TriX400 in TMax-Dev, anyone?

Above you see 1+7 for nine minutes. I sited my experience where my negatives were underexposed at 20 min with 1+9 and others suggest between nine and ten minutes for 1+9. Perhaps with 1+9 we are approaching stand development times, so large extensions of time don't make large changes in results, or perhaps my TMax Dev. was old or inactivated by the 38 degree storage temperature inside my chemical refrigerator. It does seem odd that the same times can be suggested for both 1+7 and 1+9.
 
Above you see 1+7 for nine minutes. I sited my experience where my negatives were underexposed at 20 min with 1+9 and others suggest between nine and ten minutes for 1+9. Perhaps with 1+9 we are approaching stand development times, so large extensions of time don't make large changes in results, or perhaps my TMax Dev. was old or inactivated by the 38 degree storage temperature inside my chemical refrigerator. It does seem odd that the same times can be suggested for both 1+7 and 1+9.

I've used 1+7 and 1+9 a lot and the chemistry is not 'stand developer' at those dilutions. Even at 1+9 you will see big changes in contrast if you extend time. Your developer was bad from age. Don't refrigerate this stuff either, photo chemistry is not made to be stored like that, just keep it at room temp in a cool place.
 
I think you WANT to try TMax developer... Developing at 18ºC is easy with cold water and ice cubes. (I do it all the time from May to October... Sometimes four different developments the same day, one after another...) Tmax is the only developer I like as much as Rodinal: sharp grain, and beautiful tone... But being 1+4, every bottle goes fast! I use it for 3200 only... I think I pay ten times more for 3200/TMax Dev., than for AristaPremium400/Rodinal... You can't be cheap always... :) The fact is I shoot and develop more 3200 than 400, months ago... That means I can't be cheap even half the times... :(

Cheers,

Juan
 
DGA, I have gotten great results using Chris formula. Check out the URL below:
http://www.chriscrawfordphoto.com/technical/developing.php
(Chris, I hope you don't mind!)

Kodak's publication J-86 on TMAX developer states that it can do 48 rolls of 135-36 film at normal processing per gallon. This is achieved with time compensation stated in the article. I suppose that if one wants to do this, one has to mix the whole bottle at 1:4 concentration in a 5 gallon bottle and keep reusing this working solution for normal processing. Anyone tried to do this??
 
Well, eventually I settled on the old and faithful Rodinal 1+50.
I souped five rolls of Tri-X @ EI 800 for 13 minutes at 24ºC.
They are still wet and were hanged to dry so I don't really know the results, but they look OK to me.
Actually, I started the development with 22.5ºC, but it climbed up along the way, hopefully not too much beyond 24ºC. (I didn't took measurements during the development).
 
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Both Tri-X in Tmax 1+7, 9 minutes, 68 degrees. EI-320. For higher temps I'd say try it at 7 minutes at 75 degrees (24c).

By the way, Rodinal doesn't get grainier at high temps, I have used it at temps as high as 80 with no increase in grain. You just have to use the correct dev. time.

I'm thinking of trying this. When we use a diluted developer we have to be aware that there is a minimum quantity of the syrup that will get the job done. For example, to develop a 36 exposure roll in diluted D-76, we need a minimum of 125ml. of D-76 per roll present in the tank. So when using TMax at 1:7, is it sufficient to use my 8oz Nikor tank? Or should I use my 16oz tank in order to have a sufficient amount of TMax developer present?

I'm thinking that since TMax is a concentrate, 1 ounce of concentrate in 7 ounces water ought to suffice, but I'd like to check that out.

Great photos, Chris. The tonality is impressive, eye-catching!
 
I'm thinking of trying this. When we use a diluted developer we have to be aware that there is a minimum quantity of the syrup that will get the job done. For example, to develop a 36 exposure roll in diluted D-76, we need a minimum of 125ml. of D-76 per roll present in the tank. So when using TMax at 1:7, is it sufficient to use my 8oz Nikor tank? Or should I use my 16oz tank in order to have a sufficient amount of TMax developer present?

I'm thinking that since TMax is a concentrate, 1 ounce of concentrate in 7 ounces water ought to suffice, but I'd like to check that out.

Great photos, Chris. The tonality is impressive, eye-catching!

Thanks for the compliments :)

My D-76 tech sheet from Kodak says you need 250ml of stock solution for each roll with D-75. The 125ml number you quoted is for Xtol. The D-76 data sheet says that you need to use a 16 oz tank to do a single roll in -76 1+1 or a 32 oz tank for 2 rolls. The Tmax Developer Data Sheet does not say the minimum needed.

I never use 8oz tanks, ever. Even for developers like Tmax that can stand more dilution than D-76. You just can't get good agitation/chemical flow with the short, tiny tanks. My experience with Tmax is that in a 16 oz tank, you can do two rolls at 1+7 dilution with no issues, so one roll in an 8oz should work, but I'd seriously consider using the bigger tanks. I still never do more than one roll in a 16oz tank though, even though it works for Tmax Developer....I don't want to risk it running out of steam before the film is developed fully. Developer is cheap, reshooting screwed up pics is not.

The rolls that the photos above were on were developed in a 32 oz metal tank with two rolls in the tank. I put an empty reel in the bottom, then the two reels with film then another empty on top.
 
Thanks for the compliments :)

My D-76 tech sheet from Kodak says you need 250ml of stock solution for each roll with D-75. The 125ml number you quoted is for Xtol. The D-76 data sheet says that you need to use a 16 oz tank to do a single roll in -76 1+1 or a 32 oz tank for 2 rolls. The Tmax Developer Data Sheet does not say the minimum needed.

Funny, even as I was typing, I was thinking, "But didn't I see on the Kodak website that it should be 250ml per roll? Naah, I'm sure 125 is enough. That's what I always use."

OK, 250ml it is, from now on, at least with D-76.

This raises another question (good answers always lead to another question). If I use straight D-76 in an 8 oz tank, then have I already exhausted my 250ml, which should then be discarded? Or could I re-use it as one tends to do with straight developer?
 
The straight D76 can be re-used and replenished but I don't know the procedure, since I never reuse any chemical. Reused developers are never as consistant as fresh, and they usually produce slightly lower effective film speed. Not worth saving a few cents for. If you want to know how search kodak.com for publication J-78 D-76 Film Developer, it is available as a free PDF download.
 
DGA, I have gotten great results using Chris formula. Check out the URL below:
http://www.chriscrawfordphoto.com/technical/developing.php
(Chris, I hope you don't mind!)

Kodak's publication J-86 on TMAX developer states that it can do 48 rolls of 135-36 film at normal processing per gallon. This is achieved with time compensation stated in the article. I suppose that if one wants to do this, one has to mix the whole bottle at 1:4 concentration in a 5 gallon bottle and keep reusing this working solution for normal processing. Anyone tried to do this??

Normally, when I see 1:4, I take this to mean 1 part developer added to 3 parts water vs. 1+4, which would be 1 part developer added to four parts of water. Is this how Kodak intends this nomenclature in J-86? I ask this because it seems to me that I have seen Kodak publication where they used 1:4, but meant 1+4.
 
Normally, when I see 1:4, I take this to mean 1 part developer added to 3 parts water vs. 1+4, which would be 1 part developer added to four parts of water. Is this how Kodak intends this nomenclature in J-86? I ask this because it seems to me that I have seen Kodak publication where they used 1:4, but meant 1+4.

1:4 means for every 1ml of developer, you add 4ml of water so their ratiois 1:4 i.e. 1 part chemical to 4 parts water. 1+4 means the same thing as well so there is no confusion here.
 
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