Thoughts on using HC-110 with TMax

[gb hill]

I have a roll of the old TMax 400 that I plan to soup. I planed on using HC-110 but from what I have read HC-110 kinda sucks with this film. It's just random stuff that I shot through my QL-17 but I would like to get a decent development out of it if I can. The only other developers I have is Perceptol & an unopened box of Microphen & I don't care to open it yet. Thought I had some D-76 but I can't find it. Seems it does pretty good with this film. What are your thoughts with this film & HC-110? I'm not going to go out & buy any TMax developer. I don't have that many rolls & doubt I'll get any more, but now understand why Kodak designed a developer for this film.

 

[charjohncarter]

I have used HC-110h with Tmax100 and I personally like it. I have recently used HC-110h with the new Tmax400. And I also like it. I do cut the EI to 250. I suppose some of the sharpness is lost with this developer, but I really can't see it. Here is one of my TMY-2 and HC-110h images:

 

[gb hill]

Looks good John. Has a nice creamy feel to it. I went ahead and developed for 6 1/2 min. using dilution B. 5 sec. inversions every min. The negs look good but we'll see after I get em scanned.

 

[Freakscene]

One of Kodak's worst attributes is labelling. Two films are called Tri-X and two developers were called Selectol (though one was Soft). Worst of all is T-Max developer. It was not formulated specially for the T-Max films. It's just another developer.

That said, it does develop T-Max films just fine, just not as well as some others.

Marty

 

[charjohncarter]

gb hill, you are right there is a creamy look to Tmax100 and Tmax400 when developed in HC-110h. There are also tons of shades or zones when you drop a stop. I also use Rodinal 1+50 which gives a sharper image and (I think) little less tonality. People say grain increases with Rodinal (along with decreased speed) and it does, but with Tmax100 and Tmax400, you can't really see much.