T-MAX help

[Lyrrad]

Hi

I recently posted a question here about processing without a darkroom. I received plenty of help including contact with someone in UK that has helped me on a personal level. A big thank you to everyone for the assistance and encouragement. I hae developed 3 rolls only using ID11 and Ilford Delta 100, 400 and HP5+. I am happy with my results, but accept it is very early days.

I however, as originally stated, then proceed to scan my negs using a Minolta Multi Pro dedicated film scanner. I have asked the question from a source I am happy to listen to as being knowledgable and in fact use a add on product that he has produced for the scanner. My question was what is the easiest b&w film to scan. The answer was T-MAX.


So my questions are here (got there in the end).


1. Should I use ID11 with T-MAX, or should I consider another developer?

I have read mixed reports on the ease/difficulties of using this film when it comes to processing, but I seem to be building a picture that someone in my position ( a complete novice) may actually not suffer from any pre-conceived ideas, and would not come up against the problems some people have which is considered myth by others.

I will be using my RB67 with 180/4.5 and 90/3.8 and Cokin yellow 001 this weekend to photograph my brother's 3 kids aged 6,5 and 1, using available light in his conservatory.

I live in the UK, so I expect, at the very best, overcast conditions.

2. Is the 400ASA my choice (makes sense to me) or should I get 100ASA. I do not understand pushing/pulling and the advantages and dis-advantages.

I hope I have explained my predicament properly, and I really would like to stick with the T-MAX.

Thank you in advance for all comments posted.

 

[jeroldharter]

Why not use TMAX developer with TMAX film? That is what I do.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

ID-11 (or D76, for that matter) works well with TMAX. I use Diafine now almost exclusively, but you should be fine using TMAX and ID-11.

 

[df cardwell]

TMAX 400 generally gives a straight line response over an extremely long range: that makes scanning VERY easy.

With T Max developer, however, the highlights build density super proportionately, making them brilliant when printed, but less desirable to scan.

XTOL is probably the best choice. D76 is very, very good too, especially diluted 1+1.

The Minolta is a very fine scanner, but NO scanner under $ 20, 000 can begin to resolve all the information in TMY. There is no reason to go to a slower film. Furthermore, issues like pulling and pushing have no importance when the negative is to be scanned... TMY holds all the data, simply expose for the shadows and take lots of pictures. With Xtol, you will hold at 14 to 15 stops of information, and the scanner can deal with all of it.






.

 

[Michael Kadillak]

The additional film speed is an answer to a prayer with T Max 400 and I would not hesitate using the T Max developer. I used the T Max RS developer and as a concentrate you could dilute it as you used it. I like X Tol but I had some go bad on me before I use it all up. After mixing five liters and the hassle associated with it, I really like the flexibility of a concentrate.

I saw some test negatives developed in dilute Rodinal that looked pretty nice.

T Max 400 is so flexibile that you could probably use just about anything you want and it will sing. As a result use what fits your development conditions.

Cheers!

 

[Donald Qualls]

There hasn't been a black and white film made in about 70 years that didn't work well in D-76 (and ID-11 is near enough to identical to D-76). It'll do a fine job on your TMY; as suggested above, you'll get the best results diluting 1+1 and using the developer one-shot. My own preference is for HC-110 at high dilution, but that's a developer that was originally created to act like a "liquid D-76" once mixed to working strength; I just prefer to mix from concentrate at time of use.

As others have suggested, XTOL is Kodak's top recommendation for most films, now, but the difference between XTOL and ID-11 is mostly that XTOL delivers a little higher film speed (by around 1/3 stop, when both are used 1+1).

 

[Lyrrad]

Help Really Amazing As Usual

Thank you all for the quick responses


Cheers



Darryl

 

[avandesande]

I would skip the yellow filter. It will just make things slower and does little for portraits.

 

[fhovie]

XTOL - will look snappier and sharper than D76 - D76 will appear less grainy but it is not - it just has mushier grain.