Getting the best from 100TMX.

I usually use Ilford films in 35mm and 120 size rolls, however I bought a

Kodak Readyload holder and a 20 sheet pack of T-Max 100 Readyloads for the

convenience of not having to load DDS.

Any advice for getting the best from a film I am not familiar with will be

very much appreciated.

You will get more opinions on this subject than on just about any other on photo.net. The T-MAX films have much narrower lattitude than traditional films. They also have very little lattitude in developing. I have had luck developing it in undiluted Ilford Microphen and a few other phenidone based developers. Undiluted D-76/ID-11 will also work nicely. I have never liked developing TMX in T-MAX developer. Developing sheet film requires different techniques. If you have an old small size tank like an FR or a Nikor where you can develop a few sheets at a time in a small quantity of developer than consistency is easier to achieve. If you plan to use a large tank with hangers then you will need to keep track of how much film (square inches) you use. This will help whether you are just doing a set amount per unit of solution or are replenishing the solution and using it for a longer period of time.

 

Some people like to use X-tol with TMX. I don't find X-tol's keeping qualities very good. Others like Rodinal or its near equivalents(Calbe R09, Fomadon F09, Photograpger's Formulary). Rodinal type developers can work with sheet film but I donlt like them for large tank work because you must be vary careful about keeping them off of your skin. Other phenidone based developers to consider are DD-X, Clayton F60 and NACCO Super 76.

I don't shoot TMX in sheet sizes, but I do use it for 35mm and medium format work. The film works well in dilute XTOL or D-76 (both at 1+1) for me, though I will admit to a slight preference for XTOL. The differences you'll see between the two developers only start to show when you have a high scene brightness ratio to deal with. In that case XTOL is the better choice, otherwise it's a toss-up.

 

TMX can be a bit tricky to deal with if you're not familiar with it, and I'd be a bit hesitant to learn the ropes of this film with the expensive readyload sheets. Shoot a few rolls of the relatively inexpensive 35mm or 120 stuff and experiment with that a bit first. You'll soon learn how the film behaves. I seriously doubt that the sheet film behaves differently.

I don't like the toe of this film very much but other than that I'm quite happy with it. I'll often over-expose by 1/2 stop, but this is personal preference (or it could be the light meter).

Thanks for the replies, Nacco and Clayton products aren`t available in the UK. Most people who use T-Max films seem to prefer D-76 over T-Max/T-MaxRS developers, why is this?

AFAIK, TMax developer shares its name with T-Max film by way of marketing, not because it has any magic properties that make it a better developer for T-Max film. When T-Max film was designed, D-76 and the usual developers were the ones in use, and the ones it was optimized with. If you look at the charts Kodak has published, TMax developer has a slightly different set of properties so far as grain and such, and is a recommended choice for pushing film. IMO, it's expensive and doesn't offer anything special compared to other formulas, other than being another choice for those who prefer liquid concentrates.

I also feel that TMax developer has a tendency to block up the highlights much quicker with TMX100 than D76 does.

If I recall correctly, T-Max in 35mm flavor isn't the same as T-Max 4x5. Kodak warns against using T-Max Developer with sheet film. I'm quite happy with XTOL, and since I scan for digital output, I have tremendous control so long as I have a full negative.

The T-MAX developers were intended for use in large processing machines and at temperatures higher than most home processors use. You should have no problem finding Ilford Microphen or DD-X in the UK. Using D-76/ID-11 at 1:1 rather than straight will have little effect on grain with 4X5 film, unless you are making huge prints. Most people feel that contrast is better controlled using it without dilution. Microphen will get you a little more speed than D-76/ID-11 but both are fine.

Though the reason escapes me, I believe that TMaxRS developer is required for TMax sheet films. Has something to do with the antihalation layer or a coating, or something.

 

In any case, Xtol is Kodak's recommended developer for TMax films. Xtol and its homebrewed variants are my developers 99% of the time, and perform spendidly at a variety of dilutions.

Is Xtol considered the optimum allround yield developer for this film by Kodak themselves?

Another vote for ID11. Do not overexpose, this film doesn't like it :) The grain and resolution is unbelievable.

Conrad is 100% correct about T-max developer. T-max developer was designed as a commercial developer for rapid (hint: recommended time is 75 degrees!) dip and dunk lines. It has great shelf life and good speed, but not a lot else to recommend it IMO.

 

T-max films were tested using D-76 while they were being developled. As is pretty much the case with all films that were formerly recommended for D-76, the recommended developer for T-max films is now XTOL.

 

It isn't a long-toed film so if the light is contrasty you should consider exposing at about 1 stop below box speed (i.e. EI 50) with most developers. While I don't use TMX all that much, I do find it's easier to expose and process than TMY.

I only use TMax developer for "push processing" (I hate the term, but it really does deliver more speed).

 

The price you pay for TMax developer is poor sharpness and lots of grain.

 

Lynn

Rodinal 1;25, 1:50, d76/id11 1:1, hc110 Dil. B (1:31 from concentrate).

 

I personally like Rodinal best, but seriously, of those, it doesn't matter.

 

Lynn

To my friend, Keith,

 

Sorry I din't say HI, I wasn't paying attention.

 

Lynn

Hello to you too Lynn,

D-76 diluted 1+1 it is.

Cheers:-)