TMX/Jobo-which Dev?

[al_seyle3]

I'm getting back to b/w lf after a long hiatus. Film will be primarily TMX Readyloads and possibly Acros QL, although not too impressed with the latter so far. Dev will be via Jobo CPP2 with Expert 3010. Fine art landscapes are the main interest. Any new real-use (with this setup) recos for film developer out there? I don't have time to test every possible combo. Thanks.

[eric_boutilier_brown2]

I use Xtol 1:2 in my 3010 and 3005 drums, for TMX TMY and HP5+. I use

the times recommended in Kodak's original documentation, which

provided times for 1:2 dilutions. Kodak have since dropped the 1:2

and 1:3 times, and replaced them with times for 1:1 only, due to

people having problems with not enough chemistry per roll (minimum

100ml per 80 square inches) but for sheet film, the 1:2 dilution

works wonderfully.

 

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Eric Boutilier-Brown

http://www.evolvingbeauty.com

[al_seyle3]

Thanks for your comments, Eric. I'm using Xtol 1:1 with good results--

so far, but in view of all the horror stories of sudden failure, I

thought maybe there might be alternatives. Ilfosol-S, Rodinal, DD76,

HC110, Pyro etc??

BTW, enlarger is Durst L1200 w/Colorhead.

[michael_kadillak3]

I have used T-Max RS at 1:4 with very good results at the

recommended dilution from Kodak. At 21 degrees C, you are looking at

about 6 1/2 to 7 minutes for both TMax 100 and TMax 400. It is a

liquid concentrate that is easy to mix. It can also be used at 1:9. I

have not used XTol myself because I have heard of an occasional

problem from others.

[sal_santamaura]

I've standardized on Ilfosol-S 1:14 at 75 degrees for 120 TMX in a

Jobo. It has *consistently* provided results similar to non-failed

Xtol. It's a convenient liquid concentrate and seems readily

available. Haven't used it on sheets yet (plan to), but can't imagine

the results being too much different.

[pat_kearns1]

Al, try Tmax RS dilution 1:9 for 11 minutes at 75 degrees F. Sexton

uses that formula and it works for him. I tried it, and hey, it

works for me. Good luck and happy shooting.

[gary_frost2]

There's always good old D76. try 1:1 for 8.5 minutes at 68F to start.

(using a 5 minute prewet in the expert drum)

[gary_frost1]

Here's an article John Sexton wrote for Jobo on using the TMAX

films in their Expert drums:

 

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http://www.jobo-usa.com/jq/jq9403.htm#UPJS

 

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He has his times for TMAX-RS and D76.

You may find other details in the article useful to get a good start.

 

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Note: In expert drums using TMAX RS 1:9 75deg F is 8 minutes for

Normal development. (EI 64)

 

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His times for D76 1:1 are very close to where I ended up...

(after starting at 11 minutes and getting around N+1.5)

[erik_gould1]

I've been processing TMX in Rodinal 1:75. I use a Jobo ATL1000

which runs at 75F. My standard time is 9 min. I tested both

Rodinal and Xtol and found that I prefered the look of the prints

made with the Rodinal negs. Although I have to say the prints

made from the Xtol negs were very nice as well, with extremely

fine grain. Format is both 4x5 and 120. I would suggest testing

just 2 or 3 combos and then choose one and stick to it for a good

while. Then you will really know what your system is capable of.

[don_welch]

I use a CPP-2 and expert drum with TMax 100. The real challenge with

TMax is repeatability. You MUST watch your temperature to the tenth

of a degree, and your methods for diluting your developer have to be

precise. If you pre-rinse, as Sexton advises, get the temperature of

the pre-rinse water exactly right. Don't let your development times

get sloppy. Keep them carefully timed. Whatever developer/time

combinations you settle on are up to you, but careful darkroom work

is a big part of getting the results that the CPP-2 and TMax are

capable of delivering.

 

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Don Welch

[jorge_gasteazoro]

Don, I have to disagree with you very strongly....1/10 of a degree?

This is overkill, as a matter of fact T max is more sensitive to

variations in agitation than it is to temperature. Back when I first

got my densitometer I tested this. I plotted the different CI for T

max developed from 70 to 78 F. The difference from one film to the

next was very little, of course the difference between th 70 degree

roll and the 78 degree roll was very great, but the rolls that only

had one degree difference did not have a big change in contrast. What

does make a big difference is agitation, this is a well known fact of

T max films. If you wish to obtain the same results you need to

agitate the same way. Although I agree with you that consistent

darkroom practices will yield the best results, I am answering to

your post because it this type of erroneous information that make

beguinners paranoid and leads them to hate darkroom work!

As a chemist I can tell you that 1/10 of a degree will not make a

difference one way or another, give me a break! Althought there are

many specialized chemical reactions that are dependent on rigorous

temperature control, darkroom work is not the case.

[dk_thompson]

I agree with Jorge on this....I don't have any rotary tube experience

with TMAX RS (I do with E6 though), but for the last 6 or 7 years,

TMAX RS replenished has been our choice for the deep tank line. We run

mainly TMAX 100, but will do batch runs of other films such as Ortho+,

Tri-X, TMY etc. Our normal run is 7 min. at 75 degrees F for TMX. I

agree that consistency (in everything: mixing, agitation etc.) is the

key, but even with running waterjackets for the tanks, I've never

experienced a 1/10 th degree sensitivity with any b&w

developer.....even running daily control strips on E6, that process

isn't THAT sensitive to minute temp changes....our Intellifaucet

constantly cycles, calibrating the mix down to a tenth or so, but in

the end, you have to have some really wild fluctuations to see a

difference even in the plots. Of course, this could be more of a

problem if you're using really dilute developers....we use RS straight

in the tank, replenished. And our Wing-Lynch uses a heck of alot more

chem. in it's trough than any Jobo does. Exhaustion is not a problem

with those machines. I know that some people have figured out ways to

dilute TMAX RS down & use it one-shot, but I think this developer

really excels as a deep tank developer...used straight & replenished

(as it was designed). In that capacity it's the cleanest working

developer I've ever used.