sharpness at the expense
> of slightly more pronounced grain. I prefer this look and use xtol 1:3
> for 13.5 minutes at 72 degrees for HIE.
> I usually err on the side of caution and use 125ml per roll, which means
> I can develop 2 rolls of 135 in my jobo tank with extension collar.


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