One Roll of Tri-X 120 - Request Opinions on Developers

One Roll of Tri-X 120 - Request Opinions on Developers

  • Ethol T.E.C.

    Votes: 1 6.7%

  • Rodinal 1+50

    Votes: 4 26.7%

  • Rodinal 1+100

    Votes: 1 6.7%

  • Old D-76 - let's see how bad old D076 can be!

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • New D-76 - throw that old stuff out!

    Votes: 6 40.0%

  • HC-110

    Votes: 3 20.0%
  • Total voters
    15
  • Poll closed .
cmedin said:
Mike: It turns purple in other devs too, it's the (anti halation?) backing coming off.
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Funny, I shoot a lot of Tri-X in 35mm and never seemed to notice it before. I admit I do not shoot Tri-X in 120 much - mostly Delta 100 or HP5 or some Arista thing or other.
 
I've dev'd it in HC110, D76 and Diafine -- all purple.

If you want 'proof' just presoak it and look at the mess that comes out when you drain the tank. Maybe it's more visible when you do 120 for some reason (I rarely shoot 35mm TriX), but trust me, it's the backing. I think it started with the latest emulsion change to TriX whenever that was.

Even with presoak my last roll of TriX 35mm from a couple weeks back has a faint purple tint to the negs, just went and looked at it.
 
Well, it appears I did not do so well. Not the fault of the developer - the negs look moderately thin, probably quite scannable. Problem is uneven development. And I know why - I loaded my apron backwards. Emulsion side out instead of in. My own fault - I have never done it that way before. I don't know what made me think it would be OK. Sigh.

Sorry folks. I appreciate all the help - but I ruined this roll all on my own! Thank goodness it was nothing critical.

Blah.
 
cmedin said:
Mike: It turns other devs purple too, it's the (anti halation?) backing coming off.

edit: TriX in Diafine at box speed scans gloriously. It's virtually impossible to get too-dense highlights with Diafine and it makes for great scans.
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I've never used Diafine but I've read that the inability block up highlights is a characteristic; so it may be a great developer for scanning.

I've not seen 'purple' with the developers I have used except Rodinal: Dk50, D76, and Microdol X. Sometimes I think the reason I like Rodinal is the purple.

I wonder if it is the relative high concentration of hydroquinone as oppose to mitol.
 
I remember the purple in the 70's so its not the latest a reformation of Tri X.

I believe it is the anti halation backing; its just I've only seen it with Rodinal.

I'll see later this week what happens when I develop some Tri X 120 in D-76; I don't usually use Tri X 120 only 35.
 
MikeCassidy said:
I've never used Diafine but I've read that the inability block up highlights is a characteristic; so it may be a great developer for scanning.

I've not seen 'purple' with the developers I have used except Rodinal: Dk50, D76, and Microdol X. Sometimes I think the reason I like Rodinal is the purple.

I wonder if it is the relative high concentration of hydroquinone as oppose to mitol.
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Since Diafine develops to exhaustion you get the lack of blown highlights as you run out of developer before it's overcooked. :)

As I said above, soak TriX in water and see what comes out...
 
cmedin said:
Since Diafine develops to exhaustion you get the lack of blown highlights as you run out of developer before it's overcooked. :)

As I said above, soak TriX in water and see what comes out...
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Well, just to be clear - if you soak it in water, you don't want to use Diafine, since Solution A needs to absorb into the emulsion...:D
 
bmattock said:
Well, just to be clear - if you soak it in water, you don't want to use Diafine, since Solution A needs to absorb into the emulsion...:D
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Yep, a presoak before Diafine would give you some pretty thin negs...
 
It's funny, though - I shoot Tri-X a lot with Diafine - my favorite Diafine fodder, so to speak - never noticed the purple before. Weird.
 
Maybe Rodinal strips the layer off more effectively, while when using other devs you get some washing off in dev, some in stop, some in fix...?

Beats me. Never used Rodinal so can't compare. :)
 
cmedin said:
Maybe Rodinal strips the layer off more effectively, while when using other devs you get some washing off in dev, some in stop, some in fix...?

Beats me. Never used Rodinal so can't compare. :)
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Yeah, beats me too - and I have used Rodinal a fair amount - say fifty or so rolls. Maybe I just never used it with Tri-x in 120 before. Who knows?
 
Clearly neither of us ;)

If you google for purple tri-x you can find some other threads on the topic on various forums.
 
bmattock said:
Good gravy! I just poured the Rodinol out, and it's bloody purple! I mean so bright even I can tell it's purple, and I'm color-blind!

I've used Rodinal a bit - never seen that before. Any thoughts???
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Relax; that's normal. Tri-X and T-Max pretty nearly always turn developers purple.
 
APX 100 (and prolly 400, too) turn Rodinal a not-too-pretty green. Sorta like split pea soup, only more greyish green. I've never seen developer turned the colour of Habitant pea soup, though. :D

Sorry you bunged up the loading, Bill.
 
Yup, D-76 1:1 will get you nice sharp, contrasty negatives, assuming you stick to the proper times, and the images were exposed sufficiently.
 
Trius said:
Sorry you bunged up the loading, Bill.
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I did, I suck, oh well. I appreciate the assistance with suggestions, though.

This weekend, I think I am going to stick close to the hootch and catch up on processing some Tri-X in 35mm. Two rolls exposed at EI 400 and two at EI 1600. The last two I'll do in Diafine, I think. First two - dunno yet. Probably play it safe and use my newly-mixed D-76.
 
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