A Black and White Film Adventure with Xtol 1+1 and Kodak Double-X in Taipei
A Black and White Film Adventure with Xtol 1+1 and Kodak Double-X in Taipei
Diary
A Black and White Film Adventure with Xtol 1+1 and Kodak Double-X in Taipei
My journey with Xtol 1+1 began after discovering its potential for sharpness and economical use, as I had previously been using Kodak HC-110 as my go-to chemical. After seeing posts on forums and Instagram praising Xtol, I decided to try the Bellini Eco Film Developer in a 1+1 dilution: one part developer and one part water.
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My initial results were promising, as I developed three rolls of Kodak Double-X at box speed 250. However, I soon encountered issues in my later batches, as I wasn’t aware of the necessary 15% developer time compensation after the sixth roll. I continued to develop two rolls of Kodak Tmax 400, one roll of Tri-X, two rolls of Kodak Double-X at ISO 400, and finally two rolls of Fuji Acros II. The last batch with Fuji Neopan Acros II appeared underdeveloped, and the film strip labels were noticeably faded.
From this experience, I learned the importance of developing smaller batches and compensating for developer time. Although I typically develop six rolls at a time, I had developed ten this time around. I’m grateful to have discovered this mistake accidentally, as it could have led to greater disappointment down the road.
During my trip to Taipei, I shot eight rolls of black and white film, primarily using my Leica Summilux 24mm f/1.4 asph. This lens, which I talked about in a previous post, pushed me out of my comfort zone. One of my most memorable moments was at Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, where I was captivated by soldiers marching out of an elevator. I attempted to capture their procession from a fresh perspective, which was an exciting new challenge for me.
In the end, I prefer the results of the Xtol solution at stock rather than the 1+1 dilution. I’m also curious as to why my second batch, rolls 4-6, showed signs of underdevelopment. If you know the answer, please share it in the comments below!
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I am a massive fan of the Xtol 1+1 (I use Adox XT3)…but as one-shot. Not quite as economical but very consistent results. Curious what you didn’t like vs stock (as I’ve never actually used it at stock!)
This is my first time using Xtol 1+1. I think the photos are sharper than stock but using stock gives me crisp images and the contrast looks more appeal to me. I think next time I need to compensate the time better with 1+1 or maybe I should learn from you using 1+1 as one-shot.
I agree with Don.
1+1 is meant to be one shot.
Stock you have to compensate after n number of rolls.
If you like stock and want to have max number of rolls, the Replenish Method I believe would be your ideal. No compensation needed.
See here: https://youtu.be/5NcMLcK_zqs?feature=shared
Should work with Adox XT-3 when you run out of Xtol.
Thanks for the information! Much appreciated.