airfrogusmc
Veteran
I always liked Rodiinal 1:50 with t-max 400. The toe would straighten out some so there would be a lot of info in the toe (shadows) because it didn't behave like a traditional film curve. With the right paper like a Kodak Elite (silver heavy and no longer made) you could really pull out shadow detail.
With tri-x I always liked HC 110.
I would say find the right dev film combo for the way you want your final prints to look like. A film dev like Rodinal is a true acutance developer. The means it doesn't have softeners like fine grain dev have so the silver halide crystals have complete and sharp edges. That means you will have a lot of grain. If you are shooting large format it's not an issue. If you like grainy images with 35mm, which I do, it will surely give you that look. Not every dev is the right choice for a specific film. I never liked t max dev with t max films. Never cared for fine grain dev with tri x but that is personal. many like the combos that I don't.
With tri-x I always liked HC 110.
I would say find the right dev film combo for the way you want your final prints to look like. A film dev like Rodinal is a true acutance developer. The means it doesn't have softeners like fine grain dev have so the silver halide crystals have complete and sharp edges. That means you will have a lot of grain. If you are shooting large format it's not an issue. If you like grainy images with 35mm, which I do, it will surely give you that look. Not every dev is the right choice for a specific film. I never liked t max dev with t max films. Never cared for fine grain dev with tri x but that is personal. many like the combos that I don't.
steveyork
Well-known
Rodinal and HC-110 because of long shelf life with good results. I mostly only shoot iso 125 or slower.
FujiLove
Well-known
I use replenished XTOL, mostly for it's convenience and fast prep time. I have a 2l PET bottle in the cupboard always full of working strength developer. When I want to process a roll of film, I just take the temperature of the XTOL, alter the dev time based on Ilford's compensation chart (https://www.ilfordphoto.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Temperature-compensation-chart.pdf) and away I go.
When I'm finished, I add 70ml of stock XTOL per film to the working solution, put the top on the bottle and it's ready to go again for next time. Very low-cost, very convenient and the results are great.
There's a replenished XTOL thread over on Photrio if anyone's interested: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/using-and-replenishing-xtol.144796/
When I'm finished, I add 70ml of stock XTOL per film to the working solution, put the top on the bottle and it's ready to go again for next time. Very low-cost, very convenient and the results are great.
There's a replenished XTOL thread over on Photrio if anyone's interested: https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/using-and-replenishing-xtol.144796/
FujiLove
Well-known
I forgot about the speed benefit. That's initially what turned me onto XTOL. It's nice to be able to shoot Tmax-400 at EI400 when I'm using relatively slow lenses on things like the Xpan.
randy stewart
Established
B&W Developer
B&W Developer
I use FX-37, 1:9, dosed with Sodium Ascorbate, to develop HP-5 and FP-4. My results are the best I've ever gotten in 55 years of trying nearly everything except pyro.
B&W Developer
I use FX-37, 1:9, dosed with Sodium Ascorbate, to develop HP-5 and FP-4. My results are the best I've ever gotten in 55 years of trying nearly everything except pyro.
GoodOldNorm
Member
Hello Randy, could you expand on "dosed with sodium ascorbate" please?
presspass
filmshooter
D-23 in its various dilutions, etc., for the past five years. When I was shooting a lot more film - eight to 12 rolls a week - I used Xtol replenished in one-gallon tanks. When we went to digital at work, I cut my film use to a couple of rolls a week and that wasn't really enough to keep the deep tank system operating properly. I decided to try Thornton's divided developer and from there went to just D-23, usually diluted 1:3, for 400 speed 35mm film. D-23 is easy to mix, stores well, gives full film speed, limits grain, and, diluted, controls the highlights. Right now, I'm adding sodium chloride - canning salt - to the standard mix and liking the results.