Diafine over HC-110

Hi,

I usually develop my TMAX100/400 (120 and 4x5") in HC-110. How would I rate Diafine for TMAX compared to HC-110 and X-Tol? I usually would just go out and buy a developer and try it, but it's quite expensive here.

I found an article here I read and looks interesting: http://www.blackandwhitefineart.net/2011/01/diafine/

So, if you could choose between HC-110, X-Tol of Diafine for TMAX, what would you choose and why?

Thanks.

Definitely Diafine is meant for pushing witout raising contrast too much
Tentatively, from my recollection of trying it long ago, Diafine tends to compress highlights; so , if you value "brillance", "snap", not a good choice.
Finally: there is no magic bullet; best to know one developer

Hmmm....Compressing highlights and lack of 'brilliance', 'snap'. Sounds like 'grey-ish' to me...

I like Diafine with conventional films. It doesn't work nearly as well, in my experience, with tabular films though it does "work" it just doesn't get the kind of effective speed increase it does with some older films. I have used it with TMY at EI 640 IIRC.

Diafine negs can tend to look flat but print well, often with slightly higher paper contrast than conventional negatives. It is compensating so will tend to tame, or compress depending on whether you want the effect or not, highlights. It may be expensive - it isn't cheap here now either - but it lasts and lasts and lasts. I used to get 70 rolls or so through a quart. It's actually very economical per film, even at high prices.

That said, HC-110 is not expensive per film either given the dilutions and the concentrate lasts and lasts, at least. Bottom line - very different developers.

I prefer TMX and TMY in Tmax Dev. (Not because of the same name ) Usually in 1+9 combination. It gives very smooth negatives with nicely balanced contrast. Low concentration prevents mushing of the grain.

My experience with tabular grain films and Diafine echo Roger's. It works, but not as well as with traditional films. I've only used it for exposing film in dim, flat lighting like high school gymnasiums, where it really rocks with Tri-X at EI 1600. I've recently experimented with it again to produce negatives exposed in extreme contrast ranges for scanning. I found Pyrocat-HD used as a divided developer works much better with both T-grain and traditional films.