Product instruction sheets
TechXactol
So fine is the grain with Technical Pan and so high the definition in TechXactol that 35mm work can be made to look like medium format, and medium like large format.
TechXactol can be used with any other film (other than ultra speed films over EI 800) when the original subject brightness range is very high, and when excessive contrast needs to be reined back, especially EI 50 speed films. Many modern films have straighter line characteristic curves which, while maintaining tonal separation in normal lighting conditions, can very easily build up excessive contrast for printing, and are subject to deep tone dropout. TechXactol restrains this supremely well whilst avoiding the muddy mid-tone characteristic of simpler compensating developers thanks to its progressive tanning action. If the development times are increased suitably, the developer can be used for films where original lighting contrast was not excessive, i.e., as a normal developer. Grain will be a little greater, but will still be fine enough for good-sized enlargements.
The tanning of the gelatine containing the film emulsion occurs in direct proportion to the varying exposure received by differing areas of the negative – the more the exposure, the more the tanning. This tanning reduces the absorption of developer by the emulsion, and so heavily exposed highlight regions of the negative are automatically restrained in development because fresh developer cannot reach them, whilst development continues in the lesser exposed shadow areas and with proportionate action across the mid-tones. Halation around heavily exposed areas of images (such as windows in an architectural interior or lights in a night-time picture) is also especially well controlled.
The oxidation of the solution absorbed into the emulsion during the development and tanning process causes a rich brown stain to form, again in proportion to the level of exposure in the gelatine in each area of the negative. This stain acts as printing density and the negative will print with far more body than would seem likely. The effect of the stain differs, however, when printing on different types of paper. On graded paper the stain acts as extra printing density, making the negative more contrasty than visual inspection might suggest. Highlight texture details are brightened. On VC papers the stain does not have quite the same printing density, and highlights will be restrained more.
Because the stain occurs in the gelatine between the clumped grains of silver in the negative, and since the stain acts as printing density, the effect is to fill and mask the spaces between the silver clumps when printing. The already fine grain of Technical pan is even less apparent. The result is a smooth tonality which renders delicate highlights such as mist with an almost ‘liquid’ reality. The stain is also an aid to smoother scans for photographers using digital techniques.
CAUTION
Keep chemicals out of the reach of children or pets. Solution A contains Catechol. With both solution A and B avoid contact with the eyes and skin. Wash off any splashes from the skin with clean water. In case of contact with eyes, rinse quickly with water and seek immediate medical advice. Harmful by inhalation or if swallowed. In case of ingestion seek urgent medical advice. The solution can stain. Do not hand process in dishes without the use of gloves. This developer is sensitive to water quality, and we always recommend the use of distilled or deionised water.
WORKING LIFE AND CAPACITY
The developer has an exceptional working life – much longer than conventional developers. The use of an inert gas spray in the ‘A’ bottle after each use will prolong it even further. Concentrate A is a pale straw colour when fresh and discolours to a distinct pinky green hue when deteriorating. Concentrate B is clear when fresh, but it may be slightly cloudy – it is a saturated solution. The life of concentrate A should not be less than 6 months in reasonably cool conditions, but do not refrigerate. Concentrate does not deteriorate at all to any extent. One 100ml pack is sufficient to process a minimum of 33 rolls of 35mm film, or 40 rolls of 120 film if they are loaded two to a spiral. One litre of working solution will process 160 square inches of film.
EXPOSURE
Use Technical Pan film at EI 32 – 40 for normal subject brightness ranges (as a general guide, cut film speed to half when working in very high subject brightness ranges for both Technical Pan and normal films, e.g. EI16 for Technical Pan, EI50 for T-Max 100) Because of the added printing density of the stain, the usual Zone System cut in speed needed for fine negatives with proper shadow detail is completely unnecessary. For finest quality prints, carry out simple tests for true film speed with your equipment and expose using Zone System principles.
DEVELOPING – ONE SHOT/SMALL TANKS
Development is carried out at 21degrees C. Give the film a pre-soak in water of the correct temperature. This is to stabilize the tank/film to the correct processing temperature. The pre-soak water will remove any anti-halation dyes in 120/220 film. Measure out 1ml of concentrate A for each 100 ml of water needed to cover the spiral. Just before pouring the developer into the tank, add 1 ml of concentrate B per 100 ml of water to the developer. This solution will begin to change colour immediately. Pour into the tank and agitate once by inversion, then rap the tank base on a hard surface to dislodge any air bells, and continue to agitate, using a gentle inversion/twisting action for the first 30 seconds. Thereafter agitate once every 30 seconds until development time is complete. Pour off the developer at the end of the time. DO NOT USE AN ACID STOP. Use either four or five clean water rinses or our alkaline stop bath. To ensure best results and best possible stain, fix in an alkaline fixer. (You can use an acid fix, but stain will be affected.) It is not necessary to give the film an after-soak in used developer – this merely adds general fog/stain over the whole film. Wash the film. With alkaline fixers, the film will be washed to archival standards in four minutes, but you may wash for longer if you like. Give a final rinse in water with wetting agent, squeegee or not to choice, and hang in a dust-free atmosphere to dry.
DEVELOPMENT TIMES
Fine tune these times to suit your equipment and technique. If your negatives consistently have burned out highlights, cut development time a little; if the highlights are flat, increase development time a little. Obviously you should not process important films until you have carried out trials of this kind. For Technical Pan in normal subject brightness ranges (cloudy bright) and printing on graded paper use a normal (N) time of 7 minutes; for VC paper use 8 minutes. For high subject brightness ranges (bright directional sun with sharp-edged shadows not coming from behind the camera) cut these times to 5.5 minutes graded and 6.5 minutes VC, and reduce film speed to half, as mentioned before. For non-Technical Pan films, all times are conveniently the same (other than for T-Max) When using other films in very high subject brightness ranges, use the same times as Technical Pan times already shown. With normal subject brightness ranges, increase the times; for graded paper, 10.5 minutes, and for VC, 12 minutes. TechXactol works beautifully with T-Max 100 and 400, but requires longer development times. For normal brightness ranges for both films use 9.5 minutes for graded and 11 minutes for VC paper; for normal brightness ranges use 13 minutes graded and 15 minutes for VC.
DEVELOPING – ROTARY TANKS
This is carried out at 21 degrees C in the same way as development in small tanks. No special precautions are necessary. Times are reduced by about 25% on those quoted for small tanks.
PUSH PROCESSING
Whilst it gives very full normal speed, push processing is not recommended with TechXactol. For push processing use DiLuxol Vitesse, which is designed for speed increase.
LIABILITY
No liability is accepted by the maker and /or supplier of this developer other than for the value of the developer itself if faulty. No liability can be accepted for any consequential loss or injury. The maker/supplier will be pleased to replace any faulty developer or refund the purchase price provided that the defective items are returned to the maker/supplier within fourteen days of date of purchase. You are strongly advised to conduct your own tests before committing valuable films to this developer