TMax 100 problems

[Maxapple88]

Hi,

A friend gave me a considerable batch of TMax 100 in 120. It expired 8/2007, I figured I'd give it a try anyway.

Last night I shot two rolls, developed them and when I took them out of the tank the negatives were quite the opposite of transparent and purple. I figured that they weren't much use like this so I put them back in the fix, only when I took them out the next time they were still not transparent, but the purple tint had gone.

(I didn't use T-Max developer or fix, its was Rodinal 1+50 and Ilford Fix)

I eventually threw away two rolls of very nice portraits since there would have been no way to scan them due to them being a very dark shade of grey and nowhere near transparent. I could make out the outlines but thats it.

Did I go wrong or has the film simply gone bad?

kind regards,
M

 

[john neal]

Max,

ISTR the same problem with TMax 100 in 35mm - I had to fix for 2x the recommended and then wash for 20 mins+ to get rid of most of the purple colour.

 

[Ronald_H]

Film expired that recently will be perfecty fine, that cannot be the problem.

Either your shutter is at fault or your fixer is exhausted... but that's so obvious I guess you checked that already. If it is the fix, I hope you can fish the rolls from the bin and try again...

 

[Maxapple88]

So if the the film expired over a year ago thats recent?

 

[EliasK]

I shoot Τmax 400 expired since 8/99 still in the bulk loader and stored in a drawer, (room temperature). It develops normally with standard times/temperatures and procedures (you can see samples in my gallery).
The only problem i had was with a 4 rolls forgotten for years in my photobag and exposed repeatedly to airport baggage inspection x-rays. 2 of them in metal cartridges were damaged but still printable, the other 2 in plastic cartridges were completely destroyed.

 

[Matt(1pt4)]

'I had to fix for 2x the recommended and then wash for 20 mins+ to get rid of most of the purple colour.'

The purple is not the result of insufficient fixing, but rather of insufficient washing. Running water is not sufficient to remove the purple stain, but rather you must vigorously agitate during washing. I use a modified ilford method of 4 changes of water, with 1 minute of vigorous agitation for each change and a 3 minute soak between changes. This will remove the purple stain from Tmax, Delta, TriX etc etc etc, although if you believe this study, it's probably over kill. BTW, you can print/scan through that purple stain.

As to "quite the opposite of transparent" do you mean the edges/unexposed areas of the film or the exposed portions? If the edges and leaders are clear, are you sure you didn't just over-develop.

 

[venchka]

How much time?

How much time?

So if the the film expired over a year ago thats recent?

My newest film is older than that. Works fine.

How long did you develop? What temperature? Like Matt said, are the edges clear? Kodak says to fix for 6 minutes minimum as I recall. In fresh fixer. A 5 minute presoak before development should get rid of the purple backing.

 

[charjohncarter]

Same here, I fix TriX for 6 minutes and Tmax100 for 8 minutes, I use my fixer one shot.

As an aside, I had a similar problem as you the first time I did Tmax100, I knew what unfixed film looked like, but I still had every crazy possibility running though my head.

 

[maddoc]

Tmax 100 expired ...

Tmax 100 expired ...

... this one was taken with two years expired Tmax100 (stored in a normal desk):

I don't remember the developer (have noted it somewhere) but fixing time and washing was as usual (5 min fixing and washing according to the Ilford method)

 

[venchka]

maddoc,

Stunning! I need to thaw out the 15 rolls of unexpired 120 Tmax 100 in my freezer. Using fresh dated film will be a rare treat.

If you can dig up the particulars: developer, time, temp., agitation scheme, I would really appreciate it. I have never used any Tmax film to date.

 

[charjohncarter]

maddoc, yes, as venchka says 'stunning,' that really shows off Tmax100.

 

[skahde]

Did I go wrong or has the film simply gone bad?

Nothing wrong with the film as long as the opacity is rather brown/grey than deep black. Most likely your fixer has gone north. Make a fresh batch, take a small piece of fresh film, and check how long the fresh fixer needs to clear it. Three times this time is your fixing time for TMX.

Stefan

 

[Ronald_H]

This is TMax-100 in Diafine. Hardly an ideal combo:

Had no trouble fixing, but 'modern' emulsions like TMax and Delta do exhaust your fixer more quickly.

 

[totifoto]

Did you pre-wash?

 

[mh2000]

I just let my Tmax 100 sit in a water bath for like 20 minutes, no agitation, and the purple is gone. It is very good film IMO. I just did a Roindal 5+500 stand development test with it that came out great. I fix for 5-10 minutes with Ilford liquid and almost no agitation.

I don't know why so many people have trouble with TMX... but it would probably help if Kodak elaborated on the purple better in their liteture...

 

[nikon_sam]

If your Fixer is really bad the film will have a milky white like coating on it and fresh fixer will fix the problem...the purple will eventually clear if you let the film sit in water...
I'll fix then wash for about 5-10 minutes in running water...then I'll let the film sit in water for another ten minutes...pour out the now purple colored water and fill it again...
I'll do this until the water is completely clear when poured out...This saves a whole lot of water...

 

[john neal]

So if the the film expired over a year ago thats recent?

Max,

I have some Kodak R60 that expired in 1976 - if I rate it at 50asa and develop carefully, I still get usable results. The Tri-X I'm using expired in 2005 and is just fine. Some film reacts to poor storage conditions more than others - the parcel shelf in your car in full sun is probably not the best place though 😉

 

[Maxapple88]

Alright, then its my fault, not the film's. After developing the film was not at all transparent, dark grey, and I could barely make out what was on the negatives. I didn't really let through any light, I held it up against my desk lamp and saw nothing.

I used Rodinal 1+50 for 14 minutes, then a stop bath for a minute, then ilford fix 1+4 for 8 minutes (which I repeated after washing) and washed it under running water for 10 minutes.

The second time around fixing removed the purple stain but simply gave me grey plastic strips, nowhere near what a film negative should be. I'll just have to try again.

kind regards,
M

 

[charjohncarter]

I don't what you are doing wrong, but I use the same 1+50 Rodinal time as you for Tmax100 AND I shoot my Tmax at 50. I guess if your fixer was completely shot you could have solarized, or something like that, the negatives.