What’s the difference between Kodak D-76 and Xtol for black-and-white film?
Asked 5/15/2015
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I’ve been using Kodak D-76 for black-and-white film and have been happy with it, but I’m considering trying Xtol. What are the practical differences between D-76 and Xtol, and when would one be preferred over the other? I’ve read that Xtol can produce slightly finer grain. If I’m shooting ISO 400 film and sometimes like the look of grain in enlargements, is that likely to matter much?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
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Xtol is less stable and is liable to fail without giving notice. Other than that, it's got an excellent reputation.
Kodak provides this comparison between its developers:
The main difference between D-76 and Xtol when you develop at rated speed is the fineness of the grain. The other metrics (shadows detail and sharpness) are very much in line.
Of course, grain is also a matter of negative size. By the way, Ilford's ID-11 is rather similar (shall we say... almost the same?) to D-76. I don't have any trouble with grain when using ID-11... but it's a matter of personal preferences I'd say.
Originally by user5032. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user5032
11y ago
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Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Both are well-regarded black-and-white film developers. Based on the answers here, the main practical difference at normal, rated-speed development is grain: Xtol is generally known for slightly finer grain, while D-76 gives a more traditional look. Shadow detail and sharpness are said to be broadly similar between them.
So if you like the look you’re getting from D-76, there’s no strong reason to switch unless you specifically want somewhat finer grain. With ISO 400 film, grain is still influenced heavily by the film itself and by negative size, so the developer change usually won’t transform the look dramatically.
If you rely on visible grain in enlargements, Xtol’s finer grain may slightly reduce that effect, but whether it matters depends on your taste and format size.
One caution mentioned in the answers: Xtol is considered less stable in storage and may fail without much warning, whereas D-76 has a long, established reputation. Also, Ilford ID-11 is very similar to D-76 if you’re looking for an alternative in the same general style.
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