T-max 400 questions...

[wiggywag]

Question: How is the tonality of the FP4 more pleasing than TMY-2? You may be able to adjust how you expose and process the film to get different results.

2 things I noticed. I feel somehow the way TMY is rendering greenery like grass, bushes and trees are more lifeless than FP4. Also the highlights are not as pleaseing, even if I see the details are there.

Though I need to print some more subjects to make a final decision about it.

 

[marco.taje]

I have now successfully developed tmy2 (t-max 400) correctly. The negatives are nice. BUT I really like FP4 a lot better, tonality is much more pleasing. Though I would love more speed. Should I try Tri-x?

I've never used TMY, but still, I felt like telling you that TriX might be a good option for you. I found it to have very pleasant gradation and lovely local contrast, at the price of more visible, although nice-looking grain.

Just 2 pennies.

 

[Ian Grant]

Which Xtol dilution do you prefer with TMY? And why?

Full strength & Replenished.

This gives all the best features, finer grain, improved sharpness, better tonality, far greater economy and so much quicker to use.

Ian

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Do you feel you get more contrast with FP4+? Or perhaps color contrast?

2 things I noticed. I feel somehow the way TMY is rendering greenery like grass, bushes and trees are more lifeless than FP4. Also the highlights are not as pleaseing, even if I see the details are there.

Though I need to print some more subjects to make a final decision about it.

 

[Ian Grant]

2 things I noticed. I feel somehow the way TMY is rendering greenery like grass, bushes and trees are more lifeless than FP4. Also the highlights are not as pleaseing, even if I see the details are there.

Though I need to print some more subjects to make a final decision about it.

Try using a green filter with Tmax it does wonderful things to the greens bringing out the details in grasses and tree leaves etc. It's really about the only filter I use these days.

Ian

 

[wiggywag]

Do you feel you get more contrast with FP4+? Or perhaps color contrast?

Yes to both, doing landscape photography. Also I feel the higlights in FP4 are glowing and gentle at the same time, compared to tmy which are more harsh.

 

[Leighgion]

Yes to both, doing landscape photography. Also I feel the higlights in FP4 are glowing and gentle at the same time, compared to tmy which are more harsh.

This is a matter of aesthetics. I haven't shot a lot of T-Max, but my limited experience has been that it has a precise character, which certainly could be interpreted as harsh. The T-grain films brought many technical advances, but a marked change in personality.

It's definitely be worth your time to give Tri-X a shot. While the grain will be more pronounced than T-Max, it's going to be much more in the same ballpark as FP4 when it comes to personality since both are more traditional emulsions.

 

[Ian Grant]

This is a matter of aesthetics. I haven't shot a lot of T-Max, but my limited experience has been that it has a precise character, which certainly could be interpreted as harsh.

I switched to Tmax1100 & 400 from FP4 on the release of Tmax films mid 80's and I'd say the opposite - Tmax & the Ilford Delta films have a beret tonality so are less harsh.

Tri-x is the classic harsh gritty film although it's mellowed in recent years, But Tmax is much more responsive to slight changes in development so slight over development means higher contrast and development technique should be tight.

Ian

 

[wiggywag]

I switched to Tmax1100 & 400 from FP4 on the release of Tmax films mid 80's and I'd say the opposite - Tmax & the Ilford Delta films have a beret tonality so are less harsh.

Tri-x is the classic harsh gritty film although it's mellowed in recent years, But Tmax is much more responsive to slight changes in development so slight over development means higher contrast and development technique should be tight.

Ian

Im using 4x5 sheet films, so grain is not an issue, only tonality. I find the film very sharp but I have a problem with the tonality. Maybe I should use filters in a different way with this film than FP4+. Any suggestions?

 

[Ian Grant]

I've not had an issue with tonality, I tend to hardly use filters, just a green when in the UK to lighten foliage, but that's with Tmax, HP5 or Delta films.

Overall I think I prefer the tonality of Delta films over Tmax but it's subjective and very marginal, in fact the tonality reminded more of FP4. It's probably more about determining your effective film speed and development times.

Ian

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Sorry for responding so late.

I don't know what your experience with this film is, but mine is the opposite. I find that the FP4 negatives are not as smooth in grayscale gradation as TMY-2. TMY-2 also has a long straight linear response, longer than most other films, so separation is better from shadow to highlight. But in order to use it, and use it well, you have to be dead on accurate with temperatures, etc when you process.
FP4+ has more inherent contrast than TMY-2, some of which can be tamed by gentler agitating the film.
To me, TMY-2 is the more rewarding film, but you may feel differently. But please know that you will not eke the maximum out of TMY-2 until your process is under iron rule and 100% control. If you already do, you obviously have found that you like FP4+ better, so I would recommend to continue using it.

- Thomas

Yes to both, doing landscape photography. Also I feel the higlights in FP4 are glowing and gentle at the same time, compared to tmy which are more harsh.

 

[wiggywag]

Sorry for responding so late.

I don't know what your experience with this film is, but mine is the opposite. I find that the FP4 negatives are not as smooth in grayscale gradation as TMY-2. TMY-2 also has a long straight linear response, longer than most other films, so separation is better from shadow to highlight. But in order to use it, and use it well, you have to be dead on accurate with temperatures, etc when you process.
FP4+ has more inherent contrast than TMY-2, some of which can be tamed by gentler agitating the film.
To me, TMY-2 is the more rewarding film, but you may feel differently. But please know that you will not eke the maximum out of TMY-2 until your process is under iron rule and 100% control. If you already do, you obviously have found that you like FP4+ better, so I would recommend to continue using it.

- Thomas

I love APUG. It really helps to get in touch with the right people. I did some more testing and tuning, and I now fine TMY-2 excellent for my needs. It is very beatiful and very close to FP4+ in terms of tonality and grain. Using 4x5" the extra speed is so gr8 to have!

 

[df cardwell]

TMY2 and FP4 have, when used properly, the same curve. Tonality, is therefore, the same.

TMY2 has higher definiton and (depending on the specific developer) the same, or slightly better granularity.
It is also twice as fast.

Have fun - it can do wonderful things for you.