Increasing contrast with tri-x and t-max

[justin_fullmer]

Whats a good basic way to increase contrast with Tri-x and T-max 400 fillms? I have been Pulling one stop, exposing at 200ASA and then developing for the normal 400ASA time at 68degrees. Up to now I have only used T-max developer. I would like a little more contrast as I use a diffusion enlarger to print. Thanks!!!

[j._patric_dahl_n]

Use a paper with harder contrast. ;-)

[dan_smith]

Using an increase in paper contrast to control what you can do at the

exposure and development stage is sloppy craftsmanship at best. Run a

few test rolls with varying development times to see how it works for

you. Try constant agitation and it will pop the contrast a bit. If

you test a few rolls you should start zeroing in on where you want

the negatives to be for how you print.

[xosni]

I agree with Dan that you have to control the contrast at the film

level. I expose at 100 & develop for 800! yes! You will get a washed

out look (not with TMAX tho) that canbe realy cool with portraits.

Constant agitatio will kill the acutance. Just over expose & over

develop!

[james___]

Shoot them at 320 and add 20% to your developing time. Shooting them

at 200 is flattening your negs a bit too much. By upping the speed you

will get thinner shadow densities and developing the film a little

longer will push the highlight densities further up the curve. James

[pete_andrews]

The sole control over the contrast of film is development time.

Increase the development time and you increase the contrast, decrease

the time and you get less contrast. The exposure or ISO rating only

affects the amount of shadow detail that's recorded.<br>Just remember

the old adage: "Expose for the shadows, and develop for the

highlights."

[j._patric_dahl_n]

Dan wrote "Using an increase in paper contrast to control what you

can do at the exposure and development stage is sloppy craftsmanship

at best."

 

<p>

 

Doesn't he lose values in the highligts if he overdevelop the film

too much? I would expose and develop the film for normal contrast and

then print on a harder paper if I want hard contrast, but with a nice

gray scale.

[h._david_huffman1]

Justin, Many years ago a friend told me that if I wished to "Push" b&w film I should add 1 minute, 20 seconds to the developing time, after I have shot the film at the 2x asa. I also found that this increased the contrast. Have used this method many times.

Hope this helps.

Dave

[mark12]

"I should add 1 minute, 20 seconds to the developing time." That

would depend on your temperature of development. Adding 1 minute 20

seconds to a processing temp time at 78 degrees will yield allot

different results then adding 1 munute 20 seconds of time to a 68

degree temperature time. Just take your proper development time based

on temperature time of choice and multiply it by a push PERCENTAGE

(%) of choice. The same applies for a pulling.

EXAMPLE: (development time)15 minutes * 10% = 1.5 (additional push

time)This puts your total development time at 16.5 minutes. You can

of course increase or decrease the percentage time based on the

results you desire.