Kodak XTOL Film Developer - 5L (Part A + Part B)
Note: all XTOL film developers supplied by Retro Camera come from a batch that does not show any quality problems (production 2020) and come in the new packaging that Kodak has recently introduced for all its powdered photochemistry.
Kodak XTOL is a two-part powder film developer for processing Kodak and other manufacturers’ normally exposed, pushed, or pulled black-and-white films. XTOL is an ascorbic acid-based film developer which yields a very high image quality at full emulsion speed and a very fine grain (dilution 1:1) even with classic b&w film emulsions like Ilford HP5 Plus.
It consists out of two parts which must be mixed together with water. When mixing you slowly add Part A to water and stir it until its completely dissolved. The solution will then be somewhat copper-coloured, which is normal. After that you slowly add Part B, stir it until the copper tint completely clears. The package contains enought powder to make 5 litre of working solution.
Feature |
Benefit |
Ascorbic acid-based black-and-white film developer |
Very high image quality at full emulsion speed |
No hydroquinone |
Convenient, room-temperature mixing for immediate use |
Two-part powder |
Quick, easy mixing |
Excellent keeping properties |
Good shelf life (six months after mixing when stored in full bottles) |
Robust, abuse-tolerant, clean-working solution |
Stable performance across a range of temperatures, dilutions and agitation methods |
Excellent emulsion speed with normal and push processing |
Enhanced shadow contrast and improved highlight detail with some films |
Fine grain and high sharpness |
Enhanced sharpness, especially with 1:1 dilution |