First Tmax Negs in Pyrocat OMG!

[L Gebhardt]

Tom, before you buy the chemistry I would greatly recommend you buy at least the Sullivan/Weese or Arentz's book. As far as complexity there is nothing to it, but I can safely say your first few prints will not be what you expect.

As to 400 TMX, if you want the same tonality as tri X, use a green of light blue filter, depending on how much sky you have, of course with skies showing use the green filter, with no skies, use the blue. I like Tmx so much because of its versatility and reciprocity, but like you, I like the tonality of Tri X a lot more, this is why I try to use the filters I mention, to bring back a little of that Tri X feeling.

Jorge, specifically which filters do you use and what filter factor do you apply?

 

[Jorge]

Jorge, specifically which filters do you use and what filter factor do you apply?

I use a b+w green, and a light blue for color correction, works for Tmx.
The green one has the FF of 3x but I have found b+w optimistic on their factors I use 5x

The blue one has a FF of 2x but I use 4x.
Hope this helps.

 

[Francesco]

I have found b+w optimistic on their factors

Jorge, thanks for the tip. That is something I would not have bothered checking out.

 

[Christian Olivet]

Ok. You have finally got me excited enough to try TMY 400. I'll be buying some to try with azo, maybe Ziatypes too.

Can some one explain more on the difference of tonality between TMY400 and TriX. Jorge you say you use filters to get the look ot Tri X when you use TMY. Is it a matter of how the two films render the blues or does it have to do with the with the way the films build density?

Thanks

 

[Jorge]

Christian, it is a matter of the way TMX renders reds, they come out too light, nothing like Tri X where they are dark and rich. It renders blue darker than Tri X, I believe it was designed this way to render skies better than traditional films. If you look at the picture I posted in the critique gallery, you will see the sky is very dark, this picture was taken without any filters, it is the normal response of 400 Tmx to skies, specially those that are deep blue.

Personally I dont like the way it renders reds, so when ever I can I use a green filter, with some lenses, I dont have the correct size filters so I use them without any filters, like it was the case with the picture I told you, this was taken with an angulon 165, it is so small that I dont have any filters for them.

 

[Christian Olivet]

Thanks Jorge, I can picture the visual difference between films. I appreciate it. Maybe I should try Tri x, what the heck! I heard that it blocks highlights pretty easily though. That is no good thing.

 

[Jorge]

Christian, IMO 400 tmx is more suceptible to blocking highlights if you are not consitent than Tri X, specially with non staining developers. If you are using tmx right now and dont mind the extra reciprocity with Tri x, I think you will like it a lot. I am always tempted to go back to Tri X, but always the reciprocity prevents me from doing so.

 

[Christian Olivet]

Better see it on a print. I will try'em both!