Dev. Time Kodak 400TX@1600 in HC-110 / Dil. "B"

[klaus_l.]

Hey Guys,

 

i feel a bit curios about the developing Time for the 400TX @1600. The sheets on

the Kodak Website are imho way too short and the DevChart tells me something

about 16 min. which is way too long, isn?t it?

 

Does anybody worked it out? I shoot Medium Format and want to develop with HC110

Dil. "B" (1+31) in a JOBO 1520 Filmtank.

 

regards

Klaus

[john_shriver]

The HC-110 dilution B times for "new" 400TX are pretty uniformly considered too short. The HC-110 times for the old Tri-X 400 appear to be perfectly suitable for the "new" 400TX, at least at EI 400. You can get the old times from publication F-9, which is still readily available on Kodak's website.

 

Hmm, there is a huge difference in the push to 1600 times however, 6 minutes for 400TX (Publication F-4017), and 16 minutes for Tri-X 400 (Publication F-9). Zounds!

[chris_markiewicz]

Hello. I have done a number of rolls of tri-x @ 1600 in HC-110. I really like this combination. In my experience so far, it is much better - grain-wise - to tmax 3200 in hc-110. I use dilution H at 68 degrees - for 19 minutes. It's commonly said that you cut the time in half for dilution B, so I guess that puts you at 9:30. (I'll probably try Dil B next time...)

 

Please post your time/temp and results after you've tried this.

[klaus_l.]

Thx John and Chris - i will give this a try!

[glenn_mabbutt]

Well, I've done a couple of rolls of this (Tri-X @ 1600, HC-110 Dil. B @ 20C for 16 min). The negs look pretty dark, and I thought they were over-developed - but when I scanned them they scan very well.

 

Crappy sample attached :)<div></div>

[klaus_l.]

King s thrones ... ha ha >:)

That example looks good, not too dark.

 

I exposed 2 rolls 120 and i think i will start with Chris advice, 19min. Dil. H.

[klaus_l.]

Oops ... so i developed the first roll 120 with Dil. B, 20?C, 12 min.;

I pre soaked the negs. 2 min (dont know why, i have read it somewhere ...). Agitation every 30sec (5sec.)

 

Result: Let me say it friendly ... they are soo dark and contrasty - its like i stick the Rollei in a Cows a** ;)

 

The next roll i will develop as i can read in the tech-sheet.

[chris_markiewicz]

right, i would say that dilution B for 12 minutes is a bit long. i'd probably do 9 minutes in dilution B. (roughly half of my 19 minutes in H). Let us know how the new dev time works for you.

thanks

chris

[klaus_l.]

Hi Chris,

 

the day before yesterday i developed as in the Kodak sheet: 6 min. Dil.B, 20C, agitation every 30sek (5x). The negs were ridicolous! Hard to see any light in it ... :o

 

yesterday i shoot a test-roll and developed it 19 min. in Dil. H; 20C; I agitate once per minute (~3sec.. The negs are still too dark, but a big difference to the others. I think its a good starting point. What do you think, Chris, is it the time, or too much agitation (maybe just every second minute?).

 

I think it depends on everybodys water, which must be a difference and everybody has its own thermometer and maybe mine shows less temperature?!

 

regards

klaus

[chris_markiewicz]

Hello. Not sure why we're seeing different results. I use distilled water for the development phase to ensure consistency. Not sure how much of a difference it would make to use tap water, etc. (I've seen many posts on this, but nothing scientific.) As for agitation, i do roughly one inversion every minute. (Actually, one inversion one minute, two inversions the next minute, then back to one the following minute...)

 

Although your numbers are confusing to me. You did Dil B for 6 min and they were too dark, so you did Dil H for 19 min? Everything I've read said that if you cut the strength in half (B to H), you should double the time. So if 6 min at Dil B was too much, then 19 min in Dil H should be too much too...

 

As far as what is causing the difference in our results, I'm afraid I don't know. As you say, could certainly be the thermometer, maybe the water (again, i'm not sure on this one), maybe the agitation to some degree, but i don't think it would make our results so dramatically different.

 

All of my negatives from this process have been wonderfully printable. Generally have to go with a 3.5 contrast because they are indoor, low light, low contrast scenes.

 

thanks

chris

[klaus_l.]

Again thx for your reply, Chris. Yes actually youre right with the 6 min. and than with the 19 min.- its kind of confusing me. the 6 min. in the kodak sheet means (really) heavy agitation and i think thats maybe the difference?! the last roll (19 min.) are still too dark, but its /much/ better than the 6 min. ... today i will try 12 min. in Dil.H with one agitation every minute.

[chris_markiewicz]

Cool. Keep me posted. Curious to hear what your ideal time/dilution/agitation are...

thanks

chris