After growing tired of Kodak D-76 developer, which gives you consistent if not stellar results regardless of the film you use, I started using TMax developer. TMax developer costs more than powdered “mix it yourself” developers, but it’s convenient. Unfortunately, the TMax developer does not handle pushed films well, unless you want big, chunky grain. Rodinal is another favorite developer, but again, pushed films will come out ultra grainy. So, I grabbed a bag of Kodak Xtol developer. It’s cheap and you can mix it with room temperature water, unlike D-76 that has to be mixed with hot water that requires cooling. Xtol comes in two different bags glued together. You mix bag A in 4 liters of water. Then after the solution A powder is fully dissolved, you add bag B and another liter of water. In the end, you get 5 liters of working solution that can be used full strength or diluted.
I like the look that Xtol gives. These shots are on Kodak Tri_X 400 pushed an extra stop to 800 ISO.
A gorgeous vintage Schwinn Racer in the rain on First Street in the East Village
Another view of the classic Schwinn Racer in the rain, East Village
There was this beautiful old Cadillac on the same block, East Village
The New York City Marble Cemetery, one of the beautiful old graveyards in Manhattan. This is on First Street in the East Village.
Prune is one of our favorite go to spots for food in the East Village. It’s busy a lot of the time, and will probably get busier now that the chef’s book is getting so much attention, but we usually find a spot at the tiny bar and just relax. The food is fantastic and the staff treat you like family.
A bonus image from later in Nolita. The Xtol handles the wet pavement on this basketball court. It’s not too shiny, but it does capture the sheen of water and the texture of the surfaces.
All images shot with Nikon FM2n and Nikkor 50mm f1.4 Ai lens on Kodak Tri-X 400 film pushed to 800 ISO and developed in Kodak Xtol (stock solution) for 7.75 minutes.
4 Comments
So nice pictures!
http://www.accessorizeyouroutfit.blogspot.com
You have a great site here! Pictures are really awesome.
I see you have switched from D-76 to Xtol. When you used D-76 were you using it 1:1 or stock? Replenishing?
How about Xtol? Stock or 1:1?
After following you blog for awhile I started to try out D-76, and have also purchased some Xtol. I have never used developers that can be replenished so I was curious how you have been using them.
Thanks for your time
Matt
Hey Matt- Thanks for the kind words. I did switch from D-76 as I could never seem to control the excessive grain. The Xtol seems to be super smooth even when pushed. Might have something to do with my agitation though.
I always used the D-76 and use the Xtol as stock solution, no dilution.
I have to say though, I’ve looked at your photos on your blog and D-76 seems to be working well for you. Maybe you’re seeing something different at full size.
I think the big thing for me is seeing the difference in developers at full size scans. The Xtol just seems so much smoother to me. And it’s easier and quicker to mix. I never liked having to mix D-76 at high temp and then letting it cool for a day. I’ve never replenished any of my developers, so I can’t help you there.
I think I’ll stick to Xtol for now; it’s definitely my favorite after trying Ilford DDX, Rodinal, and D-76.
Good luck,
Shawn
Thats great to know Shawn.
I used D-76 both as a stock solution (for 35mm) and a 1:1 dilution (for 120) and was very pleased with both the results. I will need to work with it a bit more before I can be sure it is as good as I think it is now. I will stick with a stock solution for the time being, as it would be easier to judge the developer. I think.
Could not agree with you more about the full size scans. To be honest this is where I thought D-76 was leagues ahead of Diafine or Ilfosol 3. The scans are nearly grain-less and very easy to scan. There does not seem to be very much clumping and as you said very tight. I will be printing some images today to see how it looks on paper.
Now, that being said I am just a beginner in film development and have not tried or even seen a lot of different film/dev combos. So keep that in mind. lol
I was having some development issues as of late as well. I had a real problem with bromide drag, uneven development and excessive grain. I have started to use a stainless steel tank and reels. Problems seemed to have been minimized greatly. Zero bromide drag and very little to no uneven development. I believe that the developer can flow more freely through the steel reels than the plastic, thus, encouraging a better exchange of fresh developer over the film surface.
At the same time I have changed my agitation routine. I follow Kodaks recommended agitation instructions to the letter and find it works wonderfully for me. I was using Ilfords agitation instructions before I switched.
Thanks for your time Shawn, I am looking forward to seeing more of your photography. Keep up the great work!
Matt