Quest for B&W film - Let me introduce myself

[marcello.brussard]

Hello everybody,
I'm a brand new subscriber of APUG. I write from Rome - Italy, please have mercy of my english.
It might seems strange, but here in Rome, the most difficoult film to find is Kodak tri-X: very few persons are interested in B&W and they all buy T-MAX!
After a complex search I've managed to acquire some 10 rolls of tri-x.

I'm writeing here to have your suggestion on how to develop this film, please avoid exotics mix impossible to find.

Grazie a tutti.
Ciao,
Marcello

 

[Ole]

Marcello,

you can find all the possible developer combinations for this film on www.digitaltruth.com - "The Massive Dev Chart".

Good luck!

Ole

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

For the classic Tri-X look, try HC-110, dil. B (go to www.kodak.com for the data sheet with suggested times) or for a little more speed but normal contrast, try Acufine (start with the times on the can, but I recommend rating TX 400 at 800 instead of 1000 and TXP/TXT 320 at 640 instead of 800). Tri-X is also great in PMK or ABC pyro, depending on your use, but you asked for no "exotic" formulas.

 

[avandesande]

D76 and tri-x is somewhat of an industry standard..

 

[chwhitaker]

I've met a couple of successful fine art photofraphers who shoot Tri-X at 200, claiming much better shadows and beautiful negatives overall. My brief experience with Tri-X at this speed confirms this. You might want to try a couple of rolls and see what you think.

BTW For Tri-X at 200 I'm not sure that HC-110 dil B will give long enough development times. I use Edwal's FG-7 at 1:15.

Good luck.

 

[clogz]

Hello Marcello,

There is old TriX and the newer version. The newer version has slightly different development times.

All the best

Hans

 

[fschifano]

If you can get it, D-76 (or it's Ilford equivalent ID-11) and Tri-X is a classic combination. There's very little else that can match or exceed it. Understandably some people prefer HC-110 and others might prefer something else, but for an almost foolproof combination, you can't beat it. XTOL works well too, and I use it at high dilutions, 1+3, when I want a bit of compensating effect in high contrast situations. That combination gives me good shadow detail at the film's advertised speed - no need to concern yourself with downrating the film and trying to find a suitable development time.

If it's speed you're after, then you must try Diafine. I realize that it might be difficult for you to obtain, but if you can rate your Tri-X conservatively at around E.I. 1250 and you'll still have good shadow detail and sharpness albeit with a bit more grain than with a more standard type of developer.

All the chatter about revised development times for "new" vs. "old' Tri-X is really just that - a lot of chatter. With D-76/ID-11 diluted 1+1 the recommendation for "old" Tri-X is between 10 and 11 minutes. For new Tri-X the recommendation is for 9.75 minutes. We are not talking about a huge difference here. Personally I've just stuck with the "old" Tri-X developing times for the film and it works just fine. Unlike TMax films, Tri-X responds much more gently to slight elongations in processing times before things get really ugly.

 

[dr bob]

This sounds good. I plan to stick with TX (not TXP) for 120 work. However Kodak has stopped making TX 4x5 sheet film which agrivates me. It was always my favorite. I guess I'll have to turn to Ilford, again. I just do not like the Tmax films - they lack something which may be grain, but I like to refer to it as "heart".

Truly. dr bob.

 

[ptempel]

I'll agree with what some of the others said and would try D-76 1:1 or Xtol 1:1. It should be available in your area I hope. Most important is to get familiar with your film and developer combo and really nail down the exposure. Only time and some film testing trial and error will get you there. See some of the other threads on densitometer and Zone I stuff when you are ready for it.

 

[fhovie]

I just went to the Kodak web side and downloaded the latest pdf on Trix and it lists TXP 320 as being available for 4x5 - I recently bought a box of it. I was trying to find an announcement or something.

I really don't care much for HP5. - Frank

This sounds good. I plan to stick with TX (not TXP) for 120 work. However Kodak has stopped making TX 4x5 sheet film which agrivates me. It was always my favorite. I guess I'll have to turn to Ilford, again. I just do not like the Tmax films - they lack something which may be grain, but I like to refer to it as "heart".

Truly. dr bob.[/quote]