Back to basics D76 & TriX

I find the HC 110 a bit "rough" with 35mm TriX. However it works very well with Neopan 400 and Tmax 2-400. I suspect that it needs an inherently finer grain film to work well. With TriX it has an edge, similar to Rodinal/Beutler.
The Xtol works well, but for some reason it is a developer that I use very little. I have tried it with the Xtol/Rodinal combination and it is OK. Quite smooth and with some edge to it. I do have several packages of the 5 liter Xtol and I should really try it some more.
The D76 just works, but then it could be 40 years of using it that makes it easy to handle. I can adjust exposures "on the fly" for it and if you limit the size of prints to 16x20 - it looks pretty good. Master printers can pull of magic with it - I have seen 24x36 inch prints that look spectacular - but that is more based on the skill of the printer than the developer/film combination.
The D76 grain is softer than either HC110 or Xtol - but if you print it big and remember to use the "rule of thumb" for viewing big prints. Use the diagonal dimension as the viewing distance - and it looks good.
It is just that combination, TriX and D76 - it was really made for each other.
 
Tom. Are you using newly produced Tri-X or older stock from the freezer?
40 years ago my only developers were D76, and ocationally Rodinal. Today it seems I can not reproduce the same "D76-look" in my Tri-X negatives as I had back then. I feel that today's Tri-X and XTOL brings me closer to that look of the older negatives.
 
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The TriX I use today is the "new" version - but my old negatives (some dating back to the early 60's is obviously the old style. I dont find the difference that big - but then i do shoot mostly Sunny F16 and I suspect that this affects it too. Usually I rate my TriX at around 320 iso. Time is kept at 10 min for the 1:1 dilution.
For me the TriX is the "all around" film and I am probably less critical with it than with any other film - it is a case where the picture counts more than the technical details. Films like Acros/Tmax 2-400 etc requires more care and even a slight misjudgement will affect the negative - with the TriX it is somehow absorbed into the films flexibility.
 
Tom A said:
For me the TriX is the "all around" film and I am probably less critical with it than with any other film - it is a case where the picture counts more than the technical details. Films like Acros/Tmax 2-400 etc requires more care and even a slight misjudgement will affect the negative - with the TriX it is somehow absorbed into the films flexibility.
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For me, that "do anything you need to do" has always been Tri-X at somewhere from 320 - 1600 & dunked in Diafine. I can almost always get something I can use. If I know the light will be good, I dearly love Plus-X even more - smooth creamy tones that are simply lovely. That's also when I love using D76, more often straight, but 1:1 occasionally.

But if I have no clue whats going to happen, a roll of Tri-X, meter set initially to 800 or so, a yellow filter in my pocket & Diafine when I get done.

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William
 
What a Charming Street Shot Tom... A True Classic ...LOVE IT !
You are The Master Supreme

Best Wishes .. Speedy Recovery from those side effects
You are in My Thoughts & Prayers
xo-H
 
helenhill said:
What a Charming Street Shot Tom... A True Classic ...LOVE IT !
You are The Master Supreme

Best Wishes .. Speedy Recovery from those side effects
You are in My Thoughts & Prayers
xo-H
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Thanks, Helen and Eric. It is a bit rough occasionally, mostly tiredness, but I have gone through it before and it after a while you get used to the medication.
It is fun to go through the old stuff though - lot of it I haven't seen for 20+ years.
 
When I was in college I used d76 exclusively with Tri-X and Plus X. I got nice results with d76 (especially with the pls x), but then I didn't know any different. I recently have used T max developer, and I have some Xtol I've never tried yet. I now have a LOT of D 76 thanks to a friend who gave me a large supply, so I'll be using that combo more again.

Best wishes to you, Tom. I enjoyed your images on FlickR.
 
This thread inspired me. I had been slowly working my way through a batch of HC-110 that I bought after extensive research on developers. I wanted the extra acutance, but often found myself a little disappointed with the tonality and extra grain (be careful what you wish for, I guess). So today, I developed a couple rolls of Tri-X I had lying around, as well as one of Plus-X and one of Tmax 400. All of them came out great, and I think I might switch permanently. Sometimes I have to learn the hard way, but it's so easy to mix, and the tonality is just so great. Thanks Tom!
 
I have tried some "superlative" films but always have been disapointed.
Tri-X is the WV beetle of the films.
Does the job, reliable and cheap.
It is releasing to know that you can shoot digital-style without worying about costs, and the amount of badly exposed frames is very low, the amount of badly processed rolls practically zero (and I'm pushing my luck)
It's simply an amazing film.
I use Emofin, BTW.

Tom, wishing you a good health!
 
maclaine said:
This thread inspired me. I had been slowly working my way through a batch of HC-110 that I bought after extensive research on developers. I wanted the extra acutance, but often found myself a little disappointed with the tonality and extra grain (be careful what you wish for, I guess). So today, I developed a couple rolls of Tri-X I had lying around, as well as one of Plus-X and one of Tmax 400. All of them came out great, and I think I might switch permanently. Sometimes I have to learn the hard way, but it's so easy to mix, and the tonality is just so great. Thanks Tom!
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Here's the first example I scanned from today's batch. This was shot with an M2 and what I believe was a Jupiter-3. I also shot with a ZM Planar that day, but this was towards the end, with the light fading, so I think I broke out the J-3. I really love the tones. Thanks again for the inspiration, Tom.

BIG version here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maclaine/5379823997/sizes/o/in/photostream/

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Hey Tom....I am a huge fan of tri-x and D-76.....that's really all I use for my black and white work....well, maybe the occasional roll of xp2 for around town.....but if I am going to go shoot a project in black and white, it is tri-x all the way....in my darkroom here in Bangkok, I mix D-76 1:1.....I have to put the air conditioning on about 30-40 minutes before and set the chemicals in an ice water bath to bring them down to a cooler temperature....I have a pretty good system down and it works well for me.....

For some reason, I have been shooting a lot of color film recently, but I have 40 rolls of tri-x sitting in my refrigerator just waiting to be used....and a couple packets of d-76 waiting to be mixed up.......

D-76 and tri-x just rocks.....

hope you are doing well......cheers, michael
 
Great photos Tom! I always look forward to your posts in the film and developing forum, and now I plan to keep more of an eye on your flickr too. Hope you have a speedy recovery.

Rob
 
Wishing you a speedy and comfortable recovery.

I have always enjoyed D-76 and Tri X (or HP5) -- I will use Xtol if it's all that is available but it's such a robust combination that I figured I may as well stick with it if I like it!

Vicky
 
I haven't done any film processing in ages but when I did I had settled on TRiX and D76 1:1 for 9:30 minutes I used to use another developer that I liked very much also and haven't seen it mentioned here, and that was Microdol, it made for nice fine grain and good contrast. Is it still around and did anyone else ever use it?
 
Patman said:
I haven't done any film processing in ages but when I did I had settled on TRiX and D76 1:1 for 9:30 minutes I used to use another developer that I liked very much also and haven't seen it mentioned here, and that was Microdol, it made for nice fine grain and good contrast. Is it still around and did anyone else ever use it?
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Haven't used it myself but LegacyPro advertises that Pro Mic-X yields similar results to Microdol.
 
Best with regards to your health.

Regarding "Back to Basics".. Lots of great shots and memories. My last Tri-X and D-76 was probably in the late sixties. Recently, back to film I've been using Xtol and TMax Developer and the grain is in your face with these, so I only shoot Tri-X in medium format. I do like D-76 with Tri-X.. good post and get well..
 
For all 400 iso films, I use D76 stock 12mn. Today I am in the "HP5+" camp, but before it worked very well with Tri-X also.
Your photographs in your flickr are really valuable and so interesting to see.
Take care.
 
Patman said:
I haven't done any film processing in ages but when I did I had settled on TRiX and D76 1:1 for 9:30 minutes I used to use another developer that I liked very much also and haven't seen it mentioned here, and that was Microdol, it made for nice fine grain and good contrast. Is it still around and did anyone else ever use it?
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I have used Microdol X for TriX. Grain is very fine and tight - but you better remember that you loose about 2/3 stop (rate TriX at 250).
 
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