Rating TMAX 100 using DIAFINE developer

[archie_alcantara1]

I am big fan of Diafine, but the only use this developer for Ilford

Panf and Agfa APX100, both in 35mm and medium format. I like using

TMAX 100 when I use my 4x5, but want to use Diafine to process the

film. The Diafine box states to rate Tmax 100 at 160, but only noted

it for 35mm use. Has anybody used this combo, Diafine and Tmax 100,

if so please share your findings in regards to rating the ISO to use

for Tmax 100. Thanks much...I've been digitized...but so far for

snapshots only...but still love B/W process....

[andre_noble4]

I don't think that Diafine is compatible with large 4x5 sheet film due to very minimal agitation and 5 minute development time in the "B" solution.

 

Diafine is for roll film.

[Troll]

Diafine is ideal for sheet film development. I've never used it for Tmax 100, but so far as I know, it's the same emulsion as the 35mm film (unlike Tri-X).

[johndc]

Diafine not for sheet film!?!? :O

 

I'm pretty sure Diafine was invented to appeal to the same market that used the Speed Graphic -- press photogs. What other developer lets you develop as many emulsions as you want at the same time, without having to worry about time or temperature, and keeps your highlights from blowing out (a la flashbulb)?

 

I use Diafine with FP4+ and HP5+ all the time. It also works wonders with TMY at 640. I would guess that 160 would probably be a good speed to shoot TMX at if you're going to soup it in Diafine.

 

Only one way to find out for sure, though... test it out! :)

[david_karp]

I agree with the others. Diafine works fine with 4x5 sheet film. Some photographers do not, however, like how T-Max 100 looks developed in Diafine. Like other combinations, there are others who like it. I am in the first category. I love how FP4+ or HP5+ look in it.

[__jon__]

>Andre Noble , oct 03, 2004; 04:15 p.m.

 

>I don't think that Diafine is compatible with large 4x5 sheet film due to very minimal

agitation and 5 minute development time in the "B" solution.

 

>Diafine is for roll film.

 

????

 

That makes absolutely no sense whatsoever...

[silent1]

Let me confirm that Diafine works fine with sheet film -- I use it regularly with the Fomapan 100 in 9x12 cm sheets that fits my KW and Zeiss plate cameras. I get EI 160 with Fomapan 100, good shadows, nicely controlled contrast, and no worries -- I don't even need a timer, just a wristwatch.

 

BTW, I use it in daylight tubes of my own construction, not in trays, but it should work fine in trays as well -- you'll need one tray for the A and one for B, obviously, and some means (in the dark) of ensuring you never get even a drop of B into the A tray. Beyond that, the lack of dependence on agitation would be a plus; as long as there's enough A bath against the emulsion to soak in, and enough exposure to B bath to activate the developing agent, Diafine will work as expected.

 

I'm *really* looking forward to using it with the TXP (ISO 320) I've recently acquired in 9x12 cm; shooting a plate camera at EI 1000 should open up a whole new world for me.

[jorn ake]

You do have to watch your volumes of Diafine though, especially the A which does the first wetting of the film so "disappears" more quickly than B, if you use a daylight tank like a CombiPlan. Got to keep that film covered with developer and 1 liter and not much less is required to do so in the CombiPlan.

 

Fomapan and Diafine sound like a good idea.

[frank.schifano]

I'm also a big fan of Diafine. I have used it with TMax 100 (TMX) roll film and found that you can use an EI of approx. 160 with this combination. I see no reason to doubt that you could not do the same with sheet film. AFIK, the emulsions are identical. You might not like the look, but the only way to tell is for you to try it. Alternately, I've found that FP4+ works well with this developer if you use an EI of approx. 250. Again, my results are with roll film but roll and sheet film emulsions for FP4+ are the same.

 

Mixing up the gallon size has proven to be most economical for me. I use 1L as my working batch and replenish from the remainder. I draw off enough of solution "B" so that is equal in volume to what remains of solution "A" after a number of uses, then refill both working batch bottles to their original volume. So far my latest batch is well over 1 year old and still working perfectly.

[silent1]

<i>Fomapan and Diafine sound like a good idea.</i><p>

 

It is, trust me...<p>

 

<a href="http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=009Fmy">Look here...</a>

[archie_alcantara1]

Thank for the advices. I will do some test shots, initially rating Tmax @ ISO 160 and go 2 stops up and down. Will what works for me hopefully this weekend. Thanks again !!

[wayne_crider4]

You don't have to uprate the film. It will work fine at 100. In fact if I can make a

suggestion, why not use your darkslide as a way to get various exposures on

one sheet ( like a darkroom test strip) and develop just one. Just shoot

something with some shadow detail thru all the segments, (maybe at the

bottom) , with some mid tones or better yet highlights at the top. Maybe a tree

shot during a sunny day with clouds over it would work. I've shot 120 Hp5+

under exposed and a little over exposed and it was hard to tell a difference in

the frames. Btw, I have heard at one time or another that Tmax wasn't the best

with Diafine. I think, from what I remember, that the old style emulsions were

better. I.E. HP5+, FP4+ etc.

[archie_alcantara1]

Wayne, yes I think I will try the 'test strip' method. I have used APX 100 (best tone film imo, hope it is not true about demise of this film) and PanF with Diafine with excellent results. This is not the first time I heard that the 'old' films works best with Diafine. It would be interesting to try out Tmax though....

[andre_noble4]

Diafine is NOT a developer many LF photographers use on sheet film. Please name someone you know who uses sheet film in Diafine now on a regular basis?

 

Reasoning:

 

1) required minimal agitation in "B" AND

 

2) (very short) 5 minute development time in same...

 

You are presenting a set of conditions which expose the vulnerabilities of the development of a larger surface area, namely uneven development across the greatly increased area of a 4x5 or 8x10 piece of film...(to say nothing of the lack of opportunities for expansion or contraction development in Diafine)

 

But I guess Jon's the type who needs mommy to chop up his hot dog for him, so as Frank Lloyd Wright was known to say,

 

There you are.

[david_karp]

Using Diafine with sheet film is not a problem. Agitate for ten seconds every minute in both A and B solutions. It works fine.

 

I used it with 4x5 until I started using Barry Thornton's metol 2 bath developer. Never had a problem with it. I developed film in stainless racks (1 up and 4 up) and in a slosher. I like the slosher the best. I changed to Thornton's because I could mix it myself, and because he gives formulae for varying the amount of accelerator in the b bat for + or - developement. This formula also works fine.

 

Some photographers like this stuff. Others don't. There is no right or wrong. Only opinion.

 

That's my opinion.