Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2002/01/08

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Subject: Re: [Leica] Four Categories of high definition developers
From: Nathan Wajsman <wajsman@webshuttle.ch>
Date: Tue, 08 Jan 2002 21:23:32 +0100
References: <3C3B4EF7.41E4A2EF@markrabiner.com>

Mark,

I have tried FX39 with Delta 100, and while the results are good, I am not
sure that they are sufficiently better than XTOL 1+3 to justify keeping two
developers. I like standardizing on one.

Nathan

Mark Rabiner wrote:

> ON page 55 of "The Film Developing Cookbook" Anchell/Troop has four
> categories of high definition developers:
>
> 1. Highest Acutance:
> FX1, HDD, Beutler, Neofin Blue, some Pyrocatechin developers.
>
> 2. High Acutance:
> Patterson VX39, & Acutol (FX 14), PMK, FX2, Formulary TFX-2, FX37.
>
> 3: Good Acutance (slightly higher than D76 but not as high as categories
> 1 or 2):
> Dilute DK 50, HC-110!?, Rodinal, Unitol, FG7.*
>
> 4. Solvent developers strongly diluted: good Acutance but less than
> category 3.
> D76, FX15, D23, Microdol X, Perceptol all diluted 1:3 or 1:4. They say
> Kodak Xtol is a special case, offering a speed increase at that dilution
> and unusually high sharpness for a solvent developer."
>
> Our developer discussions on the LUG have been involved with categories
> 3 and 4 as that is what we are all using.
> So many of us are using category 4 developers when we should be perhaps
> using category 1!
> We are three, count em,  three leagues away from  where we would like to
> be or should be to take full advantage of our premium glass blah blah
> blah and focused on a 24x36mm area to be magnified 5 to 15 times and so
> on!
> Premium 35mm photography! I think that is why we are here!
>
> Notice Rodinal does not make the top 2!
> And Xtol even though they go out of their way to say wonderful things
> about it is at the bottom of the barrel.  - in Catagoy 4.
>
> maybe we should not be in catagoy 4 but 3;
> not 3 but 2;
> not 2 but 1!
> Our glass easily deserves better. At least category 2 if not 1!
>
> Mark Rabiner
> Portland, Oregon USA
> http://www.markrabiner.com
>
> * this is a little unclear:
> we assume they mean slightly higher than D76 1:1, HC-110 dilution B, and
> Rodinal 1:50 or 1:100. And FG7 with no sulfite.
> But we don't know for completely sure and there is some doubt.
> I have a feeling they mean HC-110 at a higher dilution than B. Which i
> by the way had no luck with. I got uneven development.
> --
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- --
Nathan Wajsman
Herrliberg (ZH), Switzerland

e-mail: wajsman@webshuttle.ch

Photo-A-Week: http://www.wajsman.com/indexpaw2002.htm
General photo site: http://www.wajsman.com/index.htm


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Replies: Reply from Mark Rabiner <mark@markrabiner.com> (Re: [Leica] Four Categories of high definition developers)
In reply to: Message from Mark Rabiner <mark@markrabiner.com> ([Leica] Four Categories of high definition developers)