I Need the final word on using TMAX RS

I have searching for weeks now and cannot find a definitive answer on to how to use TMAX RS developer. I need a recipe and time for normal processing on TMAX 400 sheet film with TMAX RS developer. I would prefer one shot but will take a replenishing regime also. Every forum post I find just references to another forum or article which does not give actual ratios and times. No one that I know has experience with this developer. Please help.

Why not start with the times recommended in Kodak's data sheet for the TMax films?

I use it 1 part concentrate directly from the bottle to 9 parts water. 7 to 12 minutes depending on film and contrast I want. And add the second little bottle to the big one before using.

The confusion arises because the T-Max developer data sheet is only accurate for the previous version of T-Max 400 film.

The Kodak data sheet for the developer (J-86) gave older (2002) answers for the previous version (TMY) of the film: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/j86/j86.pdf

As indicated in J-86, T-Max RS was originally designed to be mixed up 1 part concentrate plus 4 parts water for actual use. The times in J-86 are predicated upon that dilution.

AFAIK, J-86 remains accurate for all films other than T-Max 400.

When Kodak re-defined that film, and it was re-designated as TMAX 400 (TMY-2), they issued a new data sheet (F4043) for that film only: http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=13409. They ought to have revised J-86, but they didn't.

F4043 includes information about revised times in T-Max RS for the "recommended "standard" dilution (1+4) as well as times for two additional dilutions: (1+7) and (1+9).

However, that information about non-standard dilutions is only provided for roll films, not sheet films.

For some reason, the Kodak data sheet downloads seem unusually slow and problematic right now. I expect that that is temporary.

Hope this helps.

EDIT: mike c is correct - you need to make up the concentrate by adding the little bottle to the big one.

I've read the data sheet and can't make heads or tails of it.

D-76 works just as well and is a lot less confusing.

7-12 minutes is a massive spread. I want a balanced negative that I can work with in the darkroom.

Greenbergst said:

I've read the data sheet and can't make heads or tails of it.

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Which data sheet? You should use F4043 for current T-Max 400.

What type of processing procedure do you use for your sheets - tray, roller processing or deep tanks?

The answer to that last question will tell you which of the tables in F4043 you use - the relevant ones for sheets are on pages 3 and 4, and have "Sheets" in the heading.

By the way, I was wrong earlier - for roller processing there are times for the alternate dilutions, but only for 24C.

There are also times for push processing in the latter pages.

Man, I seem to say this a lot around here, but... just do some tests. Use whatever answers you get as a starting point, set up a still life and light it so it can be exposed the same across a couple hours or days, get out a notepad and start shooting. You'll have your answer - and truly "your" answer, not anyone else's - in a matter of hours. If you're a landscape guy, go out on a day when conditions will be fairly constant for 20 minutes or so, and shoot enough brackets to get through a test.

BTW, for testing 4x5, you can block off half the area in front of the rear standard with black paper, and by rotating the back, get 2 exposures on one sheet. Used to bracket a lot of product shots that way, and it's a good way to do tests.

Here's what I do.Add the small bottle from the box,to the large bottle in the box.These are Part A and Part B.Mix together with a vigorous shake.This is your stock solution.Mix 1:9 with water,i.e. 50ml developer PLUS 450ml water to give 500ml.I develop the Old TMax 400 for 91/2 minutes at 75 deg.This works beautifully for me.I have never used TMax 400 new formula but this might make a good starting point for your experimentation.

Alan W said:

Here's what I do.Add the small bottle from the box,to the large bottle in the box.These are Part A and Part B.Mix together with a vigorous shake.This is your stock solution.Mix 1:9 with water,i.e. 50ml developer PLUS 450ml water to give 500ml.I develop the Old TMax 400 for 91/2 minutes at 75 deg.This works beautifully for me.I have never used TMax 400 new formula but this might make a good starting point for your experimentation.

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Is that for sheet film?

35mm,120 and 4x5.

Greenbergst said:

7-12 minutes is a massive spread. I want a balanced negative that I can work with in the darkroom.

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Barry Thornton Two Bath at 25 degrees C
3 minutes A plus 3 minutes in B with very gentle agitation = solid, extremely printable negs from TMY2

M Carter said:

Man, I seem to say this a lot around here, but... just do some tests. Use whatever answers you get as a starting point, set up a still life and light it so it can be exposed the same across a couple hours or days, get out a notepad and start shooting. You'll have your answer - and truly "your" answer, not anyone else's - in a matter of hours. If you're a landscape guy, go out on a day when conditions will be fairly constant for 20 minutes or so, and shoot enough brackets to get through a test.

BTW, for testing 4x5, you can block off half the area in front of the rear standard with black paper, and by rotating the back, get 2 exposures on one sheet. Used to bracket a lot of product shots that way, and it's a good way to do tests.

Click to expand...

+1

you can also block the negative and do a "test strip"
using a dark slide in front of the lens ...
the problem with getting a definitive answer from someoe on
the internet, isn't that they will give you bad information,
but your shutter might be off, your processing "style" might be different &c
as m.carter said so wisely, do a few tests and proceed from there.

Recommended dilution is 1:4, but at 24C the time is less then the recommended 5 minutes minimum. That is why I process TMY sheetfilm with regular T-max developer. Are you using trays instead of rotary? If so then I'd start with 5 minutes at 20C.
The datasheet with all the information is here: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/f4043/f4043.pdf

ic-racer said:

Recommended dilution is 1:4, but at 24C the time is less then the recommended 5 minutes minimum. That is why I process TMY sheetfilm with regular T-max developer. Are you using trays instead of rotary? If so then I'd start with 5 minutes at 20C.
The datasheet with all the information is here: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/f4043/f4043.pdf

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FWIW, Kodak recommends against using the "plain" T-Max developer with sheet film. As I understand it, the T-Max RS helps prevent dichroic fog, whereas T-Max developer and sheet film often result in problems with dichroic fog.

I don't have a replenishment regime going but I put A and B together (as per various forum members advice) and use 1+4 (I'm using roll films) and the times from the latest TMAX spec sheet

Let us know the results.


Mike

Greenbergst said:

7-12 minutes is a massive spread. I want a balanced negative that I can work with in the darkroom.

Click to expand...

The numbers I see in the sheets lean toward 7 in trays and 11 in large tank (replenished).

Those are very different processes.

Are you using trays or ... ?

Those times are probably close enough to test.

Unless your using graded paper that will probably be workable just fine.

Update: I went with mixing A and B together, then mixing that 1+4. I did 6 sheets at a time in a combi tank for 6 minutes at 20C. Negatives look very nice. Will make contacts soon.