Tmax dev

[Markok765]

Ive been considering buying this dev for my tmax films & for pushing. how does this compare to d76 stock? what are the advantages\disadvantages? how does it do in pushing or developing tmax films? what are the characteristics of this dev?

Marko

 

[Jim Jones]

I've used T-Max developer for years. If you don't try to push the film speed, it seems to make good use of the fine grain potential in T-Max film. The one exception to pushing is T-Max 3200 film. Shooting at an Exposure Index of 1600 and processing as Kodak recommends for EI 3200 gives decent contrast and shadow detail, and noticable, but sharp edged, grain. In general, developing time with T-Max developer is less forgiving than with older films and developers.

 

[Neal]

Dear Marko,

Go here: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/prof...y/filmBWmain.jhtml?id=0.1.20.14.18.14.7&lc=en

Click the link that says " Selecting a KODAK PROFESSIONAL Film Developer".

After that, download the data sheets for both T-Max and T-Max RS developers.

Neal Wydra

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Dear Marko,

Go here: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/prof...y/filmBWmain.jhtml?id=0.1.20.14.18.14.7&lc=en

Click the link that says " Selecting a KODAK PROFESSIONAL Film Developer".

After that, download the data sheets for both T-Max and T-Max RS developers.

Neal Wydra

Good advice from Neal, and the others who have responded, Marko.

For Kodak D-76 information, go here:

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/j78/j78.jhtml#003a

 

[j-fr]

Dear Marko,

Go here: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/prof...y/filmBWmain.jhtml?id=0.1.20.14.18.14.7&lc=en

Click the link that says " Selecting a KODAK PROFESSIONAL Film Developer".

After that, download the data sheets for both T-Max and T-Max RS developers.

Neal Wydra

- but please notice that the T-MAX RS should not - repeat: not! - be used with the T-MAX 400 (TMY). The contrast is extremely high and most negatives will be impossible to print. This can not be read from the Kodak manuals.

But the T-MAX one-shot developer is fine for T-MAX 400.

j-fr

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

- but please notice that the T-MAX RS should not - repeat: not! - be used with the T-MAX 400 (TMY). The contrast is extremely high and most negatives will be impossible to print. This can not be read from the Kodak manuals...


j-fr

j-fr, I'd like to see sensitometric data that supports your TMAX RS developer assertions.

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

Dear Marko:

Go here: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/prof...4.18.14.7&lc=en

Click the link that says " Selecting a KODAK PROFESSIONAL Film Developer".

You will see that the Kodak developer that gives:
1. Good shadow detail with,
2. Smallest Grain and
3. Highest Acutance

Is Kodak XTOL developer

-----------------------------

You will also see that Kodak TMax gives:

1. Best shadow detail together with,
2. Fine (but not finest) Grain and
3. Good (but not high) Acutance

 

[j-fr]

j-fr, I'd like to see sensitometric data that supports your TMAX RS developer assertions.

With pleasure. For your convenience I'll translate the exposures to zones. The E.I. is 400.

T-MAX 1 + 4:

Zone II: 0.15
Zone V: 0.70
Zone VIII: 1.35

T-MAX RS:

Zone II: 0.15
Zone V: 0.70
Zone VIII: 1.65

Then let's try an E.I 200 instead:

T-MAX 1 + 4:

Zone II: 0.22
Zone V: 0.70
Zone VIII: 1.30.

A good normal contrast.

T-MAX RS:

Zone II: 0.22
Zone V: 0.70
Zone VIII: 1.50

I don't like printing negatives with such highlight values, but that's what an upswept (concave) curve looks like.

j-fr

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

With pleasure. For your convenience I'll translate the exposures to zones. The E.I. is 400.

T-MAX 1 + 4:

Zone II: 0.15
Zone V: 0.70
Zone VIII: 1.35

T-MAX RS:

Zone II: 0.15
Zone V: 0.70
Zone VIII: 1.65

Then let's try an E.I 200 instead:

T-MAX 1 + 4:

Zone II: 0.22
Zone V: 0.70
Zone VIII: 1.30.

A good normal contrast.

T-MAX RS:

Zone II: 0.22
Zone V: 0.70
Zone VIII: 1.50

I don't like printing negatives with such highlight values, but that's what an upswept (concave) curve looks like.

j-fr

Thanks j-fr, was that TMAX diluted 1:4 versus T-MAX RS undiluted? What was the agitation technique you employed with each developer?

 

[j-fr]

Thanks j-fr, was that TMAX diluted 1:4 versus T-MAX RS undiluted? What was the agitation technique you employed with each developer?

T-MAX RS undiluted.

T-MAX 400 (TMY) 120. (The contrast is very much the same with 135 and 4" x 5", but the developing times are different.)

T-MAX 1 + 4:

E.I. 200: 6.00
E.I. 400: 7.30

T-MAX RS (fresh, unreplenished)

E.I. 200: 5.30
E.I. 400: 7.00

Aggitation for the first full minute, then 5 seconds every half minute.
Temperature 20 C.

Please note that theese results are some years old. The emulsion may have been modifyed.

j-fr

 

[Tom Hoskinson]

T-MAX RS undiluted.

T-MAX 400 (TMY) 120. (The contrast is very much the same with 135 and 4" x 5", but the developing times are different.)

T-MAX 1 + 4:

E.I. 200: 6.00
E.I. 400: 7.30

T-MAX RS (fresh, unreplenished)

E.I. 200: 5.30
E.I. 400: 7.00

Aggitation for the first full minute, then 5 seconds every half minute.
Temperature 20 C.

Please note that theese results are some years old. The emulsion may have been modifyed.

j-fr

Thanks, j-fr. I'm just trying to understand why your sensitometric results for T-MAX RS T-MAX developers with TMAX 400 (TMY) are different from Kodak's published sensitometric results. The difference may be due to emulsion and/or developer chemistry changes - or to development procedures and sensitometric measurement process differences.

See: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/prof...f4016/f4016.jhtml?id=0.1.22.14.19.18.16&lc=en

 

[j-fr]

Thanks, j-fr. I'm just trying to understand why your sensitometric results for T-MAX RS T-MAX developers with TMAX 400 (TMY) are different from Kodak's published sensitometric results. The difference may be due to emulsion and/or developer chemistry changes - or to development procedures and sensitometric measurement process differences.

See: http://www.kodak.com/global/en/prof...f4016/f4016.jhtml?id=0.1.22.14.19.18.16&lc=en

The difference is mainly due to the fact that Kodak is reading contrast from the caracteristic curve by plotting just two points on the curve (the Contrast Index). I'm plotting three points. That's the difference between the CI - which is close to being useless - and real information on the film and developer. With two points you can draw a straigth line. With three points you can draw two straigth lines, one for the shadow-to-midtone and one for the midtone-to-highlight. And it is exactly here you find the important differences between combinations of various materials.

As you can probably sense, I don't have high thoughts on Kodaks informations to us photographers. They make some of the best films avalible. Then why don't they tell us how they work and how to use them?

j-fr