Pictorial Planet
Barry Thornton's
diXACTOL UltraTM Long Life
Check out: Choosing your developer
diXACTOL UltraTM Long Life is a pyro (catechol) tanning and staining developer using the original formula by the late Barry Thornton but modified to extend its life, even in half filled bottles.
It has all the attributes of diXACTOL UltraTM including:
- High acutance
- High stain
- Long tonality
- And now Long Life!
The developer concentrate will last well over a year, probably much longer, even in a half filled bottle! This is because this formula uses glycol to protect the developing agent from oxidation.
Negatives that would be impossible with conventional developers print with fine graduation and much less struggle in burning and dodging.
Barry Thornton
The Long Life version of diXACTOL UltraTM is designed to be used as a single bath developer in exactly the same way as the original could be used. Dilution is 1ml A + 7ml B + 300ml water or 2ml A + 14ml B + 600ml water.
Most films will be developed in 8 minutes with agitation every 30 seconds and films of different ISOs can be developed all together to make negatives that can be printed easily in the darkroom or scanned. The developer can be used with semi-stand development using 2 minutes between agitations in which was 10 minutes is a good time for most films.
Of course, for zone system users tests can be carried out to ascertain your exact development time.
Most films will be developed in 8 minutes with agitation every 30 seconds and films of different ISOs can be developed all together to make negatives that can be printed easily in the darkroom or scanned. The developer can be used with semi-stand development using 2 minutes between agitations in which was 10 minutes is a good time for most films.
Of course, for zone system users tests can be carried out to ascertain your exact development time.
I already tried it with Fp4+ (120 format). The negatives came out perfectly. I have used exactol in the past but with dixactol … i am really astonished … the detail and sharpness of the negatives.
Dirk Van Damme, Belgium
I have to say the negs are printing beautifully and the front to back sharpness on the FS3 is astonishing […] So Dixactol will be my go to developer from now on.
A.B.