TMax Developer & Kodak Tri-X

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

RE: "I was wondering if it was interesting in any way..."

I have used this developer with colder water than the others commenting on here so far, compensated for by time, in the 1 + 4 dilution. It consistently creates what I call "velvety blacks" - very rich, dark areas on the black or near - black parts of my negatives. I like the look. I notice this in others photos whenever Tri-X is souped with TMAX developer, though the intensity of the effect varies.

I'll try the 1 + 7 dilution next time.

I like the 1+7 a lot, great tonality and developing times long enough to be manageable without risk of uneven developing. Kodak doesn't publish a 1+7 time for Tri-X. They do for Tmax 400, so I extrapolated a starting time for Tri-X in 1+7 by mathematically comparing Kodak's 1+4 and 1+7 times for Tmax 400 and applying a multiplier to the 1+4 Tri-X times based on the difference between the 1+4 and 1+7 Tmax 400 times. Kodak also publishes 1+9 times for Tmax 400 but I have not tried that dilution with either Tri-X or the current version of Tmax 400.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Chris, what EI did you rate your tri-x when using it with your recommended processing method? 320 or 400?

320. I rate Tri-X at 320 in D-76 1+1 too, which is very common. My feeling is that 320 is the true speed of the film, at least with my meters (I have several handheld meters that all agree exactly as do the meters in my 35mm SLRs...I have everything calibrated to match)

 

[Vincent.G]

320. I rate Tri-X at 320 in D-76 1+1 too, which is very common. My feeling is that 320 is the true speed of the film, at least with my meters (I have several handheld meters that all agree exactly as do the meters in my 35mm SLRs...I have everything calibrated to match)

I came across this chart on Tmax400 literature and it states that the EI we rate our film affects the development time. I was wondering whether your dilution factor, processing time and agitation level is more suitable for your rate EI for tri-x or not. Suppose if I rate my tri-x at 400 instead then will there be any difference in outcome of the negative if I still use the same developing procedure?


Cheers!

 

[Freakscene]

I have tried the Kodak recommendation a couple of times and always found my negatives having to much contrast ... My normal procedure is to agitate for the first minute (20 gentile inversions) and then one inversion every minute after. I do this will all films / developer combinations to have one constant factor in my process.

I hope you keep your gentile inversions away from your local Synagogue.

Marty

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

I came across this chart on Tmax400 literature and it states that the EI we rate our film affects the development time. I was wondering whether your dilution factor, processing time and agitation level is more suitable for your rate EI for tri-x or not. Suppose if I rate my tri-x at 400 instead then will there be any difference in outcome of the negative if I still use the same developing procedure?


Cheers!

EI doesn't affect developing time. Actually its the opposite. Developing time affects a film's effective speed. I have found that in both D-76 and Tmax Developers that a developing time that gives normal contrast does not give a true speed of 400. Your results may vary, depending on if your meter is calibrated the same as mine. The difference between 400 and 320 is only 1/3 of a stop and you may not see a difference. I do, because i am a perfectionist of the most extreme and obsessive kind.

 

[Rob-F]

When T-Max developer first came out, we all thought it was meant specifically for the new TMax films. In fact, there was an article in Darkroom Photography that made that claim. Eventually we learned that there was no real connection to the film--apparently Kodak just liked the name T-Max. We also learned that T-Max developer was a push developer. I've used a couple of bottles of it, and have done some pushing with it, though I prefer Microphen. Some say that TMax developer can be considered as liquid Acufine, an older, established push developer that claims EI 1000 for Tri-X.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

When T-Max developer first came out, we all thought it was meant specifically for the new TMax films. In fact, there was an article in Darkroom Photography that made that claim. Eventually we learned that there was no real connection to the film--apparently Kodak just liked the name T-Max. We also learned that T-Max developer was a push developer. I've used a couple of bottles of it, and have done some pushing with it, though I prefer Microphen. Some say that TMax developer can be considered as liquid Acufine, an older, established push developer that claims EI 1000 for Tri-X.

It was originally designed as a push developer and was made with Tmax 3200 in mind. It is far and away the BEST developer for that film of all the ones I have tried. It makes an excellent general purpose developer in my opinion.

 

[knodd]

chris could i check what developing times you use for the tmax exposed at 320, and developed in 1 + 7 tmax dev? also the agitation you use?

I've been using the times/agitation chris has recommended for tri-x in tmax dev and i've really been loving the results i got from them! here are some shots:

 

[maddoc]

... gentle inversions.

I hope you keep your gentile inversions away from your local Synagogue.

Marty

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

chris could i check what developing times you use for the tmax exposed at 320, and developed in 1 + 7 tmax dev? also the agitation you use?

I've been using the times/agitation chris has recommended for tri-x in tmax dev and i've really been loving the results i got from them! here are some shots:

9 minutes, 68 degrees. Agitate by inversion for first 30 seconds then 4 inversions every minute.

Looks like you're getting great results with it. 🙂 Like I said in one of the earlier posts, I liked the results with Tmax 400 in Tmax Developer at 1+7 so I figured out times myself for Tri-X since Kodak doesn't give them and I tested my time and it worked. I think the 1+4 times are just too short, too much risk of uneven developing and the shorter time means you have to be more precise in your timing too (dumping out the developer 15 seconds too late, for example, has a much bigger effect on a 5 minute developing time than a 9 minute one!).

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Wow! Both for Tri-X and TMax400, the developer does a great job... This is new to me... I'll try it. Thanks for all the info!

 

[Vincent.G]

9 minutes, 68 degrees. Agitate by inversion for first 30 seconds then 4 inversions every minute.

Looks like you're getting great results with it. 🙂 Like I said in one of the earlier posts, I liked the results with Tmax 400 in Tmax Developer at 1+7 so I figured out times myself for Tri-X since Kodak doesn't give them and I tested my time and it worked. I think the 1+4 times are just too short, too much risk of uneven developing and the shorter time means you have to be more precise in your timing too (dumping out the developer 15 seconds too late, for example, has a much bigger effect on a 5 minute developing time than a 9 minute one!).

Chris, this makes A LOT of sense! Looks like I will give 1:7 dilution a go and see the results.

Alright so whether for tri-x or tmax400, the level of agitation and processing time is the same. I have a roll of tmax400 and will go try it out with my tri-x. By the way, if I develop a roll of tmax400 and tri-x together in a 2-reel tank, with everything else the same, all I do is just double the volume of developer right?

 

[semilog]

All shot with Tmax 400 current version in Tmax 1+7. EI-320

Well, that's simply not possible. Everyone knows that TMAX400 has lousy tonality, yet the photos you posted have beautiful tonality.

😛

 

[Vincent.G]

It was originally designed as a push developer and was made with Tmax 3200 in mind. It is far and away the BEST developer for that film of all the ones I have tried. It makes an excellent general purpose developer in my opinion.

Chris, can you share with us your development process for Tmax3200 @ EI1600 and EI3200 using the Tmax developer i.e. dilution, processing time, amount of agitation etc?

Thanks! 🙂

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Chris, can you share with us your development process for Tmax3200 @ EI1600 and EI3200 using the Tmax developer i.e. dilution, processing time, amount of agitation etc?

Thanks! 🙂

I actually use Kodak's times for 1600 and 3200. I am using Tmax Developer at 1+4 dilution and I agitate first 30 seconds then 4 inversions every minute. This is different than Kodak's recommended agitation, but I find it works better and gives excellent results with the times Kodak gives.

Times are:

75 degrees: 8 minutes for 1600, 9.5 for 3200
68 degrees: 10.5 minutes for 1600, 12 minutes for 3200.

I usually use 68 degrees because its the temp I process other films at too, but I have used the 75 degree times in the past and saw no quality difference.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Chris, this makes A LOT of sense! Looks like I will give 1:7 dilution a go and see the results.

Alright so whether for tri-x or tmax400, the level of agitation and processing time is the same. I have a roll of tmax400 and will go try it out with my tri-x. By the way, if I develop a roll of tmax400 and tri-x together in a 2-reel tank, with everything else the same, all I do is just double the volume of developer right?

You should always fill the tank with chemicals even if only processing one roll. Having the tank half full for one roll greatly increases the amount of agitiation you're getting because the developer can move around a lot more. That keeps things consistant. I actually do two rolls in a 4 reel tank or one roll in a two reel tank because some developers, like D-76 1+1 only have the capacity to do half the number of rolls that a tank will hold (with the tank totally full of developer!). The developer exhausts if you only two films in a two film tank or 4 in a 4 rolls tank. Kodak's PDF on D-76 says this. Rodinal is another that can exhaust from filling the tank with the full number of films it can hold, because that developer is so diluted. Tmax developer is a very strong developer that can process two reels in a two reel tank with no problem, but I am a perfectionist so I still do half the films the tank can hold just in case. Make sure to put empty reels to fill the rest of the tank so the film reels do not move around too much and increase agitiation on you.

 

[Trius]

IIRC, Kodak's recommendations for times and agitation have, at some times in the past at least, been based on printing with an enlarger equipped with cold light head; hence longer times and somewhat more agitation. I could be wrong.

 

[Trius]

TMax 400-2, in Rodinal, but I haven't used TMax developer ever ... or at least not in my memory. Nothing against it, I just have used other stuff.

 

[Chriscrawfordphoto]

Trius, what developing time and EI did you use with Rodinal, and what dilution? I have used Rodinal on TMY-2 but had to guess on a time and it was a little too much I think. Your result looks nice, might save me some trial and error experiment to try your time/dilution/EI. Thanks

 

[Vincent.G]

You should always fill the tank with chemicals even if only processing one roll. Having the tank half full for one roll greatly increases the amount of agitiation you're getting because the developer can move around a lot more. That keeps things consistant. I actually do two rolls in a 4 reel tank or one roll in a two reel tank because some developers, like D-76 1+1 only have the capacity to do half the number of rolls that a tank will hold (with the tank totally full of developer!). The developer exhausts if you only two films in a two film tank or 4 in a 4 rolls tank. Kodak's PDF on D-76 says this. Rodinal is another that can exhaust from filling the tank with the full number of films it can hold, because that developer is so diluted. Tmax developer is a very strong developer that can process two reels in a two reel tank with no problem, but I am a perfectionist so I still do half the films the tank can hold just in case. Make sure to put empty reels to fill the rest of the tank so the film reels do not move around too much and increase agitiation on you.

Thanks for sharing your development process for tmax3200, chris! 🙂

So this means I will waste the extra developer poured in right? I don't intend to reuse the developer. For that matter, we shouldn't be reusing the developer right?