ADOX SILVERMAX 100: Great film, not 100 ISO

After buying a few rolls of this film and the Silvermax developer to develop it in for full effect, I have concluded that even processed normally, this film is bette suited to be shot at 200 ISO, possibly 400. With a tiny push, 800 is definitely possible for a very full range. An exposure test at 800, 400, 200, and 100 EI on the same roll processed as 100, (11 min 68F, 1 + 29) the 800 had the best tone separation. I found 100 to block up the highlights too much for my normal sun exposure I use with Tri-x (1/1000 at f-8 ISO 800 or 1/1000 f2.8 @100 in this case). The shadows have the best range at 100, but at 400 the highlights work the best. Ive attached a few examples. The last two examples of the stop sign in the alleyway are shot at 800 (100022) and 100 (100025). The rest are shot 1/1000 f2.8 in the sun.

Alessandro Serrao said:

What scanner did you use?

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Alessandro,

I used an Epson V750, but my observations were made from viewing the negatives through a loupe. At 800 ISO, the scene I photographed 4 times had lost deep shadow information, but at ISO 400 equivalent, there was no detail lost anywhere. At ISO 100, the highlights began to block up. The scene had a wide lattitude of about EV 16 to about EV 9 in the low useful shadows. I understand that some photographers may not agree with how I am describing my exposure, but either saying that each shot was at a different ISO, or giving its stop deviation, or the equivalent exposure all says the same thing. The point in the end is that this film seems to perform optimally when exposed at 400 ISO and developed as normal (at 100 ISO specs).

Hey Nikanon,

I applaud your tests and await more.

I have found that 100 works for me using TD3 full stand for 1.5 hours. Go figure.



D76, XTOL, and PMK Pyro also work well for me at ei 100.

damonff said:

Hey Nikanon,

I applaud your tests and await more.

I have found that 100 works for me using TD3 full stand for 1.5 hours. Go figure.

View attachment 74600

D76, XTOL, and PMK Pyro also work well for me at ei 100.

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I'm normally a Tri-x at 800 shooter and develop it in something simple like FG7, D76, or other developers that give great tones and push fine one stop, although Tri-x hardly needs the push. I shoot between 10-15 rolls a week, so I'm not sure I can make the extra cost of this film worth it if it dosent really stand out at 800 ISO when I try it. It may just not be the film for my work, which is very quick and in very good or terrible light, but we will see. Maybe I'll enjoy shooting it every once in a while just to change up what's coming out of my camera.

Are you observations based on enlarger printing as well, or only scanning?

jerrybro said:

Are you observations based on enlarger printing as well, or only scanning?

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Jerry,

Neither. I have stated above that I made a visual assessment of the negatives through a loupe. It is confirmed by scanning. Enlarging will do a bit better for the tones, but they were pretty blocked up at ISO 100 as seen on the negative. My experience with a densitometer agrees and use of one would likely support this. My exposures in the camera are based on my exposures I have established long ago with a spot meter, getting used to what is Zone III and Zone II out in the world where I live, and found that in the sun, 1/1000 at f8 and ISO 800 will properly expose all tones save those situations where white objects reflect it directly (which can be controlled of course).

damonff said:

Hey Nikanon,

I applaud your tests and await more.

I have found that 100 works for me using TD3 full stand for 1.5 hours. Go figure.

View attachment 74600

D76, XTOL, and PMK Pyro also work well for me at ei 100.

Click to expand...

By the way, this is a wonderful tonality for such a long development, I'm surprised there aren't halos or streaking

Nikanon said:

By the way, this is a wonderful tonality for such a long development, I'm surprised there aren't halos or streaking

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Thanks - I was shocked by it too. Extremely diluted TD3 is wonderful. Check it out.

I haven't tried TD3, what kind of developer is it? Sounds like it can be highly compensating, so I'm assuming the concentration is high? Is sodium sulfite a constituent?

No idea about the ingredients! Sorry! I got it from Photographers Formulary as an alternative to Technidol so that I could develop Tech Pan. I ended up using Rodinal for the Tech Pan and TD3 for various unrelated films!

A few more images of Adox Silvermax 100 at 100 developed normally in Silvermax

A few more shots...

Maybe scanning and printing in the wetleb are different stories. I was always unhappy with Silvermax scans, but printing is great, rich tones and all. Same with Acros.