Kodak T-max films and conventional developers

[lawrence]

The new Tmax 400 with Rodinal or HC110 is one of the greatest film/developer combos I know.

At what speed do you rate your TMY-2 in Rodinal?

 

[lawrence]

Actually I really like tmax dev.
It's great for HP5 and tri-x as well as tmax of course.

Agreed. Tri-X in Tmax developer can give excellent results.

 

[ChrisLivsey]

The proper developers for these films are the modern ones, Xtol, T-max etc. What are your opinion?

Never fails to amuse me, and this is not a criticism of the OP at all, that a Modern developer is XTOL and it is 20 years old this year.

BTW Pyrocat HD ( I use 1:1:100 Semi stand 16 mins) works beautifully and is an even more modern developer, Pyrocat-HD was developed and introduced in 1999/2000 in an article published in "Post-Factory Photography" by Sandy King "The Mystery and Science of Pyro" Issue 4.


Note: The formula given was modified later.
Delta 100

 

[johannielscom]

Tmax 400 in X-Tol 1:1 is what I get good results with in 135 format. Guess I'm too stupid to get D-76 to work, there's always something off whenever I use that.

I really like Rodinal but I never got it to work out with Tmax 400. Again, must be me.

120 film is always TriX, and 4x5" is always Fomapan. Both sing in X-Tol.

 

[ChrisLivsey]

However, modern emulsions require much more developing times in Rodinal than older ones. For example, Fomapan 100- an old style film can be developed in 9 minutes, but Fuji Acros in 13.5 minutes, T-max 100 in 12 minutes, Ilford delta 100 in 14 minutes. (1.50 dilution, 20 C).

What could be the reason?

I am no expert but "old" films were/are usually a single light sensitive coating layer, other layers of course are involved in the overall film. Development can be quite rapid and on the "surface" and give full development. "Modern" films have several layers of light sensitive emulsion of different speeds carefully balanced to extend the curve and give the desired properties, the overall box speed is from a combination of the response of the layers. To develop these films requires penetration of the coatings and older surface only developers will give poor results modern developers just take longer to penetrate the layers. I think it is the modern use of multi sensitive coatings rather than the crystal structure that is important but the crystal structure is easier as an explanation.
I am not a Rodinal convert so whether it is a surface developer is not known to me but even if not it needs to penetrate the layers.

You would be better asking this on another forum which has real specialists unlike my amateur understandings. I am not sure if I can direct you without incurring the wrath of the Mods.

 

[Corran]

Acufine is a phenomenal developer for any T-grain film. That's an old developer I suppose.

 

[Trius]

Tmax 400 in X-Tol 1:1 is what I get good results with in 135 format. Guess I'm too stupid to get D-76 to work, there's always something off whenever I use that.

I really like Rodinal but I never got it to work out with Tmax 400. Again, must be me.

120 film is always TriX, and 4x5" is always Fomapan. Both sing in X-Tol.

XTol is great with TMY-2; I could live with it as my only developer. I just have so much experience with Rodinal that I've stuck with it, sometimes with a shot of XTol. The nice thing about Rodinal is that development times are pretty consistent over a variety of films. So if I have a new film that is unknown to me, I can develop it for the same time as others and know I'll at least be in the ballpark. I'm not lazy, I'm just practical 😀

 

[Trius]

At what speed do you rate your TMY-2 in Rodinal?

Not to speak for Roland, but I rate it at box speed in Rodinal.

 

[ferider]

Not to speak for Roland, but I rate it at box speed in Rodinal.

Me too, Earl.

 

[Chuck Albertson]

Never fails to amuse me, and this is not a criticism of the OP at all, that a Modern developer is XTOL and it is 20 years old this year.

Well, film developers aren't exactly driving the pace car of photographic development these days. Rodinal is over 100 years old, so TMax and Xtol are comparitive kids. I like both TMax and Xtol and use them for most of my developing needs, but Kodak's original testing of the TMax films was done with stock D-76.

 

[Tom hicks]

Tmax 400 and Microdal x

 

[DNG]

I have been happy with Tmax 400 at 400 or 800 in HC110 (H) 1:60...(I use 600ml for 1 roll (10ml + 590 water), Agitate 1st 30s, then 5s every 3m
I prefer longer than 5-6m developing times that HC110 B (1:30) offers

400 / 10.5m
800 / 12.5m (in lower contrast, 14m)

I am scanning a roll at 800 now, I will post an image or 2 in about an hour or so.

[edit]
here you go. Tmax 400 @ 800, HC110 1:60 for 12.5m at 20c


CC-Lr-01-January 03, 2016- Pioneer Pk-NikonEM-N24-Tmax400-HC110H005
by Peter Arbib -My General Galleries, on Flickr


CC-Lr-03-January 04, 2016- Pioneer Pk-NikonEM-N24-Tmax400-HC110H020
by Peter Arbib -My General Galleries, on Flickr

 

[GarageBoy]

Welp, guess I'm off to play around with some TMAX-

 

[13Promet]

Anybody tried pushing Tmax400 @1600?
Any sample of the results?


Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk

 

[Pioneer]

Some people tell that Kodak T-max films (and other films with new crystal structure) do not give good results with conventional developers, like D 76, Rodinal and so on. The proper developers for these films are the modern ones, Xtol, T-max etc. What are your opinion?

Uh oh! In trouble again!!

Why am I always the last to know these things? 😱

Whoa...wait a minute...I got my D76 developing times from Kodak. That means that even they don"t know! 😀

 

[Trius]

Whoa...wait a minute...I got my D76 developing times from Kodak. That means that even they don"t know! 😀

That could be a whole separate thread! 🙄

 

[Trius]

Anybody tried pushing Tmax400 @1600?
Any sample of the results?


Inviato dal mio iPhone utilizzando Tapatalk

I shot some at EI 1600 but the roll got ruined before I could soup it. DON'T ASK.

 

[Noserider]

Where the the Tmax developer really shines (d) was with Tmax P3200. You could really squeeze the speed with that developer and P3200. You could process as long as you needed with certain dark pits of HS football stadiums in the 80's and the 90's. Certain stadiums were easily in the 20-24 min. range at 70-2*.The best looking highest speeds was with this combo 1:4.
The newest versionTmax 400 I've not tried with Tmax Developer, but I that combo I would guess would give the maximum speed and quality. With the new fine grain Tri-X that could be a very good looking 1600-3200; maybe more.....hmmm wheres my tri-X

 

[presspass]

Tmax 400 in D-23 replenished gives me what I need. Typically, I shoot Tri-X, but had a few bulk rolls of Tmax and used them with D-23.

 

[grouchos_tash]

Tmax100 with Ilford ID11 - M6, 35mm Skopar
M6_Tmax100_ID11_002-1 by Gary Harding, on Flickr

Tmax100 with Ilford ID11 - IIIf, Elmar 5cm f3.5
Untitled by Gary Harding, on Flickr