Tmax400 in Pyrocat HD and DDX - what times?

[Robert Ley]

After much debate, I have exposed some of the "new" Tmax 400. I have been using the subject developers for processing HP5 and FP4 and like the results very much.

My plan is to process this film in a Jobo expert 3010 drum with my CPA-2. I will be printing the negs with a Beseler 45S diffusion head on VC paper.

Can anyone give me a ballpark shot at time and temp and whether I should pre-soak. Has anyone noticed a great difference in development times between the new and the old Tmax?

I realize that development times will vary but I am using distilled H2O to mix and time, temp and rotation can be controlled. I shot the film at rated speed.

Thanks to all,
Robert

 

[Robert Ley]

bump please

 

[Matus Kalisky]

I did develop some 4x5 Tmax 400 films with Pyrocat HD - both in trays and with Jobo Drum (rolled by hand on a table). But I will be able to check the times only when I get home. Still - as I only scan (and here and then do some contact prints - too little experience yet) take them with a grain of salt.

I did tune my development in the last few months - I first had a tendency to overdevelop - got a quite high contrast and ugly (larger, pepper like) grain. Since I adjusted my dev times it looks much better.

So - I will get back with the numbers tonight (I hope)

 

[Matus Kalisky]

So - as promised - here are my 'my numbers'

Jobo 1520 (?? - simply the smallest one for 4x5") with the 2509N reel - I use with 6 4x5" films - no problem

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I rate the film at about EI 320
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Chemistry:
- Pyrocat HD: 1:1:100 (the Pyrocat is made with Glycol by Photographer's Formulary)
- Ilford Ilfofix 1:4
- Kodak Hypam - to support the washing of the fixer (my understanding)
- @ 21 degrees Celsius
- photo flo (cca 1:300)- some "local' stuff - should be ecological
- water stop - tap water

Development procedure:
- 4 minutes presoak
- development: 10 minutes, agitation: constant slow rotation (changing direction - limited table size )
- clean water stop: 4 minutes (constant rotation)
- 1 - 2 water exchanges - to keep the developer out of the fixer
- fixing - 10 minutes (the magenta backing needs time to resolve)
- water wash (either change 2 - 3 times or use the JOBO hose to flush the drum for about 3 - 5 minutes)
- kodak Hypam - about 4 minutes
- clean water wash - 5x change or flush for 5 - 7 minutes
- photo flo (cca 1:300) for 1 minute

good luck

P.S. If I were doing inversion agitation with 4 full inversions every 3 minutes (plus 30 second at the beginning), my development time would go from 10 minutes to 12. I use the same development times with Delta 400.

P.S.2: the above was based on the information provided along with the pre-mixed Pyrocat HD from Photographer's Formulary

P.S.3. You may want to go with a different fixer - namely the TF4 or TF5 (is the name correct??) that is alkaline - it 'should' was less of the pyro stain away from your negatives - but I have no experience on this

 

[Andrew Moxom]

For TMY-II 120 roll film I rate the film at about 320 and develop counting down from 16 minutes at 72 degrees. I mix P/cat HD @ 1:1:100. I no longer presoak (not seen ANY difference!!), and dump the developer right into the tank. Agitate constantly for the first 2 minutes, then for 10 seconds at 12 mins, 9 mins, 6 mins, 3 mins. Stop and fix in Ilford Hypam mixed 1:4 for about 5 minutes as TMY-II like all TMAX films requires more fixing and more washing, or it stains pink. Hypam will NOT wash away any of your stain and has been confirmed by the formulary.

 

[Matus Kalisky]

Andrew, you use the Hypam as a stop&fix ??

No - I did not say that Hypam would wash away the stain, I said this about the Ilford fixer. Still - I can not really prove or disprove this. I hope that somebody more experienced will chime in ...

 

[Andrew Moxom]

Matus, I use really dilute kodak stop on TMY-II with Pyrocat HD even though you can use a water stop if you want. I use Hypam purely as a fixer. Remember to fix for at least 5 minutes with quite fresh fixer with TMY-II otherwise it will stay a pink color and it will not wash out. If you find this happens, extend your fix time and wash as normal.