Kodak Tri-x & Ilford Ilfotec DD-X make a good couple?

[Dcanalogue]

Hi folks,

as lately I'm testing DD-X... this time I checked it togheter with Tri-x rated @ box speed. previous developers (Ars-Imago Fd or Adox Adonal) didn't gave good results (contrast was too high and shadows were too deep) and I had to rate the film @ 250 Iso or less.

So, I loaded my Leica M2, setting the Voigtlander Vc Meter @ box speed and went to the beautiful Todi to get some nice shots.

DD-X seems to give better results... and next time I'm going to test it pushing Tri-x @ 800 and 1600... 🙂

Check my Film Blog for more!

 

[mfogiel]

It depends. At the speed of EI 200-250, where I think Tri X should be shot if you want to get the most out of this film, I find that developers like D76 1+1, HC110 not too diluted, Spur HRX or even Acurol N not too diluted, will give you a better tonality and nicer grain, in varying degrees of size and sharpness. DD-X is a speed enhancing developer, and although a good one, I have not been a great fan of it for Tri X. If yoou want slightly more speed at the expense of a slightly bigger, but sharp grain, try this developer with HP5 @ EI 640-800.
BTW, not that this is obligatory, but your scanner appears not very sharp.

 

[Dcanalogue]

It depends. At the speed of EI 200-250, where I think Tri X should be shot if you want to get the most out of this film, I find that developers like D76 1+1, HC110 not too diluted, Spur HRX or even Acurol N not too diluted, will give you a better tonality and nicer grain, in varying degrees of size and sharpness. DD-X is a speed enhancing developer, and although a good one, I have not been a great fan of it for Tri X. If yoou want slightly more speed at the expense of a slightly bigger, but sharp grain, try this developer with HP5 @ EI 640-800.
BTW, not that this is obligatory, but your scanner appears not very sharp.

Thanks for your hints..... I'm satisfyed with Adonal and Fd-developer @ EI 200/250... and usually I rate Tri-x this way. Beside this, sometimes would need to shot @ box speed. This developer gave me satisfactory results on delta 400 @ 800 and will test on Hp5 too as you suggest.
Yep... you're right.... my V550 isn't a sharp scanner, and I don't add anny contrast mask after scanning..... 🙂

 

[jbielikowski]

I use Tetenal Ultrafin Plus which is DD-X clone, you can rate it 800 for more contrasty look which I like, 1600 is also not a problem for this combo.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I still think that D76 1+1 is the best developeer for Tri-X. DDX is similar to Tmax Developer, which gives flatter midtones than D76.

I think you would like Rodinql (Adonol)better if you shot the film at EI-320 and developed just 11 minutes at 68 deg. The times on the instructions that come with the developer are way too long for Tri-x. Use the 1+50 dilution.

 

[Trius]

I still think that D76 1+1 is the best developeer for Tri-X. DDX is similar to Tmax Developer, which gives flatter midtones than D76. I think you would like Rodinql (Adonol)better if you shot the film at EI-320 and developed just 11 minutes at 68 deg. The times on the instructions that come with the developer are way too long for Tri-x. Use the 1+50 dilution.

Yes, Rodinal 1:50 @ 11 minutes works. Control contrast by agitation scheme.

 

[Dcanalogue]

Thanks guy for all your comments... but not sure I've been clear enough..

I'd like to point out that I LIKE Adonal (Rodinal) wit Tri-x rated @ 250/320 Just wanted to test a different developer @ 400 ISO. Regarding DD-X and the midtones... I'm very satisfied with the results.... and you can check it better on my Blog....

Of course, hints about other suggestions about which could be better for 400 & more Iso... are welcomed..... 🙂

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Thanks guy for all your comments... but not sure I've been clear enough..

I'd like to point out that I LIKE Adonal (Rodinal) wit Tri-x rated @ 250/320 Just wanted to test a different developer @ 400 ISO. Regarding DD-X and the midtones... I'm very satisfied with the results.... and you can check it better on my Blog....

Of course, hints about other suggestions about which could be better for 400 & more Iso... are welcomed..... 🙂

I've never gotten a true speed of 400 from Tri-X in ANY developer. It is 320 in D-76, Tmax Developer, and Rodinal.

Ilford Delta 400 in Tmax Developer gives a true 400 speed. I've been shooting it a lot lately and loving the tonality.

 

[Trius]

In my experience, yes -- when judging by shadow detail (zone 2 and 3) Tri-X is not really a 400 speed film - more like 250 or 200 in my experience. T-Max at 400 gives full shadow detail when processed in Rodinal or X-Tol or the wonderful Rodinal/XTol combination. I would expect the same with HC-110, but I haven't really tested.

 

[Moto-Uno]

^^ Ok Chris I think you're teasing us , those photos grabbed my eye, but I'm just not
sure just what combo you used ? Peter

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

^^ Ok Chris I think you're teasing us , those photos grabbed my eye, but I'm just not
sure just what combo you used ? Peter

Ilford Delta 400 shot at EI-400, developed in Tmax Developer 1+4. 68 degrees, 6.5 minutes. That's Ilford's recommended time.

 

[giganova]

I've used Tri-X with DD-X with great results.

BTW, even though DD-X is advertised as a "one shot" developer, I've successfully developed three batches of film with the same developer. Just add 10% of developing time for the second and third batch. That allows me to develop 6 films with my JOBO 1520 tank and 480ml of DD-X. The results are perfect. 😀

 

[Colin Corneau]

DDX in my humble experience is a great all around developer. It does everything well.

I normally shoot 400 film at EI-800 and it was terrific. It's well suited to pushing or regular speed.

 

[Dcanalogue]

Ilford Delta 400 shot at EI-400, developed in Tmax Developer 1+4. 68 degrees, 6.5 minutes. That's Ilford's recommended time.

I tested Delta 400 pushed @800 too in DD-X and was very satisfied with results. I got nice results with FX39 @ Box speed ether with 100 or 400 types. I'm loving Delta film each day more.... 🙂

Here the post: Delta

 

[miha]

I use Tetenal Ultrafin Plus which is DD-X clone, you can rate it 800 for more contrasty look which I like, 1600 is also not a problem for this combo.

In my book they are totally different to each other. TT Ultrafin Plus was (I havent tried the T-Plus incarnation yet) a very fine grained developer, giving full speed, whereas DDX seems to give the coarsest grain among all the Ilford developers.

 

[jbielikowski]

In my book they are totally different to each other. TT Ultrafin Plus was (I havent tried the T-Plus incarnation yet) a very fine grained developer, giving full speed, whereas DDX seems to give the coarsest grain among all the Ilford developers.

That's interesting, I've chosen U+ after seeing nice examples of Tri-X in T-Max and some other stuff in DD-X, TT was way cheaper but all of them are supposed to work best with T-grain emulsions, and even dilution/times are similar. Also I'm lazy and U+ last long, have dev times of 7 mins for most of films I use and recently I've successfully developed Adox CMS 20 with it.

 

[rolfe]

There is nothing particularly wrong about DD-X other than it being extremely expensive compared to other developers that deliver equivalent or better results.

 

[kiemchacsu]

I've never gotten a true speed of 400 from Tri-X in ANY developer. It is 320 in D-76, Tmax Developer, and Rodinal.

Ilford Delta 400 in Tmax Developer gives a true 400 speed. I've been shooting it a lot lately and loving the tonality.

Just curious , how you can distinguish 1/3 stop in real life or you have to use meter?