Tri-X @ 100 ? ? ?

[Juan Valdenebro]

What is the sun/shade method?

More than my method, he meant the same method I use... Nothing new: any B&W film should be exposed and developed differently depending on the kind of light and contrast in any given scene...


It means a film roll shouldn't include scenes under direct sun and scenes in the shadows: just one kind... This way, the film exposure and development used, produce appropriate negatives...


We shouldn't say: “...for this film, metered at ISO400, the best development time is 10 minutes...” That absolute, just can't exist... We should say: “...for this film, the best development time for sunny scenes metered at 200 is 8 minutes, and for the same film, for shadows or overcast scenes metered at 400, the best development time is 12 minutes.”


As I don't mix sun and shadows scenes in the same roll, I carry two cameras at least: one for harsh light only, and the other one for soft light only, even if both are loaded with the same film...



Maybe you already do it the same way...


No matter if you wet print or scan, contrast filters and graded papers, or photoshop, just can't get the same results.


But all this is as old as sliced bread... Used from Nadar and Atget to Ansel Adams and Salgado...


Cheers,


Juan

 

[charjohncarter]

What is the sun/shade method?

Thanks Juan, dfoo you will have to ask Juan.

 

[Bingley]

I've never tried Tri-X at 100, but after reading some posts from charjohncarter, I tried it at 250 in Rodinal 1:50, and love it.

 

[CaptainMike]

Guys, I dont understand.

Bear with me here as I am pretty new to this, but what exactly do you mean by shooting at 100?

Is all that is meant is to shoot with the setting you would normally use for a 100 rated film, then develop using the same dilution and developer time?

I can definitely see the benefits and uses for bright sunlight.

Thanks.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Guys, I dont understand.

Bear with me here as I am pretty new to this, but what exactly do you mean by shooting at 100?

Is all that is meant is to shoot with the setting you would normally use for a 100 rated film, then develop using the same dilution and developer time?

I can definitely see the benefits and uses for bright sunlight.

Thanks.

The "old school" way of testing is:

We shoot a "stupid shots" roll exposing frames at -1,N, and +1, cut it in three parts, and make three different developments: one a few minutes shorter than what's considered normal, another one normal, and one a few minutes longer...

Then you make three separated contact prints (one different for each negative) with an enlarger time that produces almost pure black negative borders on paper...

That's it: that way you "see" how your film behaves, and you pick the look you like the most and fine tune ISO and development time easily... I do it once for sunny scenes and once for soft scenes with every film I use. It takes one or two hours, and you're very well done forever... I don't even waste time washing those negatives...😀

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Mcary]

I've used Tri-X @ 200 in HC110 for the past 20 years or so.

Could you share what working solution from concentrate you use and what development time.

Thanks Mike

 

[charjohncarter]

I'll tell you mine as this thread is in the 7th hour with no response: I use HC-110h when developing TriX shot at 250, 11:45 minutes, 3 inversions every 4 minutes after 30 seconds initial agitation, and I use 68 degrees F or 20 degrees C. Mostly, I add a little Rodinal to this solution, but that is another story. If you use the above you will have a good start:

No Rodinal with this one.

 

[Roger Hicks]

Dear Roger 🙂

I have a really funny story to go with that, which is clearly an aside from what I've asked 🙂

A bride to be, very early this year, booked me to shoot their nuptials.
The wedding was at the end of January. A dearth of effective daylight and, it was being held in the evening at a local establishment. Seeing as these folks were on a budget, I priced it out accordingly (i.e. I clearly undercut myself).

Lesson learned when I went to take some getting ready photos and realized the bride had spent almost as much as I had charged on just one pair of new shoes for her wedding. She had, also, a second pair of very expensive shoes.

That said, I didn't begrudge the fact that I shot the wedding because they were a nice couple and, in the end, everyone was happy.

However, as I said, I learned my lesson. 🙂

Cheers,
Dave

P.S. The shoes?? oh.. they were these http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/prod.jhtml?itemId=prod64820067&parentId= along with a pair of equally pricey Guccis....

Dear Dave,

Ouch. Yes. Nicely phrased, now I understand it. I think I'll borrow the idea as the basis for an AP column.

Cheers,

R.

 

[charjohncarter]

Those shoes are the same make as OJ's, (I think) and he got away with it too.

 

[tszhon]

Would you mind to provide the dev time

Would you mind to provide the dev time

I've used Tri-X @ 200 in HC110 for the past 20 years or so.

Wow, 20 years. Just wanna get your dev. time and developer dulution. Thanks.

Btw, would u mind to post some sample shots to share.

 

[newspaperguy]

HC-110 – Use Kodak’s Solution B.

One part HC-110 to 31 parts distilled water.

(Cut this in half for a 16 oz. tank.)

Assuming a 32 oz. tank, pour 1 oz. of developer concentrate
into a small graduate. Pour that into a 1quart beaker or graduate.
Get every drop in – this stuff is as thick as pancake syrup. Flush
the small beaker with water into the larger container. Repeat 2X.
Add the balance of your water.

Prewash/prewet your film in the tank. Agitate and it pour out.

Set your timer and pour the HC-110 in. Cap the tank and rap it
sharply several times to dislodge any air bubbles.

Agitate one inversion followed by a rap, every 30 seconds.

About 4 1/2 minutes @ 70 degrees works for me, but your results
may vary.

As suggested before... test, test, test.

 

[Ronald M]

I have done 200 in straight D76. Superb to say the least. Reduce development 20%.

For 100 it can only be better. Reduce development an additional 20% for above using the calculated EI200 time. I would restrict this to contrasty bright light for a start and use the end of the roll for flat light experiments.

Always test everything out before an important shoot. Dial it in, do not try for salveage in the darkroom. That makes junk.