TMX 400 @ ISO 250

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Hi,

new to the forum, and pretty new to photography. I'm interested in b&w photography, and have been disappointed with high speed films so far. I liked the APX 25 from Agfa, and I now use the Efke KB25 for the most part.
Anyway, I was thrown some samples of the new Kodak Tmax 400 and went out to burn some film. I shot a couple of rolls at nominal speed of ISO 400, and then I remembered a statement from someone that Kodak rate their b&w films at a higher ISO than what they really are. With that in mind I fire one off at ISO 250. So, here I am with one roll of film, not knowing how to develop it...

Should I compensate for the over-exposure, or should I process it normal?

Any wisdom on this topic would be greatly appreciated.

Thomas
Saint Paul, MN

 

[lee]

process normally. I regularly expose at 200 and use the Kodak time. When you shot the film at400, how did your shadow detail look? At 250 your shadow detail will be much more evident than at 400. I think you will like the negs.


lee/c

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Hi Lee,

I'll try developing normal and will report what I find. I actually havn't developed the ones I exposed at ISO 400 yet, but I'm sure there will be a difference.

Thanks!

Thomas

 

[clogz]

It's also wise to develop your B&W film with your specific enlarger type in mind. I have diffuser type Durst and rate ASA 400 film as 320 or 250 and develop at the recommended time for 400ASA on one of those roller machines. In this way contrast is increased and works well in the soft light of my Durst 650.

 

[edbuffaloe]

I have found that T-Max 400 is one of the few films that I can get a true EI of 400 out of. This is true with PMK, Pyrocat-HD, and the new WD2D+.

 

[Thomas Bertilsson]

Hi,

the films are now developed. Two rolls shot @ EI 400 and one @ EI 250. Developed in Xtol, Kodak times, dip and dunk machine.
Main difference seems to be better grayscale and shadow detail. At EI 400 it seems like the pictures has a tendency to look slightly flat. But that may well depend on my photography skills. I have only been at it for about a year and a half, so I still have lots to learn.

Anyway, it was an interesting experiement. I wonder if the Tmax 100 would render the same improvement with overexposure. I seem to remember a roll of the old Tmax 100 exposed at EI 50, developed in Agfa Rodinal 1+100, with slight compensation for overexposure (10 or 15%). Those negs looked great!

Anyway, drifting away from the subject. Thanks for your input, it helped me make a good decision in the developing process. Maybe I can learn to like high speed films after this. I actually find the results on the 250 roll quite encouraging and useful, despite the grain.

Thomas

 

[lee]

HI Ed,
with PMK pyro I get full box speed out of Hp5+ With every other developer I have to cut the number in half to get the shadow detail I need and want in my negs.

in regards to huggyviking's question about TMX 100, the answer is yes the film speed should be EI 50. At least I think so.

lee\c