Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/05/06
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]My first batch of Xtol is now washing. It is however 4 rolls of 120 but lets all ignore that. I was too afraid to run my precious 35 and these 120 rolls were test rolls in other sense for me and a friend. By the time I finish typing this it will be ready to hang up. I'll make a slightly longer story out of it in case you've got nothing better to do than read this and so my film will wash. A friend whose Hasselblad 200 series I try not to hold against him just got a new lens for it, a 150 2.8 that he wanted to "test." Quite a hunk of gorgeous glass not for chump change. No lens shade yet. He wanted to see if it was "ok" and that he didn't need to bring it back so I grabbed by old 150 C and went out with him and discovered a great location. Textured paint pealing charcoal walls by the tracks. The sun going down casting metallic light over everything which was nice as no tripods. Only a few minutes away but going back with other cameras films and tripods the light will never be the same. We had 12 exposures each of old fashioned 400 tri x and it went too quick. I had told him the 100 TMax would be of no use but the direct sunlight was still hitting most of what we were shooting and we went for it. I'll tell you ahead of the time having peaked at the negs in the wash that those negs looked the best! So I had 2 rolls of 120 tri x in the tank and one roll of 120 TMax 100 and a roll of Agfapan 25 120 which I just shot with the Rolleiflex because I am bringing it with me on my lewis and Clark trip in a few days and I just bought a brick of film for it and I for some reasoned panicked the focusing was off!! The screen was upside down? 3 feet was not 3 feet when in focus. So an hour ago I stuck a roll of Agfapan 25 in the camera and shoot various distances wide open (2.8) in my backyard and inadvertently got some pretty good shots... On a big Gitzo tripod. I had downloaded a huge Xtol pdf from kodak with all films and dilutions and attempts to explain this minimum developer for tank or roll issue which is never the same twice depending on who is telling it or where I read it. This has scared me the most because of lots of posts on the net or web about film coming out almost clear out of the blue. I had read to add time to Kodak's; I did. All the films had different recommended times but I gave the tank 13 minutes (for luck) The 2 rolls of tri x are way over developed but I think printable, I'll wait for dry down. The roll of T Max 100 having gotten the pink out (it's easier now) is right on the money looks as I said gorgeous. The roll of Agfapan 25 might be a tad thin but is easily printable and I can't wait. Forgot to say I did this a 1:2. No guts to go the whole 1:3 route but I didn't think I started conservatively. (Didn't throw a whole JOB in and hope for the best) It's the Agfa that should have been overdeveloped not the other way around!! Just shows to go ya. The Tri x should have been the closest but it was the furthest off. These darn charts.!! Time to hang em. Mark :-) Rabiner It works!