Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/03/08
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Your caption says you used Microdol-X 1:3 and not Xtol What did you really use? Once we know, we will diagnose the problem and come up with a solution for you ;-) A densiometer would be a great help, but is an investment. Perhaps a local lab can measure an exposed film for you. Shoot a series of grey card exposures. (No need to buy a grey card, any old cloth that is grey will do, but no patterns please.) Start with a correct exposure and then make four underexposures, each one of them one step more underexposed than the other and then four overexposures in the same way. The most underexposed negative should be just faintly (but clearly) darker than the film base plus fog (that is the density of the negative between the sprocket holes). If thinner, then your EI was too high. The darkest negative should be darker than the second darkest, and __almost__ solid black. If it is not almost solid black, then you have underdeveloped. If more than one negative is solid black, then you have over developed. Another solution would be to photograph a grey scale, ten little fields of different shades of grey starting with white and ending up with solid black. Make sure that you can see differences between all shades of grey on the negative. If there is no difference between the thinnest portion of the negative and the film between the sprocket holes, then your exposure was too short and you should adjust your meter setting. If the blackest portion is not .. well, see above Or print a copy of the negative. Everything there from pure white to true black and in even steps? If not adjust EI and/or development time Don't trust the times in the Cookbook. Don't trust Rabiner's times. Don't trust my times. TEST YOU OWN TIMES, and stick by them Chris >I was checking out this image: > >> Here is my week nine PAW: >> > > http://www.dmason.net/PAW/week9/movingsale.html >> > >and am reflecting that I haven't been happy with this film developed >in XTOL 1:3 >or even 1:1. > >I wonder if my times are off (I've been using the times from Developer's >Cookbook) or if maybe XTOL isn't the developer for this film. > >Have others had success with XTOL? Suggestions? I am doing small-tank >development agitating continuously for the first minute and then 10 >seconds out >of each minute thereafter which is what I do for Tri-X. > >Thanks > >Adam >-- >To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html - -- Christer Almqvist D 20255 Hamburg and / or F 50590 Regnéville sur Mer please look at my NEW b+w pictures at: http://www.almqvist.net/chris/dozen/ old pictures still at: http://www.almqvist.net/chris/new - -- To unsubscribe, see http://mejac.palo-alto.ca.us/leica-users/unsub.html