Developing TMAX 400 in Xtol

[Adrian Bacon]

I shot my first roll of TMAX 400 since around 25 years. I developed it in Xtol straight at 6.5 minutes. I ended up with a negative that looked normal. Some shots were less dense then normal exposure as well on the neg. Yet when I scanned it up on my Epson flatbed (I shot 120), a few shots the highlights -were bordering on, if not actually, blown out. I like the look TMAX 400 gives for B&W, but it seems a little tricky on the scans.

Did I overdevelop? I doubt it since the negs weren't very dense on quite a few shots. So what could be going wrong? Or is this normal for this film? I tried to tame it a little in the scan.

tmax 400 doesn’t shoulder until very late. You can easily have density way up in the log 3+ range for highlights depending on subject matter, developer used, and agitation frequency.

 

[braxus]

Well I dug out a 35mm roll of Tmax 400 that is fresh, plus a 35mm roll of expired Plus X. I'll shoot them in separate cameras. I'm waiting for the sun to come out today, so I can go back to that trail again to get more shots. For 35mm I have a Minolta Scan Dual 4 which I use with VueScan. I'll see how the results from it turn out. I'm using my Contax 35mm with 50mm 1.4 Zeiss lens, so I'm excited to see the results. It'll be the first time I use that camera and lens.

 

[pentaxuser]

Thanks for the reply, Braxus. I fully understand your reasons but should you ever get the chance to try darkroom printing then I recommend having a go. I think you will find it a different and absorbing experience

pentaxuser

 

[braxus]

I used to darkroom print years ago back in high school and college. Trust me. I'd be doing it if it were possible. Maybe when I get my own apartment maybe.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Well I dug out a 35mm roll of Tmax 400 that is fresh, plus a 35mm roll of expired Plus X. I'll shoot them in separate cameras. I'm waiting for the sun to come out today, so I can go back to that trail again to get more shots. For 35mm I have a Minolta Scan Dual 4 which I use with VueScan. I'll see how the results from it turn out. I'm using my Contax 35mm with 50mm 1.4 Zeiss lens, so I'm excited to see the results. It'll be the first time I use that camera and lens.

Sun's out! Get going!

 

[gone]

This can be frustrating at first, but this is what I finally figured out: there's negatives, there's scans, there's online images of scans (everyone's monitor is different) and then there's prints. This is not a linear thing either!

When I looked at my Foma 400 negs w/ a loupe, they looked grainier than I had expected (compared to my usual Tri-X). Then I scanned them on my cheapo Wolverine scanner, and of course that only made the grain worse. Then I printed those Foma negs on the enlarger to 11x14, and the grain looks almost exactly like Tri-X prints using the same film developer. I defy anyone to tell me which print is Tri-X and which one is Foma.

So I guess it just depends on what your final usage is. The scans at the beginning of the thread look perfectly fine to me by the way.....but we're talking about viewing online images of scanned negs too.

 

[braxus]

Sun's out! Get going!

I did. It was still overcast at first when I got to the location, but the sun came out half way in the time I was there. So I got mixed lighting pictures on Plus X and TMAX 400. I copied shot for shot on each camera with the same F stop. Shutter speed was the only difference. Two cameras I used were my Canon Elan 7 with 50mm 1.4 and my Contax with Zeiss 50mm 1.4. I let the Canon be the light meter for the two cameras. Im not quite used to using the meter in the Contax yet.

Got home and developed the two rolls 30 seconds apart. Dev time for Plus X was 5.5 minutes in Xtol straight, and 6.5 minutes for TMAX 400. They are washing as we speak. I'll let the films dry, scan them up and show the results soon. I also brought along my Fuji GW690 again, but that had color in it. Imagine trying to juggle 3 cameras in hands while taking shots. Next time I'll just do two cameras. Thank God two of the 3 cameras had straps.

 

[MattKing]

Imagine trying to juggle 3 cameras in hands while taking shots. Next time I'll just do two cameras. Thank God two of the 3 cameras had straps.

You should have gotten someone to take a photo of you doing the juggling!

 

[braxus]

They are now drying.

 

[Radost]

I shot my first roll of TMAX 400 since around 25 years. I developed it in Xtol straight at 6.5 minutes. I ended up with a negative that looked normal. Some shots were less dense then normal exposure as well on the neg. Yet when I scanned it up on my Epson flatbed (I shot 120), a few shots the highlights -were bordering on, if not actually, blown out. I like the look TMAX 400 gives for B&W, but it seems a little tricky on the scans.

Did I overdevelop? I doubt it since the negs weren't very dense on quite a few shots. So what could be going wrong? Or is this normal for this film? I tried to tame it a little in the scan.

Highlights seam harsh

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I did. It was still overcast at first when I got to the location, but the sun came out half way in the time I was there. So I got mixed lighting pictures on Plus X and TMAX 400. I copied shot for shot on each camera with the same F stop. Shutter speed was the only difference. Two cameras I used were my Canon Elan 7 with 50mm 1.4 and my Contax with Zeiss 50mm 1.4. I let the Canon be the light meter for the two cameras. Im not quite used to using the meter in the Contax yet.

Got home and developed the two rolls 30 seconds apart. Dev time for Plus X was 5.5 minutes in Xtol straight, and 6.5 minutes for TMAX 400. They are washing as we speak. I'll let the films dry, scan them up and show the results soon. I also brought along my Fuji GW690 again, but that had color in it. Imagine trying to juggle 3 cameras in hands while taking shots. Next time I'll just do two cameras. Thank God two of the 3 cameras had straps.

I think I was also under the very same lighting conditions as you, being just down the road...

 

[braxus]

Just finished scanning the Plus X and TMAX 400. Even in 35mm Im getting blown highlights, so it seems I'll have to do the histogram method which would take way longer. I had to use my flatbed again, as my Minolta film scanner (3rd one of this scanner) wasn't working in the advance again. Im about to give up trying to get a good copy of that film scanner.

 

[braxus]

Here are some samples of Plus X vs TMAX400.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

I shot my first roll of TMAX 400 since around 25 years. I developed it in Xtol straight at 6.5 minutes. I ended up with a negative that looked normal. Some shots were less dense then normal exposure as well on the neg. Yet when I scanned it up on my Epson flatbed (I shot 120), a few shots the highlights -were bordering on, if not actually, blown out. I like the look TMAX 400 gives for B&W, but it seems a little tricky on the scans.

Did I overdevelop? I doubt it since the negs weren't very dense on quite a few shots. So what could be going wrong? Or is this normal for this film? I tried to tame it a little in the scan.

looks great to me.

 

[Tim Gray]

Ditto on the scanning diagnosis. In the shot of the man, on the negative that highlight in front of his face has a lot more density than his forehead, yet his forehead is borderline blowing out.

Not that it helps much, but I always dev TMY in XTOL 1:1 following Kodak's times and things have always come out pretty scannable and printable.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Very subtle differences between Plus X and TMY.

 

[braxus]

Yeah the Plus X seems to have slightly lighter tones then the Tmax 400 does.

 

[warden]

Yeah the Plus X seems to have slightly lighter tones then the Tmax 400 does.

I hope they bring PlusX back one day. In the meantime I sure like TMax 400, in Xtol and also T Max developer.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I hope they bring PlusX back one day. In the meantime I sure like TMax 400, in Xtol and also T Max developer.

I would like to see Plus-X again, but I think it would kill sales of TMAX 100.

 

[braxus]

Ive used TMAX 100, but I found its look rather bland and boring.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Ive used TMAX 100, but I found its look rather bland and boring.

It wasn't too bad in the right situation, and developed in Xtol 1+1. TMY is a much much better film. Braxus, where did you get yours from? Beau? I contacted Kerrisdale (I buy all darkroom supplies from them for my school), and they said they'd get back to me on a price per roll. I'm pretty sure the price will be much higher than HP5!

 

[warden]

I would like to see Plus-X again, but I think it would kill sales of TMAX 100.

That could be. I’ve actually never tried Tmax 100.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

That could be. I’ve actually never tried Tmax 100.

In my opinion, Plus-X is the better of the two. I used to make large prints for a railroad photographer, and he used 120 Plus-X exclusively. It had that bit of snap I liked. I believe he used HC-110 dilution B. I tried to get him to try Xtol 1+1, but he wouldn't budge

 

[braxus]

Braxus, where did you get yours from? Beau?

I find Kerrisdale only carries Ilford for B&W. They dont have Kodak at the Langley store. I find prices for film at Beau to be extremely expensive. We are talking $15-20 for a roll of film. Too high. I order my film from Freestyle in the USA. Best price other then high shipping costs. It all goes into the freezer once I get it home. B&H is good too, but I haven't ordered from them yet either.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

I find Kerrisdale only carries Ilford for B&W. They dont have Kodak at the Langley store. I find prices for film at Beau to be extremely expensive. We are talking $15-20 for a roll of film. Too high. I order my film from Freestyle in the USA. Best price other then high shipping costs. It all goes into the freezer once I get it home. B&H is good too, but I haven't ordered from them yet either.

Kerrisdale Camera in Coquitlam Centre carries a decent selection of films, other than Ilford. The manager is a film shooter. I'm going out the door today with a roll of 120 JCH Street Pan, which they had on the shelf. $14.99. Still cheaper than the States after exchange rate and shipping are added. I want to support local businesses as much as I can