Printing the TD-3/TechPan Negatives (Follow up)

[harry_pluta3]

Hi all,

 

<p>

 

Well I finally got a chance to do some serious printing with the negs I got using Tech Pan with TD-3, and I wanted to report back to the group. I shot the roll at ISO 25 and bracketed +/- one stop so I had a full set of high and low contrast negatives to work from. It was a mainly overcast day with the work shot in the woods. I will try to scan and post a couple of images next week when I get back in town again.

 

<p>

 

The negs shot at ISO 25 seem to print the best, most of them look nice on a number 2 1/2 paper which seems to handle the contrast very well. I did have on very low contrast scene that printed better from the ISO 12 negative on a soft paper and one very high contrast scene that looks best from the ISO 50 neg on a harder paper, but the printing times for the latter were really long.

 

<p>

 

I blew up one section of a negative to a relative size that would have equaled a 20x24 print and it really does rival the work I have done with a 4x5! The major difference is the 4x5 with Tmax gives smoother tone graduation at this magnification, but I will have no problem selling the work shot on tech pan. Edge effects on the ISO 25 stuff are sharp, but I think with a little more work refining my agitation technique I could get them even sharper.

 

<p>

 

Bottom line, I have a new film to add to my "tool kit" that will really extend the usefullness of my 35mm rig. ( One of my test images is even looking like a keeper! )

 

<p>

 

My next tests will be to try and process the film in a Jobo rotory processor, and then to test the effects of standard B&W filters on the film.

 

<p>

 

Best Regards,

-harry

[bill_troop]

Glad to know people are still using TD-3 after all these years.

My favorite agitation technique was 20 seconds every 3 minutes,

but some might find the resulting effects too extreme. As Harry

says, tone gradation at large magnification will always be

smoother at 4x5, but I thought I achieved a beautiful kind of

effect I describe as marbly with TD-3 and I am glad it has

survived as long as it has. I always worry that people will

expect too much from it and be disappointed.