Response to Alternative to Xtol

I just saw another part in your statement: Developing to a different contrast level only marginally affects film speed -- again differing what is commonly published. This is particularaly true if you develop longer. The increase certainly is not 2/3rd and even with a marginal better relativ speed output you will hardly reach the "published" speed on the box. You will -- at least according to my experience -- also stay under this. In fact you will find out that after some time you will lose effective film speed. Every developer and film combination has a Dmax it can achieve. After this only the base fog will be affected and the overall contrast spectrum will decrease. Without a densitometer it is difficult to judge shadow densities. Many PQ claims originated in the publications of Goeff Crawley in the 1960s when PQ developers were claimed to change film developing. In recent publications Goeff Crawley strongly advocates using a lower determining point for fim speed. Crawley always had differing perceptions about the look of prints. Off course the industry was only too oblidged to use Crawleys statements for advertising their own PQ developers. It has become silent out there when the topic PQ is mentioned today, especially sind phenidone seems to have poor keeping qualities in solution and due to the low acutance in comparison to MQ formulations.

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