TriX/HP5 ISO 1200?

[ktmrider]

Back in the day when I was a newspaper photographer, we sometimes had to shoot TriX at 1200-1600. If I remember correctly, I used either Acufine for ISO 1200 and Diafine for ISO up to ISO 2400.

My question is are these still the developers of choice for getting a bit more speed out of TriX/HP5? Any other recommendations?

 

[BLKRCAT]

I havent't tried with Tri-X yet but I have pushed Tmax-400 to iso 1600 by stand developing in Rodinal at 1:100.

example here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lovelyjm/11020117134/

I would likely go about the same process with Tri-X. To come to think about it I did use the same method to push tri-x to 800. I've also pushed tri-x to 3200 in xtol. Results were contrasty but fit my look I was after.

 

[Photo_Smith]

I would say speed increasing developers, DDX, Microphen, Xtol will all give a slight increase in speed, I use Microphen to get 640EI from HP5.

Speeds of EI 800 and above are a push for any developer with HP5/Tri-x and you'll lose some shadow detail so might like to consider Ilford Delta 3200 and rate it a 1600 depending on the subject.

 

[DamenS]

Tri-X is usually rated at 1250-1600 ISO in Diafine without pushing required.

 

[k__43]

If you like higher contrast and you can sacrifice mid tones a little you can drop the Tri-X exposed at 1600 in Rodinal1+100 for 2h. Agitate for 30-60 sec. and every 30min as if its a glass of wine or a scotch (well maybe not that gentle but no shaking etc.).
Actually you can just go and expose from 200 to 3200 with a sweet spot at around 800.

 

[lawrence]

Tri-X is usually rated at 1250-1600 ISO in Diafine without pushing required.

That is a push because you are rating the film beyond its normal ISO. And you do lose shadow detail, even if you rate it at 800 and develop in Diafine (not saying the results won't be nice, however).

 

[helvetica]

I shoot HP5 at ISO3200, fixed in D76 for 21 minutes at room temperature. The result is defiantly bright highlights and dark dark shadows, but that's also the natural consequence of that kind of lighting. If you are outside on a sunny day, nearly everything is within reasonably close lighting due to the massive apparent size of sunlight. If you are shooting something like people around a campfire at midnight - or anything that might be like 1/30th @ f/1.4 @ ISO3200 - the relative difference between the darks and illumination provided by a small light source is huge.