Try Ilfotec DD film developer. It works great. Made for dip and dunk
processors but you can use it in a batch setup also.
Mark
Austin Franklin wrote:
> Thomas,
>
> > Many
> > labs use stuff like D76 or HC110 because of cost and replenishment.
> much
> > better choices can be made.
>
> I strongly disagree that "much better choices can be made" than processing
> Tri-X and Plus-X in D-76. It depends on the film, and what you want the
> film to look like. I have tried every developer, short of mixing my own,
> and nothing works as well, for me, as D-76 1:1 for the films I mention.
>
> > If your scans are too grainy, try Kodak XTOL.
> > This suggestion is particularly applicable to anyone who shoots Tmax.
>
> I agree with XTOL for TMAX, but I found it isn't near as good for Tri-X,
> Plus-X and Delta 100/400 as D-76. Just my experience. I only use
> XTOL for
> Neopan 1600 and Delta 3200 and for what little TMAX films I
> occasionally do.
>
> > The developer is very sensitive to contaminents. If your result
> > appears too
> > thin, that means your darkroom tanks and vessels are not clean
> enough. so
> > clean everything more thoroughly than usual.
>
> I have never heard that with XTOL. I do know that if they film is
> thin, the
> developer is exhausted. This can be caused by three things in my
> experience. One is insufficient amount of solution per roll. This is
> specified in the instruction sheet and pretty much should be adhered to.
> Second is mixing it with aerated water. Nothing kills it faster than
> that.
> Let the water sit for a while before mixing. Third is just time. XTOL
> gives no indication of being exhausted, unlike most other developers that
> turn brown/yellow. I only use fresh XTOL, and will not hesitate to throw
> out XTOL that's been around for a month. It also MUST be kept in FULL
> sealed, preferably glass, bottles. Plastic bottles seem to not work
> near as
> well for XTOL.
>
> > I believe the invention of this developer by the Kodak engineering
> team is
> > possibly the biggest advance in chemical photography in the last decade.
> > The improvement is substantial.
>
> Obviously, you like XTOL. I find it's tonality and grain
> objectionable...and find D-76 gives much better and smoother tonality, and
> "easy" grain.
>
> Regards,
>
> Austin
>
>
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