Kodak T-Max Professional Developer and Sheet Film

The Kodak product literature specifically states the above developer is not for use with sheet film. Does anyone know what the downside is? I checked the archives for any information on this and came up with no hits.

PS: I have developed 16 sheets using it and haven't seen a problem, so maybe I am missing something?

Developer is developer. If you're getting a good image that prints or scans well, then I can't see any reason not to keep using it.

 

Maybe Kodak's reason is one of economy, or aerial oxidation in a deep tank? But in a rotary tank or any other one-shot, small scale method that really doesn't matter.

I don't know what the specific issue is, but I too have successfully used it for sheet films. I generally use the SP455 tank and agitate my sheet film just like I would roll film.

 

Like Joe, I agree that if you're getting an image there's no reason to not.

 

With that said, I seem to have it in the back of my head that Kodak green lights TMAX-RS for sheet film but not regular TMAX. I haven't looked at it further since I prefer D76 for conventional film, and don't use a lot of tabular grain films anyway. What I have in 4x5 is expired stuff I bought cheap.

Ben is right according to the Kodak Darkroom Dataguide 1996 RS specified for sheet film.

The only reason I can think of is the old-fashioned idea that larger formats need a higher Dmax.

 

Certainly T-max 100 in D-76 tops out and has a lowish Dmax, even with extended development. I thought T-max developer was supposed to overcome this though?

Back when our family had a camera shop my dad contacted a Kodak representative about the TMAX developer vs. TMAX RS for sheet film. The rep said that the TMAX (we had some TMX in 4x5 to process) said it would be underdeveloped if done in regular TMAX developer. Ended up using D-76 instead. Back many years before we had TMAX film we usually kept DK-50 mixed for our sheet film (usually Plus-X). However, Kodak no longer makes DK-50 and I know of no recommended times for TMAX films. D-76, though, has plenty of options.

Back when our family had a camera shop my dad contacted a Kodak representative about the TMAX developer vs. TMAX RS for sheet film. The rep said that the TMAX (we had some TMX in 4x5 to process) said it would be underdeveloped if done in regular T MAX developer.

and the Pro photographer that worked at the local camera store where I traded said (according to Kodak) T Max was a Kodak trade name, the T Max developer had no relation to T Max films.

I use D-76 1+2 with TMX (100) in 4x5 and enjoy the results.

 

http://www.wilmarcoimaging.com/img/s1/v21/p2412427012-4.jpg

and the Pro photographer that worked at the local camera store where I traded said (according to Kodak) T Max was a Kodak trade name, the T Max developer had no relation to T Max films.

 

http://www.digitaltruth.com/products/kodak_tech/j86_TMax-Devs.pdf

 

You can use T-MAX Developer to process

roll sizes

of

KODAK PROFESSIONAL T-MAX Films and most other

black-and-white continuous-tone films.

Do not

use this

developer to process sheet film. You can use T-MAX RS

Developer and Replenisher to process all roll and sheet sizes

of KODAK PROFESSIONAL T-MAX Films, as well as

most other black-and-white continuous-tone films.

 

While the data sheet does make it clear that it can be used as a general purpose continuous tone developer, they do repeatedly refer to its use with TMAX films.

 

Also, the TMAX film datasheet doesn't say anything specifically about using TMAX developer aside from the fact that it's the first developer listed in every chart in the sheet.

 

It seems to me as though the name is not a co-incidence.

The T in TMAX refers to Kodak's T-grain film emulsion technology. Nobody had heard of Tmax in any way, shape or form until the "new" films came out.

 

First generation Tmax film had a quite peculiar exposure-density curve when developed in existing developers, D-76 especially, and Tmax developer was, err, developed to give a "straighter" curve and higher Dmax.

 

I believe the film emulsion was later tweaked to be more compatible with conventional/legacy developers.

 

In my experience the average company rep, when put on the spot, will make up the first BS that comes to mind. And state it with utter conviction!

Putting a developer at the top of a list is Marketing. I never took anything that store told me for fact except the total of the transaction.