Re: Err, the "best" developer?

To be considered the 'best' a developer should produce negatives with the following characteristics: 1. High acutance, ie. apparant sharpness. This is the result of 'edge effect' or Mackie lines. 2. Low apparant grain. When grain appears, it should be smoothly distributed, not clumped. It should not look like someone spilled pepper onto the print. 3. The highlight areas must not be blocked up, but should be able to be 'printed through.' 4. Contrast gradation should be smooth and linear. There should not be sudden jumps of density between skin tones, for example. Negatives developed in PMK exhibit every one of these qualities. They are easy to print, resulting in a 'fine print' without a lot of burning and dodging. My experience with Xtol is limited to printing clients' negatives processed by commercial labs. While much better than D-76, it is a long way from PMK. If you are curious, try it; it's inexpensive and easy to use.

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