New Improved TMax400

[Harry Lime]

I wonder how the TMY-2 400 will fare with a more dilute or compensating developer. I always found that HC 110 had a tendency to go too high contrast, and that coupled with the inherent contrast of the Tmax film can be problematic.

I shot about 10 rolls of the stuff and developed it in Barry Thornton's 2-Bath developer. The lighting in these shots varied from flat overcast to harsh sunlight.

Overall I'm very impressed.

Grain is much tighter than Tri-X in the same soup and format. It almost feels like you are shooting a grainy 100asa film.

The response curve appears to be more linear than Tri-X, which is very nice if you like the low contrast look. Shoot it with a single coated lens like an early Nikkor H-C 2/50 and you're looking at a HCB tonal scale. Overall I think the tonality is better than the original TMY 400.

The 2-bath developer prevents TMY-2 400 from blowing out in the highlights. Even shooting directly in to the sun is manageable. But I fear that you would get blown highlights in a single bath developer. I have a sneaking suspicion that Tri-X has more latitude.

It scans very nicely.

 

[charjohncarter]

Thanks Harry, those are helpful observations. My limited use of TMY-2 hasn't given me all those insights. I do find it to be low contrast, but I wasn't sure if it was just me. I'm going to look up Barry Thornton's 2-Bath.

 

[peter_n]

Developed in Kodak T-Max developer:

 

[direwolf101]

Excellent pics, Peter!

 

[mh2000]

Amos, did you just shoot it at 800 and develop normally (as Kodak says you can) or did you extend your development?

thanks! looks great... and I really want something in 800.

 

[charjohncarter]

Harry, I looked at the Thornton 2-Bath. At the end of his essay he says use your regular developer 2/3 of the normal time for your A Bath and then put a teaspoon of sodium metaborate in a liter of water for your B Bath. Sounds crazy, but he explains, I'm going to try it but probably not with Tmax400

 

[PATB]

I am a tri-x man and have stocked up on it. The $1.99 a roll Arista/Tri-x is also too good to pass up.

However, I gave the new TMAX 400 another try in DDX and I am beginning to appreciate the less gritty look (compared to Tri-X).

 

[charjohncarter]

PATB, very nice. Let's hope that Kodak keeps improving their film, and introducing new films: e.i. Ektar100.

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