Kodak TMX100 / TFX vs Ilford Pan-F / FA-1027

I am considering changing my film / developer combination from Kodak's TMX100 (120) and Photographer's Formulary TFX-2 developer to Ilford's PAN-F (120) and Photographer's Formulary FA-1027. I develope using a JOBO ATL2000 rotary processor. Does anyone have any experience or comments that might be appropriate?

I'll do testing and densitometry, but thought other's may have further insite.

Wally H said:

I am considering changing my film / developer combination from Kodak's TMX100 (120) and Photographer's Formulary TFX-2 developer to Ilford's PAN-F (120) and Photographer's Formulary FA-1027. I develope using a JOBO ATL2000 rotary processor. Does anyone have any experience or comments that might be appropriate?

I'll do testing and densitometry, but thought other's may have further insite.

Click to expand...

I'd be more inclined to go with Kodak's TMX100 AND Ilford Delta 100 developed in Crawley's FX-2 or the Formulary version of FX-2 (TFX-2). For my own work I use both of these films developed in Pyrocat-HD or Pyrocat-MC.

I googled FA-1027 and found this FA- 1027 Developer thread: Dead Link Removed

I downloaded the associated FA PDF file. FA-1027 developer is a FINE ARTS product and the FINE ARTS description of FA-1027 is long on fluff, bombast and hyperbole - it set off my BS detector many times. Whoever wrote this spent a lot of time badmouthing Kodak D-76 and they didn't do their homework first!

I'd stick with Crawley's FX-2 or PF's TFX-2.

Paterson FX39 is also a good choice with these films. It yields surprisingly fine grain for a high definition developer.

FX-39 is now hard to find in the US, where the OP lives. See the APUG non-staining developers section for the FX-37 formula, posted by Gerald Koch, which Crawley says is the published formula closest to FX-39. FX-37 was formulated for T-grain type films, but is said to work well for slower traditional films or higher speed traditional films at enlargement factors less than 12.

I like Rodinal 1:100 and reduced agitation with slower traditional films, and have had good results with Gainer's suggested addition of sodium ascorbate for this application.

Lee