Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/07/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Peter: >It occurs to me to ask -- since there are some heavy >xtol users here, with an extensive body of collective >experience -- have any of you personally experienced >the heartbreak of xtol failure? I used to be very wary answering this question. Knock on wood and all that stuff. I haven't exposed a frame of film in almost a year and half, so I'm no longer afraid... I used xtol exclusively for about 5 years or so, shooting at least 100 rolls a year. A bit more some years. Usually ran film 4 rolls in a liter. So that's 25 batches x 5 years = 125 times in a row without a single xtol failure. Stored the xtol in dark amber, 250ml bottles, filled to the top. Single use bottles. I'd use 1 or 2 per liter...for either 1:3 or 1:1 dilution. I threw away one 5L kit of xtol 'cos it was all clumpy when I went to mix it up. Not like the rest. Maybe that would have led to a failure. Dunno. Better safe than sorry. Xtol is the best thing since sliced bread for B&W development. Never could get the bread to give me consistent results. Maybe I should have tried rye. :) -- Eric http://canid.com/