TMAX400 exposed at 100 - development suggestions

[praveen k]

I accidentally exposed TMAX 400 at ISO 100. Should I pull process it

by 2 stops / 1 stop or just do normal processing to salvage the

photographs? I am new to traditional darkroom so can you please

recommend a developer and dilutions/timings that would work best

given the situation ?

[Brian_Edwards]

You probably will have to underdevelop by 30 percent or so. You might actually get pretty

decent results, regardless. Most of the time, it is better to overexpose black and white film

(which you have done) anyway, so there's no need to push the panic button. Your usual

developer should be fine, but sometimes D-23 is used as part of water-bath (or two-bath)

development to reduce contrast, but maintain shadow detail, which is what you want to do

under the circumstances. Look up "compensating" developers, water bath, or two-bath

development for more information.

[eric friedemann]

You will want to consult The Massive Developing Chart:

 

 

http://digitaltruth.com/devchart.html

[scott_walton2]

Divided D23 works great! As a 2 bath, Bath A is 9 minutes and Bath B 3 minutes and directly into fix. Never blown highlights with perfect shadows and very fine grain!

[mikem77]

process normally. you will get good results. the negs will just be a bit denser than usual.

[robert_grasing]

An often cited method for processing over-exposed film is to develop it in straight Kodak Microdol-X (or Ilford Perceptol). These developers, when used undiluted, reduce film speed to about half of what you get with a standard developer. Furthermore, as a starting point, I would cut Kodak's suggested developing by about 10% to 15%. This should work fairly well (I've used this combination many times myself), but if the film is very valuable, you must do a test roll first. The negatives will be very fine-grained, with excellent detail but will look slightly less sharp than a standard developer.

[chris_waller]

As a rule-of-thumb, reduce development by 1/3 per stop downrating. So, if your developing time were 13 minutes at 400 ASA then for 100 ASA reduce to 6 minutes.

[mikem77]

But if you reduce development too much, you won't have any contrast. TMax films (at least TMX) have less of a shoulder than old-school films, so I would reduce development 15-20% of so but no more.

[scott_davis5]

I would only adjust by 10% per stop of over/underexposure. So, cut 20% from your development time.

[wickedmartini]

General rule of thumb with T-Max or T-GRain films is to compensate 5-10% per stop. Keep in mind that the T-Max films will react a bit quicker to processing variances that most other emulsions.

[clay_turtle1]

Funny thing I did just about the same thing? I noted that if I use Microdol-X, it lowers the rated ASA to 200 or one stop. I haven't proceessed the film yet so I will let you know how it worked.

Using sheet film so I can alternate with change, pulling a stop.

KODAK T-MAX 400 Professional Film: 5053 and 6053**

Developer Exposure 68 F 70 F 72 F 75 F

 

MICRODOL-X 200 10.5 9 8.5 7.5

(1:3)

MICRODOL-X 320 NR 20 18.5 16

 

[Development Time (Minutes)]

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/service/faqs/faq0034.shtml

 

Note the rated exposure of ASA 200 which is equivalent to "0ne stop" of light with normal processing time & temperature with Microdol X developer. Hmm . . .