Shooting Eastman (Double-X) 5222 in the Leica

I find this thread very interesting.

I could save great deal if I bought 400ft of double XX from US. I pay Trix 10 rolls for $55 here in Sweden :( 25 rolls cost same as 72 ones DoubleXX.. OMG

Anyone has tried pushing the Double XX a few stops up? (Iso 400, 800, 1600)? I really don't mind grain and I'm not interested of grainless films :)
 
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"My own M2 is starting to feel left out..."

Hey, what's not to like about this film? And, it was introduced in 1959, the same as the birthdate of my M2. So it seems appropriate. Yes, I need to visit local photolabs and start scarfing up their throwaway reloadable cartridges to load with XX.
 
"reload 35mm cassettes from the local mini-lab. Just tape the fresh stock to the old leader and load them in Mr Watson, Lloyd, etc..."

I have been using the empty cassettes from labs for years. There usually is 1/4 inch of film left out after they are done. I slip the bulk film under this 1/4 in and into the cassette and then use scotch tape to attach them together.

This is done in my Watson loader. Close the Loader door and proceed as normal. I have been very satisfied with this method.

leo
 
My M2 is a '59 as well...

If it's possible to wring out a good 1 - 1.5 stop push out of the XX, it makes it much more attractive to me.
 
I have exposed XX at 400 and developed for the same time as Tri-x. There probably or might be a problem in the shadows doing this but the negs looked good. I would run some experiments before this became my standard speed.

Tom A I think has experimented with faster speeds with XX maybe he will jump in and give his experiences.

I read where XX could be used at 640 in Diafine. I will have to try this. I will report if I get some data on XX at a faster ASA in Diafine.

Leo
 
I wonder what Acufine would do with Eastman XX - its a speed increasing developer, the can says to rate Tri-x at 1000. I'll see about running a test on that as well.

It looks like we should put together some archive of all these test results.
 
Dan,

Did you get the film I sent you? Should be to you today.

With Acufine try 1000 ASA & 400 ASA and regular speed at 250 ASA on the same roll to see if there is any loss of quality between the speeds. Thats what I intend to do with Diafine that I have.

I might have a chance to do that tomorrow, weather permitting, with possible snow tonight I don't that would be a good subject to push film.

Leo
 
You can get about 400 out of the XX with similar times as with Tri X (D-76 10,5-11 min) and Rodinal 1:50/ 12 min ( "lumpy" grain though). The XX has a fair bit of latitude, but watch the shadows, they block easily.
First shoot yourself in with it at 250asa and then start pushing it - you can probably gain about 3/4-1 stop without too much loss of quality, but trying for 800 is probably "chalk and soot" time!
Will be interesting what the diafine/acufine will do with it?
 
Leo - I won't be home until tomorrow morning, but the film should be safe in the cold we're having. (I'll let you know when it arrives- thanks).

I've never used Acufine, but have a few cans of the powder in a box somewhere- after I try the Xtol, I'll give the Acufine a shot.
 
In a web search I just found these numbers:

Eastman Kodak Double X 5222 - ASA 80
Rodinal 1+50, 5-6 min
D76 1+1, 7-8 min

ASA 250
Rodinal 1+50, 9- 10 min
D76 stock, 8 min
Microphen stock, 6 min

Asa 800
Rodinal 1+25, 10 min

ASA 6400
Rodinal 1+40, 25 min, 25-57 C teplota, prvních 10 minut hojně míchat, pak nechat ustát.


Unfortunately I can't read the additional text on the page, as its a language I don't know (my name is Czech- but I can't read it). Maybe he's saying these times are way off - who knows?
Here is the website: http://www.fotopruvodce.cz/clanek.phtml?clanek=111445&hledej=
 
Wow 6400 asa! That would be substantial grain with a film like XX. Thanks for the times. My estimated time for 250asa and 1:50 Rodinal seems on the button here. I would be tempted to add 30 sec to the 10min, just to get the shadows up a bit. I might try it tonote or tommorow as there are 8 rolls sitting in the darkroom at the moment. Maybe 5 in Rod 1:50/10.30 min and finish off two more for tomorrow and do them in Adox again at 7 min.
 
Looked at the web site and Eastman XX in Diafine didn't look to bad. I will try and shoot a roll tomorrow and develop in Diafine. I have some mixed up and it won't be hard to try.

I will try ASA 400, and ASA 640 and the regular speed 250. I'm not going to try much higher until these results prove promising.

leo
 
I just developed my first two rolls (thru my new Leica M2) of Eastman 5222, and I'm very impressed. Rated it at EI 250, ran it through ADOX BORAX MQ, for seven minutes at 68F, exactly. Agitation was fifteen seconds initially, then 5 sec every subsequent minute. BTW how long should you wash this stuff after Rapidfix? I did 40 minutes (no hypo clear) is that overkill?

Negs are still drying, but I'm pretty good at "eyeballing" them. They are -lower- contrast, it's very good that highlight details (even bracketed with overexposure) do not appear to "blow-out". Absolutely lovely midtone tonalities. "Old Tri-X" looking images, but frankly, I like that "60's retro" appearance. That is exactly what I am after. Shadow detail is quite copious at EI250. So I'd say it's a true EI250 motion picture film.

No doubt about it, this '60's vintage film is quite pushable -- I'd not imagine not much over 400, with any real shadow detail. Well over that, it'll be interesting :)

BTW, Guys, you can run films more than once through Diafine, if you rinse for five minutes after the "B", then go back for another round, right into the "A" & "B" a second time. With a fillm like this, I'd be interested to see the results. It -should- increase the speed even more. Can't imagine it would be any more than just highlights, but who cares when you're shooting in the dark?
 
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My normal washing Cycle after developing is to do three rinses of the tanks.

First rinse fill tank and 15 slow inversions, dump, second rinse fill tank, 20 inversions, third rinse 25 inversions. Takes about 3-5 minutes for all. Make sure rinse water is close to developing temp. This method saves time and water. I think it was developed by Ilford labs maybe Agfa I can't remember, but I have never had faded negs from to short of a wash cycle.

Leo
 
That "two trips through A & B" has been around forever. I think Diafine was introduced about 1963 and it wasn't long after that that one of the photo mags did a piece on it. Yes, it will build up a bit of contrast as highlight density increases faster than the shadow density, but in really dismal lighting conditions a too contrasty picture sure beats no picture. It's a pretty flat developer anyway with today's films. I suspect that modern thin emulsion films just can't soak up enough of solution A to maximize film speed. When it first hit the market they suggested an ASA of 2400 for Tri-X. In a couple of years it was reduced to 1600, then 1200. Part of the blame was always put on Kodak for coming out with a "new improved" version of Tri-X. Another factor was that in the 60's it became fashionable to try to achieve a thin negative that printed best on a number 3 paper. This gave finer grain but with no room to err on the underexposure side. Tri-X/Diafine negatives printed great on #3.
 
lkgroup, do you use Hypo?

I'm curious, because when I was getting college learn'd in the lab we always used hypo for films. The process was like this:

Presoak
develop
water stop
rapidfix
rinse
hypo
wash

Now that I've been booted out with my sheepskin, I'm trying to ween myself off the old lab (aren't friends great?) and set up my film developing at home. I'm interested in any and all ways of saving water as the ancient former darkroom in the basement is not plumbed, at least, not that I can see. There's a garden hose fitting underneath the truly ancient enamel sink, presumably to run a hose to the floor drain in the laundry room.

Is your process like this?

Develop
stop
fix
rinse
 
projectbluebird: "Hypo" meaning hypo clearing agent?

I use Heico Permawash, and recently got a wat air washer so my procedure goes somewhat like this:

develop
stop
rinse 1x
fix
rinse 2x
permawash 1 min constant agitation
wash 5 minutes, medium flow rate
 
yup

yup

That's exactly what I meant cosmonot, thanks for clarifying. Sometimes I forget that there are other manufacturers out there, Kodak chemicals being cheap as dirt (compared to everything else they sell) at the local pro store.

Also, thanks for your process as well! One of these days I should wander through the film development threads, I keep getting distracted by all the other fun things. :D
 
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I have standardized my processing steps many years ago.
Developer
Rinse (2 fills of tank)
Fix (Kodakfix)
Washing in running water 20 minutes (I am using a Paterson hose for the 5 rell tanks)
I quick dip in Photo flo (30sec).
Hang up to dry.

I have done another 10 rolls of XX, this time in Rodinal 1:50 for 10min 30sec (first batch) and 10 min, second batch. They are hanging up now to dry overnight and tomorrow I will scan some selected negs. Looks good, but higher contrast than Adox- partially due to nice, bright sunny weather!
 
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