T-Max or Rodinal for T-Max Film

Snapshot · Jan 23, 2007

Hi All,

I've been using T-Max developer to develop T-Max 100 ISO film. However, I was speaking with someone and they suggested Rodinal at 1:50 dilution would get me better tonal range and minimal grain (e.g. little to no visible grain). The goal is to minimize grain and ensure I get the good tonal range.

The question is...

Should I stick with T-Max developer or would Rodinal allow me to obtain the results I'm looking for?

joeyk49 · Jan 23, 2007

I've used Rodinal and TMax before with good results. But I LIKE grain!

I don't shoot portraiture, where grain would be an issue...

You may want to look elsewhere if you want to lessen grain....

Wendel4 · Jan 23, 2007

D-76 for T-Max

I find that D-76 straight is best, not the 1:1 dilution for T-Max

Tom Hoskinson · Jan 23, 2007

Read the last post here:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

donbga · Jan 23, 2007

Snapshot said:
Hi All,

I've been using T-Max developer to develop T-Max 100 ISO film. However, I was speaking with someone and they suggested Rodinal at 1:50 dilution would get me better tonal range and minimal grain (e.g. little to no visible grain). The goal is to minimize grain and ensure I get the good tonal range.

The question is...

Should I stick with T-Max developer or would Rodinal allow me to obtain the results I'm looking for?

XTOL or T-MAX developer will produce excellent negs that print easily, but you need to be assiduos with your processing technique with this film regardless of which developer you choose.

As for Rodinal with T-Max 100 - why bother with T-Max 100 with that developer.

elekm · Jan 23, 2007

I really like T-Max and Rodinal 1:50 and 1:75 dilution. I didn't especially care for T-Max and T-Max developer.

jim appleyard · Jan 23, 2007

For years I tried to coax good images out of T-grained films, mostly using T-Max 100 and T-Max dev. and I could never get what I wanted. I went back to traditional grained films.

However, the best T-Max negs I ever got were souped in Rodinal. Yes, Rodinal shows all the grain, but T-Max 100 is pretty grainless, so you should come out in the middle with, IMHO, a lot more tonality than T-Max dev can give you.

Neal · Jan 23, 2007

Dear Snapshot,

There is no magic bullet, but looking for one can be fun. While you are looking, keep in mind that beautiful photos have been made with every combination of well known film and developer.

Neal Wydra

Mark Layne · Jan 24, 2007

Snapshot said:
Hi All,

I've been using T-Max developer to develop T-Max 100 ISO film. However, I was speaking with someone and they suggested Rodinal at 1:50 dilution would get me better tonal range and minimal grain (e.g. little to no visible grain). The goal is to minimize grain and ensure I get the good tonal range.

The question is...

Should I stick with T-Max developer or would Rodinal allow me to obtain the results I'm looking for?

Xtol
Mark

Snapshot · Jan 24, 2007

Well, considering that Rodinal is cheap and so is film (relatively speaking) I could experiment. Sounds like Rodinal is worth a try and if I don't like it for T-Max I can use it with Tri-X or the other Ilford films that I use.

Thanks everyone for your responses!

Anthony

dynachrome · Jan 24, 2007

Developer For T-Max Films

A very nice developer for the T-Max films is undiluted Ilford Microphen. If you can't get Microphen then some other nice ones are DD-X, Clayton F60 and NACCO Super 76.

Tom Hoskinson · Jan 24, 2007

My favorite Nonstaining developers for TMAX films:
Instant Mytol Or Kodak XTOL
(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

My favorite staining developer for TMAX films is Pyrocat-MC

lightranger · Jan 24, 2007

I have used T-Max 100 with T-Max RS developer for years, and I am very happy with it. I use a Jobo processor to process all my film. I mix the T-max RS 1:9 from the mixed concentrate and process at 75* for about 8 minutes with a rotation speed of 3 on my Jobo. I also presoak for 5 minutes to bring the tank and film up to temperature. I get great results with this process.

Shawn Dougherty · Jan 24, 2007

When I shoot 35mm it's usually T-Max 100 @100, semi-stand in rodinal for 45 minutes. I agitate the first minute and then for about 30seconds at the halfway point. Great tonality, sharpness though it does show a little grain.

I haven't shot much LF Tmax100. Only 25 sheets of 4x5. That I developed with minimal aggitation in Pyrocat HD. I don't have much to offer from such limited use in that format.

Mark Citret, www.mcitret.com seems to make damn fine use of T-Max 100 in Rodinal. Great work, too. Best. Shawn

MikeSeb · Jan 24, 2007

Beautiful results with Xtol 1+1 or 1+2; I mostly use PC-TEA or Mytol so it's always fresh when I need it.

Never liked Rodinal much.

Neanderman · Jan 24, 2007

XTol!

RoBBo · Jan 27, 2007

Have yet to see anything with this film that I liked better than the results I've gotten with D-76 1:1.
Good thing too, since I've got a free supply of D-76 and that film looks beautiful in it.

T-Max or Rodinal for T-Max Film

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