Tri-X advice

[jamesdfloyd]

I am going to shoot some Tri-X this weekend for the first time in years and I am curious about ISO ratings.

Of course it is listed at 400 ISO, but I have read in the past on this forum that some users rate it at less than that. Under what conditions do you rate it less than 400 ISO?

If anyone can offer a suggestion, my weekend project will be a late afternoon landscape shot with clear skies and mixed shadows.

Thanks,

J.D.

 

[le vrai rdu]

you can rate it from 100 to 6400 iso you just develop consequently 😉

 

[dseelig]

tri x

tri x

I shoot it at 320 develop 1 to 1 68 degrees 11 minutes d 76 or 800 d76 stright 11 minutes 68degrees

 

[jamesdfloyd]

JSU -

I was thinking about 200 ISO - seems to be the most common ISO I remember reading in the past. I usually use KB 50 for this, but I am just experimenting and going for a "look" this weekend. Part of the issue is that I need a higher shutter speed and I will be using a green filter. That and the desire to have some grain in the image, Tri-X is my film of choice this weekend.

 

[wlewisiii]

Tri-X, for me, is available darkness only. EI1600 & Diafine. EI1000 if you have the TX320 variety.

I'd prefer Plus-X for the shots you're describing.

 

[Bingley]

I've experimented for the last couple of years w/ Tri-X at different speeds, and what seems to be working best for me at present, for street shooting, is to expose it at iso 250, but develop for 400, thus giving approx. one stop overexposure to improve shadow detail. This approach has also worked well for landscapes, although I've also liked the results I got at box speed.

What's your developer? I use Rodinal mainly, occasionally HC 110 or Diafine.

So, to sum up, I can recommend Tri-X at 250, developed in Rodinal 1:60 for 12 minutes at 20C, and don't agitate too much.

 

[jamesdfloyd]

Steve,

Thanks...this test will be with D-76...and I will tell the lab 400 ISO. Will shoot at 250 ISO.

J.D.

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

I meter it from 25 to 1600 depending on the kind of light and scene's contrast, and develop it in Rodinal 1+50 18ºC from 15 to 60 minutes... About its real speed, to me it's 250... At 400 there's a bit of shadow loss, but on soft light 400 and 800 can sometimes be a better option than 250...

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

This thread is a perfect illustration of the influence and effects of the multiple variables in exposure.

Consider: incident or reflective metering, if reflective is the scene being read or an 18% gray card? Processing done by the photographer or a lab, developer used one shot or replenished, agitation: how much & how often, subtle nuances associated with temp control and water purity.

Then other issues come into play: does the photographer prefer a thin or meaty neg to what some would call a normal tone and density scale. Or perhaps nuances of style: an Ansel Adams look compared to a Robert Frank or Garry Winogrand look?

Wet printing or digital scanning?

One person's trash is another's treasure, one person's punishment is another's pleasure. Or simply different strokes.... 😉

And this thread also shows how great Tri-X is!

Cheers,

Juan

 

[jamesdfloyd]

This is what really appeals to me about this forum; insights and options.

Part of this weekend experiment is to get a handle on "thinking out of the box"...rated ISO that is. I appeal of film to me is the requirement to "think"...my digital back has great histogram and cuts down the amount of thinking required.

Oh yeah...18% gray card all the way.

 

[Vincent.G]

I am going to shoot some Tri-X this weekend for the first time in years and I am curious about ISO ratings.

Of course it is listed at 400 ISO, but I have read in the past on this forum that some users rate it at less than that. Under what conditions do you rate it less than 400 ISO?

If anyone can offer a suggestion, my weekend project will be a late afternoon landscape shot with clear skies and mixed shadows.

Thanks,

J.D.

Would not it be safer if you try out a roll under similar lighting situation before the weekend to see if you like the results of the suggestions? They may and may not work for you. 🙂

 

[Proteus617]

If foliage is to be accentuated consider a green filter.

I've found this to be true, and I have no idea why. Anyone care to explain?

 

[Juan Valdenebro]

Usually its green is from medium to dark, so foliage when shot in B&W at box speed tends to be rendered darker than human sight and brain perceive it... As any colored filter for B&W renders the same color lighter, a green filter can help produce higher grays from foliage... But when I did tests, I found its effect was minimal, clearly less than I was expecting, and maybe it's because foliage has lots of real different greens... I prefer to use a yellow filter (close to green but affects all greens) AND expose at +1 after incident metering at box speed... Indeed at +2 because of the filter...

Cheers,

Juan

 

[Tim Gray]

SO much of this depends on how one meters and what kind of images one likes. If you ignored that and averaged together all of the suggestions, you'd probably end up with something around 400, which is what Kodak suggests *as a starting point*.

Personally, I usually rate it at box speed, like I do most other films. Since it is a negative film, a little overexposure never hurt, so rating 1/3 or 2/3 over is not a problem and will ensure that you get decent shadow exposure, even if you are a bit careless in your metering. So maybe try it at 400 or 320.

 

[Bingley]

A red filter also darkens green foliage very nicely, as well as making nice contrasts between clouds and sky.

 

[Fawley]

For me it all boils down to how much contrast you want, or need to achieve. Bright days with hot highlights and deep dark shadows, EI 200 or 400. Overcast days, EI800 or 1600.

 

[charjohncarter]

35mm Trix, I shoot at 250, 11:45 min/sec in HC-110h; agitate every 5 minutes after 30 seconds to start. I'm just not a fan of Rodinal with 35mm Trix, but others will like it.

This is 35mm in HC-110h:

But I'm sure you will get the same with any medium grain developer (if you spend some time getting things right).

 

[Darkhorse]

I usually shoot it at box speed or at 800 if I'm indoors. Looking back at my photos of tri-x, there's just something about it in Rodinal that has a certain je ne sais quoi. Something's silvery, something glows, and I love the grain.

However if I'm going to push it, I'll probably use HC110.

 

[Bingley]

@charjohncarter: I've seen some gorgeous photos of yours souped in HC 110 w/ a dash of Rodinal -- beautiful tones, sparkly highlights. Maybe you could post one or two? 🙂

PS: that IS a lovely shot!