Back to Microdol-X

[Tom hicks]

As some of you know I developed my first B&W in Microdol -x a couple of weeks ago . I did 4 rolls . Three Tmax one Tri-x . I then tried 4 rolls of Tri x in D76. the result for me was Ok but I am favoring the tones of Microdol as well as the finer grain . I bought the last 4 bags that a local supplier had and tried it again today here is the results . I know of a few others that use it but the vast majority seem the use either D76 , Rodinal, or HC110, am I missing something that is not apparent to my being so new to the game ?

Here are my results from today, as usual my subject matter sucks ,but it is a test roll.

[Tom hicks]

Three more for the heck of it.

[raytoei@gmail.com]

http://retro.ms11.net/film.jpg

i like microdol-x for its creaminess. i had problems with my last pack because i did not strain the developer enough which resulted in a lot of undissolved bits on the screen.

the above picture was something i found along the way.

raytoei

[Frontman]

I miss Microdol, wish could find some more. I'll give Fuji Microfine a try and see how it works,

[sepiareverb]

The Ilford Perceptol is about identical to Microdol-X and still available. Some will complain that Microdol-X leads to unsharp negatives, and to some extent this is true, but in prints up to 11x14 this is not an issue in my experience. Tonality is delightful in Perceptol/Microdol-X, my favorite developer for the dwindling supply of Plus-X in my freezer.

[Nokton48]

Microdol-X Rocks! although, you must now buy it as "Legacy" from Freestyle Photo. It's still around, Tom those are great! Keep going with it.

[Tom hicks]

Ray thanks for the chart, Had I seen that earlier I probably would have tried the Xtol first. I will use up what I have and then try some of it.

[Freakscene]

You can get an alternative:
http://freestylephoto.biz/749710-LegacyPro-Mic-X-Film-Developer-to-Make-1-Gallon

I always figured people didn't use it as much as other developers because of the speed loss. Even diluted I could never get proper shadow detail at more than EI 200 with Tri-X. This matters less in flat light or where shadow contrast doesn't matter much. It was offered at one lab I worked at and I had one client who used it with Plus-X at EI64 almost exclusively.

Marty

[Tom hicks]

Microdol-X Rocks! although, you must now buy it as "Legacy" from Freestyle Photo. It's still around, Tom those are great! Keep going with it.

Hey Dan, As you know I'm not unhappy with it at all and will continue to use it . I feel comfortable with it although it's been a short learning time for me .

Hope all is well.

Tom

[oftheherd]

Thanks Nokton48 and Freakscene. I didn't know that it was being sold under that name.

[BobYIL]

For a tad more increased sharpness but still with more or less the same excellent gradations, use Microdol-X or Perceptol diluted 1:1.. As long as ISO 320 not exceeded you retain the original creamyness. Starting with the HP4 and then with the HP5, I used this developer for long years.

[Tom hicks]

The Ilford Perceptol is about identical to Microdol-X and still available. Some will complain that Microdol-X leads to unsharp negatives, and to some extent this is true, but in prints up to 11x14 this is not an issue in my experience. Tonality is delightful in Perceptol/Microdol-X, my favorite developer for the dwindling supply of Plus-X in my freezer.

thanks for the info , what little I has used Microdol I have not had any sharpness issues they are quite sharp and print wonderfully. I'm liking it .

[Nokton48]

People who complain about the Microdol sharpness, are picking their developer by looking through a grain loupe under the enlarger, or have read something previously, and are recalling it from memory. What they are missing out on, in my opinion, is the absolutely lovely tonality in the final prints.

[sepiareverb]

What they are missing out on, in my opinion, is the absolutely lovely tonality in the final prints.

Completely agree. There is nothing else that looks like print from a Microdol-X/Perceptol negative on a mid-speed film. A sparkle I've not gotten with any other combination.

[shadowfox]

Good info guys.
I wonder what it would look like when you use Microdol-X with Adox 25 or 50 ISO films.
Those film already have a smooth tonality look to begin with.

[Nokton48]

Good info guys.
I wonder what it would look like when you use Microdol-X with Adox 25 or 50 ISO films.
Those film already have a smooth tonality look to begin with.

Hello Shadowfox,

Here's something from digital truth on that combo:

http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php?Film=Efke+25&Developer=Microdol-X&mdc=Search

I never dilute Microdol-X, myself, because I always replenish it when I've finished my film run. And it lasts an incredibly long time, I've had a gallon going before for over a year before, and it gets better with time, as it is "seasoned" with the replenisher.

[charjohncarter]

http://retro.ms11.net/film.jpg

i like microdol-x for its creaminess. i had problems with my last pack because i did not strain the developer enough which resulted in a lot of undissolved bits on the screen.

the above picture was something i found along the way.

raytoei

I've never used Microdol-X, but I also like the creaminess of HC-110, especially with Tmax films. I have to say I've always been puzzled by this chart. As I remember there was zero discussion of EI used. Therefore I'm not sure if the shadow detail parameter is significant. They say at rated speed, but most people that read this chart will pick their own speed.

[Nokton48]

Recently I ran eight rolls of Eastman 5222 in straight Microdol-X, 15C for 24 minutes. Tonality was what I was expecting, absolutely lovely. Decent emulsion speed, too.
Now I have seven rolls of Neopan 400, and a roll of Double-X to run next, I will continue with this combo. I replenish my Micrdol-X, added 240cc for the first eight rolls. Looking forward to what this will do for me.

Microdol-X is a recommended developer (by Fuji) for Neopan 400 and 1600. I have alot of both of these to use up.

[Bill Clark]

Place I use for development times:

http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php

Microdol X:


http://www.digitaltruth.com/devchart.php?Film=&Developer=Microdol-X&mdc=Search

[tjh]

I used to use Microdol-X exclusively, some 40 years ago. How do you replenish the LegacyPro product? I seem to remember that I bought Microdol-X in liquid form and had a separate product to replenish. Am I correct or just forgetting what was available?

[Nokton48]

I used to use Microdol-X exclusively, some 40 years ago. How do you replenish the LegacyPro product?

Nope. I make my own Microdol-X Replenisher, based on the internet info (which you can google) from Kodak "Microdol-X Developer J-4027"

!. Start with 2 U.S. quarts of water at 90-100F

2. Add contents of gallon-size Microdol-X (I substituted Legacy Pro Mic-X) with sufficent stirring to keep the chemicals suspended.

3. Add 24 grams of photographic grade Sodium Carbonate, monohydrate (Photographer's Formulary, Artcraft, etc)

4. Mix until all the components are dissolved.

5. Add water to bring up the solution volume to 3.0 U.S. quarts

6. Mix until the solution is uniform

7. That's it! :D

8. A starting point for Replenishment is 30ml of Legacy-Pro Mic-X Replenisher per 135-36 exposure roll.

[tjh]

Nope. I make my own Microdol-X Replenisher, based on the internet info (which you can google) from Kodak "Microdol-X Developer J-4027"



Thanks! Maybe I'll have a go at this soon.

Tom

[alfredian]

Sepiareverb has it down: Plus-X and Microdol-X -- the "X-twins". When I started in the late Sixties the scene was all Tri-X and D-76, at least in the USA, for Grain. I went the other way, with Plus-X and Microdol-X 1:3 (disposable). Ahh, those happy hours agitating every 30 seconds, for most of an evening it seemed.

Infinite gray scale, zero grain, and wonderfully sharp. I have one can of "real" Microdol-X that was part of an Ansco junior hobbyist package deal - the developer, an Ansco tank with the plastic ratchet reels & "thermometer", plus a contact-printer thing with an Xmas tree light bulb, up to 2 1/4" square size.

For over a decade Microdol-X was the only thing I used, ever. In a fit of tiny-grain frenzy I did some Panatomic-X in Microdol. I will check out Freestyle's Mic-X product as soon as I can.

[Bill Clark]

I don't use replenisher.

Cost benefits aren't there.

See if I did this correctly:

I use Freestyle Mic-X at a little less than $10.00 cost per gallon of powder.

Distilled water is less than a dollar, but let's make it $1.00

Total is $11.00

Isn't replenisher to help (prolong) save the developer, hence lower the cost?

I use Paterson tanks, 10 oz. per 35mm film. It says on the bottom of the tank.

Stock (128 oz.) develops about 13 rolls.
Cost $.85 per roll.

1+1 (256 oz.) develops about 26 rolls or about cost of $.43 per roll.


1+3 (512 oz.) develops about 51 rolls or about cost of $.22 per roll.


Does it make sense to use replenisher?

Cost of replenisher has to be taken into consideration when figuring true cost when using it.

Hope this helps you.

[raytoei@gmail.com]

Hi, i still have my last twenty rolls of plus-x
and a box of perceptol (microdol-x by ilford).
At what speed should i shoot the plus-x ?
box-speed ?

raytoei

[Nokton48]

Does it make sense to use replenisher? Cost of replenisher has to be taken into consideration when figuring true cost when using it.

Everybody has a different scenerio, I think it is more expensive to run straight with replenisher than one-shot, but cost is not my only concern. I am running film in my basement darkroom, which right now has an ambient temp of 15 degrees Centigrade. That is downright chilly! My adjusted development time with straight Microdol-X is 24 minutes, and it worked very well on my last film run. The negs look amazing to me.

Also I want to use this developer with Fuji Neopan 400 and 1600, I have ALOT of both still left, and Microdol-X is a developer recommended by Fuji for these two films. But I see only specs for using straight developer, as well as not really wanting to end up with a half-hour of agitating an eight-reel stainless Honeywell Nikor tank, which I would probably have to do with diluted developer :D

I really think the long developing times with Microdol-X are an advantage, especially when you are making a big film run. Less chance of uneven development, most likely.

Three quarts of Microdol-X Replenisher will run 90 rolls. It's more expensive, but that's a lot less than using Ilford DDX at 1:4, for example. And I'm hoping to get that amazing Microdol-X tonality with the Fuji :D

[sepiareverb]

I really think the long developing times with Microdol-X are an advantage, especially when you are making a big film run. Less chance of uneven development, most likely.

I've always used Microdol-X at 1:1, occasionally at 1:3 when I had a LOT of it to run- as you say much easier with the longer times. I will have to mix up some Perceptol for my 5222, a mid-speed film with the extra X in the combo must be good.

[Noserider]

The benefits of replenishment are more than just economy: the developer gains from the seasoning. Search APUG about replenishment especially XTOL...

[Nokton48]

The benefits of replenishment are more than just economy: the developer gains from the seasoning. Search APUG about replenishment especially XTOL...

Yes, I was going to mention the "seasoning" of the Microdol-X as an attribute. I used to know a Guy who kept a gallon in a gallon brown glass jug from the local Pharmacy, and it kept for several years. It gets better and you "season" it. Time will tell.

[Athiril]

You're not the only one not keen on D-76.

Microdol-X/Perceptol is great, but I'm stuck on Xtol myself.

Such high solvent developers are less sharp in terms of acutance on the negative but can provide increased resolution.

[Nokton48]

Microdol-X developed photos:

http://www.flickr.com/groups/microdol-x/pool/

[kxl]

As others have said, Plus-X and Microdol-X were fantastic together. I still have some bags of Microdol-X, but alas, out of Plus-X / Arista Premium 100.

[sepiareverb]

As others have said, Plus-X and Microdol-X were fantastic together. I still have some bags of Microdol-X, but alas, out of Plus-X / Arista Premium 100.

I'm out of both.

[Nokton48]

This weekend I will load up six rolls of Neopan 400, and two more rolls of Eastman XX, for another processing run. It is still winter here in Ohio (with corresponding ambient basement temperatures). 24 minutes at 15 degrees Celcius in stock Mic-X worked amazing well the first time around. I added 240 ml of the Mic-X Replenisher to my stock solution Mic-X, so I am now good to go again.

All of these films were exposed at a base EI of 250. In most cases (if I -really- like the photograph), and it is not a non-repeatable event, I shoot multiple frames, adding one stop extra, then two (sometimes). That way, I am sure I am getting what I want regardless of conditions.