Chemical list for TMAX 400

I am really sorry to ask this, but I'd appreciate it if you could quickly check my 'dev list' as I am doing this for the first time

In Australia our chemical availability is somewhat limited, so I just wanted to make sure I was on the right track. I am shooting TMAX 400 in 120. Already have my tank, reels, change bag, bekers, thermometer etc. courtesy of Freestyle.

Based on research here and on other forums, I have decided to go with D76 as my developer. I can source Kodak Ind stop bath, Ilford RAPID FIXER, and Kodak Photoflo 200. No Kodak fixer for some reason, but I assume it's not really going to matter?

Of course as a beginner I am after the simplest process so any suggestions appreciated. I know there is heaps of info available but maybe there's too much... I am just getting more confused, the more I read!

Thanks!

Yep, you'll be fine. And there's no need to match chemical manufacturer to film manufacturer.

Sounds good to me too. The instructions you find either on the package or on the companies' web sites are good too.

Enjoy your new adventure! Practice a lot. Have fun.

Posted wirelessly..

Yeah, go with that and have a ball.

Just a note - having nothing to do with chemistry.

For your first try I would suggest that you do not use the changing bag. If at all possible light proof a small closet or bathroom w/o a window is easiest. I know it sounds overboard but if you have never loaded 120 film on a reel before you will save yourself a lot of frustration. Personally I have loaded 1000's and 1000's of 120 and 220 on reals and can do it in under 30 seconds but even I avoid using a changing bag for this.

I have travelled and processed films just about everywhere in every temporary circumstance - all you need is a little innovation to light proof a room on a temporary basis.

If you have no windows and a door this is a piece of cake. For instance have you ever seen one of those thin airline blankets? The older ones from AA that were dark colored where just right to hang over the top of the door itself and then you close the door so that the edges of the blanket are jammed in the top and both sides of the door between it and the door jamb this blocks light leaks at the top and sides of the door - then take another one and roll it up to block the bottom of the door.

I have used this kind of thing in countless hotel bathrooms and it is virtually fool proof. Windows are not too bad either with a little innovation.

RB

I'd respectfully disagree with Robert re the changing bag. If it's all you have, use it. The biggest problem with them is that your hands will sweat if they're in it long enough, and the resulting intra-bag humidity might make the reels sticky and make film loading more difficult.

D-76 is a perfect developer for 400TMY, along with Xtol (Kodak's recommended dev for Tmax films) and TMAX developer. You're golden.

The sticky film problem is easily resolved by using stainless steel reels.

Sometimes I process quite a few number of rolls, and what I do is rinse the stainless steel reels in super hot water, both to clean them but also because they dry very quickly like that. Then they are ready to be used within ten minutes of the last processing batch again. Can't do that with plastic unless you have some sort of fan to dry your reels, and you're still stuck with the 'in bag' humidity problem.

Just a thought, and some advice that might help if you decide to use the changing bag. I never load film in the darkroom, always in the changing bag.
Then when I process the film, I fill up the processing container with developer, turn off the lights, bring out my reel(s) and lower it/them directly into the soup. This helps with eliminating air bubbles inside the tank, and the film gets more uniformly immersed. That step obviously requires complete darkness and space.

- Thomas

MikeSeb said:

I'd respectfully disagree with Robert re the changing bag. If it's all you have, use it. The biggest problem with them is that your hands will sweat if they're in it long enough, and the resulting intra-bag humidity might make the reels sticky and make film loading more difficult.

D-76 is a perfect developer for 400TMY, along with Xtol (Kodak's recommended dev for Tmax films) and TMAX developer. You're golden.

Click to expand...

Thanks very much everyone. I feel better now! ;-)

MikeSeb said:

I'd respectfully disagree with Robert re the changing bag. If it's all you have, use it. The biggest problem with them is that your hands will sweat if they're in it long enough, and the resulting intra-bag humidity might make the reels sticky and make film loading more difficult.

D-76 is a perfect developer for 400TMY, along with Xtol (Kodak's recommended dev for Tmax films) and TMAX developer. You're golden.

Click to expand...

What exactly do you disagree with? Are you saying that loading 120 film in a bag is easier than not inside a bag? If you are I would love to understand your reasoning. It should prove to be an interesting read.

Here is a statement that is not too hard to interpret. Loading roll film on a real is much easier when you are not space constrained in a bag. Dealing with a misload is easier. doing just about any thing that requires any amount of dexterity - actually doing just about anything period is easier outside a bag. This is obvious to anyone that happens to be a human being.

Now here is the conditional part - IF YOU CAN AVOID IT THE FIRST TIME YOU TRY YOU PROBABLY SHOULD. Why the hell wouldn't you? Are you saying that even with easy access to a darkened room that you find it easier to do inside a bag? Your first time? Doing it inside a bag actually aids the process in some way besides being dark? This is patently ridiculous.

RB

Ps. It would make any sense if you were disagreeing with me if I said something like "loading film in a bag is impossible" but I did not.

I've loaded hundreds of films, 35mm and 120, onto reels in a changing bag but the little extra that makes it easier for me is to put a cardboard carton into the changing bag first. I use a beer carton (usually easy to find around here) with the top cut off.

This gives me a clear well supported space inside the bag where my sweaty hands can fight the film and reel without the folds of the changing bag sagging into the action as well.

Goodness, Robert--was it the "respectful" part you didn't like?

Guess I shoulda been more specific and simply said I don't find it as onerous as you do to work out of a changing bag. I use a Harrison Pup Tent and a Fuji model with quite a lot of space inside.

You have a nice day now--and thanks for the syntax lesson.

MikeSeb said:

Goodness, Robert--was it the "respectful" part you didn't like?

Guess I shoulda been more specific and simply said I don't find it as onerous as you do to work out of a changing bag. I use a Harrison Pup Tent and a Fuji model with quite a lot of space inside.

You have a nice day now--and thanks for the syntax lesson.

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I have no issue that you have no issue with doing it inside a bag. I merely have an issue with the "disagree" statement. I can use a changing bag and do when I have to but to disagree that it is easier - esp for the very very first time to do in a bag vs. open space when the OP has never ever even felt how it feels seems strange.

If you had the option to do it in your changing bag or simply walking in a room and closing a door which would you prefer? Even with lots and lots of practice I would far prefer doing it in open space as I am 5 times faster.

As for your compatriot that uses a bag to load the film on the reel and THEN go into the darkroom in the dark so that he can dip the film in the tank before he closes it. This also patently makes no sense at all to me - how does the bag HELP it provides NO value and certainly does not assist in the loading process. I am completely missing something. It seems no matter what advise anyone gives there is always a disagreement - not based on merit - just to disagree.

Of course a bag can be managed if there is no other facility. Of course having to use a bag is worthwhile if that is the way you are going to get the job done. Of course it will work but someone please tell me what the heck there is to disagree about in terms of NOT using one if one does not have to? Please make sense of this.

RB

Maris said:

I've loaded hundreds of films, 35mm and 120, onto reels in a changing bag but the little extra that makes it easier for me is to put a cardboard carton into the changing bag first. I use a beer carton (usually easy to find around here) with the top cut off.

This gives me a clear well supported space inside the bag where my sweaty hands can fight the film and reel without the folds of the changing bag sagging into the action as well.

Click to expand...

I have a very small changing bag. I also have a "darkroom" that requires work to become dark. So lately, I've been loading film in the changing bag. A week or two back, I loaded my first 120 reel in ages (Paterson). The bag was adequate, but a bit frustrating.

One of those "dark tent" bags is on my shopping list now, since that will give more space *and* the supported room that you're suggesting.

RW, relax pardner. We're just exchanging opinion here, hopefully with some well grounded fact baked into it. What works for me might not work for you, or even make sense.

But unless you listen to the suggestions of other people, and THEN decide if it might be something you want to adopt or not, preferably after you give it the benefit of a doubt - how do we form our opinions and methods again? We can learn from each other, and most definitely should.

If you find that the method doesn't work for you, there is no ground for disagreement, but maybe just a slice of empathy and respect to realize that the poster of any opinion spent a lot of time and thought for form their opinion, probably about as much time and effort as you spent on yours.

My idea of using a changing bag while loading film is that I simply love daylight. I don't like to be in complete darkness if I can avoid it. And it works flawlessly once I get into the dark too.

Not disagreeing with you. Adding to the discussion, merely.

rwboyer said:

I have no issue that you have no issue with doing it inside a bag. I merely have an issue with the "disagree" statement. I can use a changing bag and do when I have to but to disagree that it is easier - esp for the very very first time to do in a bag vs. open space when the OP has never ever even felt how it feels seems strange.

If you had the option to do it in your changing bag or simply walking in a room and closing a door which would you prefer? Even with lots and lots of practice I would far prefer doing it in open space as I am 5 times faster.

As for your compatriot that uses a bag to load the film on the reel and THEN go into the darkroom in the dark so that he can dip the film in the tank before he closes it. This also patently makes no sense at all to me - how does the bag HELP it provides NO value and certainly does not assist in the loading process. I am completely missing something. It seems no matter what advise anyone gives there is always a disagreement - not based on merit - just to disagree.

Of course a bag can be managed if there is no other facility. Of course having to use a bag is worthwhile if that is the way you are going to get the job done. Of course it will work but someone please tell me what the heck there is to disagree about in terms of NOT using one if one does not have to? Please make sense of this.

RB

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Thomas Bertilsson said:

RW, relax pardner. We're just exchanging opinion here, hopefully with some well grounded fact baked into it. What works for me might not work for you, or even make sense.

But unless you listen to the suggestions of other people, and THEN decide if it might be something you want to adopt or not, preferably after you give it the benefit of a doubt - how do we form our opinions and methods again? We can learn from each other, and most definitely should.

If you find that the method doesn't work for you, there is no ground for disagreement, but maybe just a slice of empathy and respect to realize that the poster of any opinion spent a lot of time and thought for form their opinion, probably about as much time and effort as you spent on yours.

My idea of using a changing bag while loading film is that I simply love daylight. I don't like to be in complete darkness if I can avoid it. And it works flawlessly once I get into the dark too.

Not disagreeing with you. Adding to the discussion, merely.

Click to expand...

I am completely relaxed - I think I was pretty clear that I took issue with the "disagree" part - not by you but again I think your enjoyment of the "daylight" borders on ridiculous for the tiny little bit of extra time you get in the daylight with your arms in a bag. That is not my point though. Here it is so I can be really really clear:

-Op asks opinion on chemicals but mentions his use of a changing bag - he has NEVER done any of this before. NEVER - no changing bag, no loading of reels, nothing. At least that is what he said.

-I mention that for is first time he might want to think about loading the reel w/o the bag IF IT IS POSSIBLE because he might find it easier FOR HIS FIRST TRY. I give him a suggestion for light proofing a room real quick.

-Not one but TWO people chime in immediately starting the response with "I respectfully disagree" that loading 120 roll film for the very first time is easier outside of a bag. Somehow implying that it is EASIER to do inside a bag.

I have no issue whatsoever with people expressing ideas and opinions that bags aren't so bad, giving advice on how to use a bag successfully for the first time ever loading roll films, giving encouragement if the OP has no other way to do it. Whatever. I only take issue with the statement or implication that doing ANYTHING inside a bag that obviously restricts you in a number of ways is somehow easier to do than without those restrictions.

I said it before and I will say it again - The notion that using a bag with the restrictions it imposes is obviously and patently ridiculous vs. NOT having to use one all other things being equal.

After having taught dozens of first time film shooters to load film on developing reels I am pretty comfortable that a very large portion of them will have issues their very first time - even if they have done 35mm before. Eliminating other obstacles is probably a good idea if possible. So there is my issue - hope that is clear.

RB

I think I'm going to quit APUG. Place has gone mad.