Response to Xtol update... dreaded Xtol failures

In a desire to get finer grain than my normal Delta 100, I started to retest Tmax 100 in my usual developer, X-tol. With the delta 100 I had no problems with x-tol at 1:1. I mix x-tol with distilled water and then dilute it just prior to use with distilled water. I use a Jobo processor. I also make certain to have at least 115ml of stock developer per roll in any dilution. I have a large gray scale test target that I painted, 4 12' square patches of flat gray paint, exactly one stop apart in value on a 2'x2' piece of masonite. I used a Rolleiflex 6008i for all of the tests as i figure that the rollei which is designed for photogrametrical accuracy would render me the most accurate f stops and shutter speeds. My exposure readings off the gray card, which was shot outdoors in direct sun and in open shade, were taken with a Zone VI modified pentax spot meter. The rolleis own spot meter confirmed the readings. The initial film tests were done at E.I.s from 64 to 160, with each test roll including all of those E.I.s and giving me gray patches from zone I to zone 10. I would use my densitometer to read the densities. The results were unexpected. My first tests showed that the tmax 100 was not even an E.I. of 64. I shot the test again and again processed the film. Same results. So I assumed that my x-tol, which was 2 months old might have turned on me, so I mixed up a fresh batch, 5 liter packet, the "A" powder was not caked, and tried again. Only this time I included a roll of delta 100 shot at the the same time as my tmax 100. I processed both rolls together, x-tol 1:1 68@7'30". The delta 100 has an EI of between 160 and 200, which is consistent with past experience, the tmax 100 came out as being below EI 64 again, ( I would think an EI of 40-50). So now i figured maybe it's the tmax 100 emulsion, since the developer seems to kick butt with the delta 100. So i shot a test with a new batch of tmax 100 as well as with the same older batch. I used EI's from 40-80 and again processed them in xtol, and once again I can not get a zone I to reach .10 FBF. Tests done a year ago gave me an EI of 80 for tmax100 in xtol 1:1. My current conclusion is that I have 2 bad batches of xtol, and that delta 100 seems immune to this problem, and tmax 100 and also tech pan, as i have been testing techpan in xtol as well, are sensitive to it.

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