T MAX RS Developer, How to identify PROFESSIONAL T MAx 100 vs T MAC 100 Professional

[Jim Benson]

and other vexing questions


I’m going to be trying Professional TMAX RS developer with T Max films soon.

I’m having some trouble with the information the Kodak website provides. I started by reading the J86 Kodak Document, and after scrolling through previous discussions consulted the Kodak f4043 document as well.

I did catch one very important item after re-reading the information several times, that being that the times given were for diffusion enlargers, and that for condenser enlargers the times should be reduced 20-30%. At least that was the case for the J86 kodak page, which I guess is still valid for the 100 film., As far as the 400 film goes, the f4043 gives a table for time adjustment that says 90% of stated developing time will provide approximately 20% less contrast, but I don’t know if that will cover the difference between diffusion and condenser enlargers

There are three other areas of potential confusion for me with the rest, however.

One: Figuring out whether my film is PROFESSIONAL T MAX 100 or T MAX 100 professional
The web site differentiates between T MAX professional and PROFESSIONAL T MAX, While this makes no difference for the 400, the times given for the 100 differ by a large margin, 8 ¾ vs 12 minutes.

I’m having a hard time differentiating between the two.

The rolls I have on hand have Kodak Professional on one line, and 100 T max on another.

Having just looked at the web site instructions for the 8th? Time, I see that one (PROFESSIONAL T max 100) is all caps, and the other (T max 100 Professional) has only the capital P. Is this the ultimate determinant?

So any advice people could give me would be appreciated..

Two: difference in processing instructions from my method

The web site talks about either tray processing or large tank (1/2- 3/1/2) gallon tank for sheet film. I use the mod 54 with Patterson tank, which is about a quart. I agitate continuously for the first minute, and for 5 seconds every 30 seconds thereafter.

What are people using as starting times with this regimen for 100 and 400 T MAX sheet film?

Am I likely to get the approximate results that @greenbergst talks about in this thread (there was a url link here which no longer exists) with the combi tank?

Three: Capacity and replenishment.
In reading the J86 data sheet it suggests replenishing 45 ml of solution for every 120 or 135 roll or every 8 x 10 equivalent of sheet (i.e. 4 4 x 5 sheets) the stock (concentrated) as opposed to working solution. Could someone clairify this for me one way or another?

But does this suggest that 1) I should not use more than 4 4x5 sheets in my Mod 54 for the first batch of working solution? Can I even assume that one quart of working solution contains sufficient developer to handle 4-6 sheets in the first place?

Trying to figure out how many rolls or 4 x5 sheets total I can get out of this is more than a little confusing despite reading the J86, f4043 web pages, and the previous discussions.

Please excuse any inconsistencies in this post. I’ve read and re read the documents and discussions, and have altered it as new information sunk in. I’m still relatively new to the darkroom; my head hurts, and I am starting to wish that I had never heard that this developer was superior to D76 for T Max.

 

[GarageBoy]

One is pre 2002 one is post 2002- I think they call the recent stuff Professional TMAX

 

[ic-racer]

The starting times for diffusion and condenser are just suggestions. You need to find your development time yourself.

 

[Xmas]

Get a hard backed note book so you don't repeat things you don't like.

Kodaks data sheets are not written for people who worry.

Don't worry about developer, but fix proper, rinse, HCA, and wash long.

If you have water meter use Ilfords wash method.

D76 may be 1/3 of a stop slower but you won't see that without a step wedge.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Get a hard backed note book so you don't repeat things you don't like.

Kodaks data sheets are not written for people who worry.

Don't worry about developer, but fix proper, rinse, HCA, and wash long.

If you have water meter use Ilfords wash method.

D76 may be 1/3 of a stop slower but you won't see that without a step wedge.

TMax likes to stay pink or purple, so use HCA and wash L-O-N-G.

 

[MattKing]

I would suggest that for the 100 speed T-Max that you refer to the 2002 data-sheet that reflected the 2002 revisions, and applied to both the 100 and 400 speed films.

That is titled "Kodak Professional T-Max films" and has document reference F-4016. This data-sheet remains as the current data-sheet for the current 100 speed T-Max film: "KODAK PROFESSIONAL T-MAX 100 Film ⁄ 100TMX".

On the back page (30) of that data-sheet you will see illustrations of the (then) current T-Max films, as well as the earlier, pre-2002 versions, including its predecessor, "Kodak TMax 100 Film / TMX100".

In 2007, Kodak re-formulated the 400 speed film. Its full name remained the same - "KODAK PROFESSIONAL T-MAX 400 Film" but the shorthand name changed from "400TMAX" to "400TMY2", at least on the 120 backing paper. The F-4043 data-sheet replaces the information for the 400 speed film, but not the information for the unchanged 100 speed film. Do not reference F-4043 for the 100 speed film.

J-86 is handy if you have a bunch of really old (pre-2002) T-Max film, because it gives times for both the pre-2002 and post-2002 versions, and because it provides times for T-Max RS at a greater variety of temperatures, but otherwise I would suggest F-4016 as your starting point.

Note that T-Max RS is intended to be used as a stock solution in a replenishment regime. You mix the two parts together, dilute it to make the final volume (normally 1 gallon) and that gives you both your working solution and your replenisher. It is 45ml of that diluted solution that you use for replenishment.

Many people seem to have had success mixing the two parts together and then diluting only part of the result 1 + 4 to make a smaller amount of working and replenishment solution.

You should use the times for small tank, manual processing when you are using a Mod-54. You should have no trouble processing a full complement of sheets in your Mod-54, because T-Max RS has approximately the same capacity as T-Max developer, which is 48 4x5 sheets per US quart, when it is used one shot.