Xtol in the future?

[ntenny]

Xtol should be the least of our worries about Kodak. There are at least two other brands of equivalent on the market now, plus the formula is hardly a secret, nor is it difficult. The only Kodak chemical that, as far as I know, isn't really duplicated is HC-110. Freestyle sells a store brand, LC-110 I believe they call it, but it isn't the same color and people say it's less "equivalent" than other chemicals which can use the exact same formulas.

OTOH, HC-110 last a very long time, probably even longer unopened, and is very concentrated so if you really like it, it shouldn't be hard to lay aside a decade or so worth.

Ilfotec HC seems to be similar, but I don't know if it has HC-110's exceptional fog resistance. I know it doesn't have the same recommended times, so concoctions that use HC-110 (like Super Soup and the Qualls monobath) would need some rejiggering.

Xtol has a couple of homebrew relatives that are supposed to be workalikes, as well as the commercial equivalents. PC-TEA and PC-Glycol seem to be widely considered "Xtol-like" though not identical. So I agree, that's one product I wouldn't worry too much about.

-NT

[albada]

Developers are the least of my concern,
now when TriX is discontinued thats when I will really bum.

Agreed.
We can easily mix our own developers, and we know approximate equivalents to XTOL and many others.

But I doubt that Kodak's film (and chemistry) production will be shut down. I suspect that some company will buy its film operation and use it as a cash cow. There's easy profit there, and buyers usually don't walk away from profit.

But Kodak's retirees will probably get hurt, as the WSJ article implies.

Mark Overton

[brian steinberger]

Agreed.
We can easily mix our own developers, and we know approximate equivalents to XTOL and many others.

But I doubt that Kodak's film (and chemistry) production will be shut down. I suspect that some company will buy its film operation and use it as a cash cow. There's easy profit there, and buyers usually don't walk away from profit.

But Kodak's retirees will probably get hurt, as the WSJ article implies.

Mark Overton

I would love to see someone buy and continue to produce Kodak's films. Maybe Ilford, as they did with Kentmere? My fear is that Tri-x may not survive this.

[Photo Engineer]

Since there are about 3 threads on this same subject, I have not been following them all, but I wish to remind you (if someone has not already) that Kodak chemistry is now made by Champion Chemical, not Eastman Kodak. Therefore the process chemistry is already outside of the EK envelope.

PE

[Roger Cole]

Since there are about 3 threads on this same subject, I have not been following them all, but I wish to remind you (if someone has not already) that Kodak chemistry is now made by Champion Chemical, not Eastman Kodak. Therefore the process chemistry is already outside of the EK envelope.

PE

Yeahbut - what happens to that production if Kodak goes under? Depends on the terms of their agreement with Kodak and the terms of any bankruptcy sale etc. it would seem to me. Could Champion just continue making the same stuff and selling it? Could they call it Kodak? Not entirely clear, at least to me.

Like others I'm not worried about chemistry. I really like T-Max RS but other developers work fine and I've heard DD-X is similarly excellent anyway. The only things I use that I'd really miss would be films, and then mainly, in order: Tri-X, the Portras, Ektar, TMZ and E100G. Even though TMY-2 is my preferred film in 4x5 I could go to HP5+ easily enough, or maybe Ilford would make Delta 400 in sheets again. Not equivalent but a very nice "new tech" film in its own right, especially in sheets. Fuji has nothing I like as much as the Potras and Ektar, and nothing I like as much as E100G in an E6 film since they canceled Astia. I prefer TMZ to Delta 3200 in 35mm because I can get more effective speed with less apparent grain from it, but I already use Delta 3200 in 120 and could do so in 35mm (or, horrors, just go to digital for very low light, where it does indeed simply trounce film.)

I would grumble but I can do all of my photography with non-Kodak materials .

[JLP]

Xtol will last a lot longer than two years if kept dry. I am just about finished with a gallon that was mixed at least 3 years after expiration of the dry chemicals. The developer was after mixing kept in full glass bottles for more than 8 months and if less than full i added a puff of argon (Wine saver) and the developer has performed just perfect.