{"id":100,"date":"2010-12-23T03:51:00","date_gmt":"2010-12-23T03:51:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrix-x.rraz.ca\/?p=100"},"modified":"2026-06-15T01:33:54","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T01:33:54","slug":"silver-alchemy-xtol-plus-rodinal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrix-x.rraz.ca\/?p=100","title":{"rendered":"Silver Alchemy – Xtol Plus Rodinal"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is a certain modern retro look that I have in my mind for a portrait project I have in the works. The Lomo 120 ISO 100 film AKA Shanghai GP3 looks like a possible film for the project <\/a>For the developer I would like to use Xtol. Xtol looks good but seem to lack a bit of an edge. Xtol’s primary component is vitamin C<\/a> and vitamin C is compatible with Rodinal.  The idea (from apug) is that a pinch of Rodinal in Xtol adds a bit of edge definition which is normally absent because of the solvent action of the Xtol. So this might be just what is needed.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.unblinkingeye.com\/Articles\/Rodinal\/rodinal.html<\/a><\/p>\n

http:\/\/www.apug.org\/forums\/viewpost.php?p=959820<\/a><\/p>\n

\nNew update on the process can be found here: silver-alchemy-xtol-plus-rodinal-part-ii<\/a><\/h4>\n

\nIt’s a balance between grain and highlights with the Rodinal and shadow detail with the Xtol. The 2 developers just happen to be chemically and PH compatible. But Xtol is a solvent compensating developer while Rodinal is not.<\/p>\n

I use around a 2 minute water presoak at the same temperature as the developer and standard agitation (first 30 seconds and a couple of seconds every 2 to 3 minutes thereafter). So far in an unscientific sampling it looks like I’m on the right track. Very happy with the results:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Sunset<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Kodak TMAX 400<\/b> “Xtol 1:2 + Rodinal 1:112 for 10.5 minutes 19c”<\/span>
\nXtol was meant to be the dominant component yet with the tmax 400 I can
\n see a definite difference in the highlights over xtol alone. I know by
\n my scanning histograms compared to previous work with xtol and TMAX
\nthat the DMAX has increased with more highlights and midtone details
\nthen what would normally be seen with xtol alone while the shadows are
\npretty normal for xtol 1:2. <\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"New<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fuji Neopan 400<\/b> “Xtol 1:2 + Rodinal 1:112 for 12.5  minutes 19c”  <\/span>
\nIt is less clear that there is any benefit to adding Rodinal to Xtol
\nwhen developing Fuji Neopan 400 at box speed. I suspect that because it
\nis easy to block shadows with Neopan 400 at box speed using 1:2 Xtol
\ninstead of my normal 1:1 Xtol the shadows are closing obscuring any
\nbenefits of adding the Rodinal. Upping the Xtol to 1:1 seems to give
\nbetter results.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Aspen\"<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Neopan at 400<\/b> souped in xtol 1:1 plus rodinal 1:112 for 9 minutes19c<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\n  <\/h1>\n

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\n <\/h1>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"In<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
HP5 at 400<\/b> souped in xtol 1:1 plus rodinal 1:135 for 9.5 minutes19c <\/span>
\nHP5 is a difficult nut to crack The first time was far too grainy. The
\nsecond time worked much better very sharp maybe even too much acuity.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Columns<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shanghai GP3<\/b> developed in Xtol 1:2 + Rodinal 1:112 for 15 minutes at 19c.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

\n  <\/h1>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Behind<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shanghai GP3<\/b> developed in Xtol 1:2 + Rodinal 1:112 for 15 minutes at 19c.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Test<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shanghai GP3<\/b> developed in Xtol 1:2 + Rodinal 1:112 for 14 minutes at 19c.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Chip<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shanghai GP3<\/b> developed in Xtol 1:2 + Rodinal 1:112 for 14 minutes at 19c.<\/span>
\nHard to see at this resolution but good sharp details with the snow
\ngrains and just a touch of blotchyness in the deep shadows.  Looking
\npretty good but I need to get a better baseline before I can make any
\nconclusions.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Pedestrian<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Shanghai GP3<\/b> in Xtol 1:2 + Rodinal 1:100 for 10 minutes 27c,  pushed +1 shot at ISO 160<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Thing<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n
\nTri-X 320p<\/b> “Xtol 1:2 + Rodinal 1:112 for 12.2  minutes 20c<\/span><\/div>\n
\nTri-X 320P shows good dynamic range and retention of highlight
\ndetails in this high contrast snow scene with only a slight blocking of
\ndeep shadows.<\/span><\/div>\n

<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Living<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fomapan Action 400<\/b> in Xtol 1:2 + Rodinal 1:100 for 9 minutes 19c<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Danger<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Fomapan 100<\/b> in Xtol 1:2 + Rodinal 1:112 for 9 minutes 20c<\/span>
\n  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Little<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Tri-X 400<\/b> at 500 souped in xtol 1:1.7 plus rodinal 1:100 for 9.5 minutes at 23c<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
\"Portrait<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Ilford Delta 3200<\/b> at ISO 3200 souped in xtol 1:2 plus rodinal 1:100 for 11  minutes at 25c<\/span>
\n(Pretty smooth for ISO 3200)<\/span><\/td>\n		<\/td>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There is a certain modern retro look that I have in my mind for a portrait project I have in the works. The Lomo 120 ISO 100 film AKA Shanghai GP3 looks like a possible film for the project For the developer I would like to use Xtol. Xtol looks good but seem to lack […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[13,16,18,19,21,15,20,22,23,17,14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-100","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dmax","category-fomapan-100","category-fomapan-action-400","category-fuji-neopan-400","category-ilford-delta-3200","category-kodak-tmax-400","category-rodinal","category-shanghai-gp3","category-tr-x","category-vitamin-c","category-xtol"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/metrix-x.rraz.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/metrix-x.rraz.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/metrix-x.rraz.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metrix-x.rraz.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metrix-x.rraz.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=100"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/metrix-x.rraz.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":101,"href":"https:\/\/metrix-x.rraz.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/100\/revisions\/101"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/metrix-x.rraz.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=100"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metrix-x.rraz.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=100"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/metrix-x.rraz.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=100"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}