More of why I love sticking with Tri-X and HC-110

[larrydressler]

<p>Awhile back I posted a thread about Tri-X and HC-110 Dilution H as becoming my main setup well after a few other rolls shot from the freezer to keep me interested i went back to my Tri-X and POOF I remembered why I made that first thread.</p>

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3585/3764222637_0592f782fe_b.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="676" /></p>

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3431/3765018968_650e08b208_b.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="676" /></p>

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3519/3764221007_38c28bbde6_b.jpg" alt="" width="667" height="1024" /> <br /> http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2617/3765019924_0395641ee4_o.jpg<br /> Say what you want but to me it is the perfect film developer combo.</p>

[drew_simons]

<p>Great photos Larry, thanks for sharing those. I can understand that peace of mind when you find a combination that your happy with.</p>

<p>In my case I went through a short period where I was processing TRI-X with Dilution B for a time of 6:00. I just found it difficult to control with pour times, agitation and temperature. In summer that combination was way too active so I reverted down to dilution H for a time of 11:30 at 20C. I found this less critical with nice grain.</p>

<p>I have now moved onto Rodinal after experimenting with D76, HC110 and TMAX. Tmax developer was a terrible disappointment with TRI-X, as the grain seemed flat. I also had some processing done by a lab who used XTOL with my TRIX and that also seemed flat, but not as flat as the TMAX combination.</p>

<p>I have now moved onto Rodinal and have been happy with 1:50 dilution on sunny days for 12:00 and 1:25 on cloudy days for 7:30. I just love how that grain seems to pop with these combinations. It seems that these two dilutions are similar in usability to the HC110 B&H dilutions. B for a cloudy day to increase contrast and H for the sunny day to keep the highlights under control and get maximum shadow detail. Also, the Rodinal bottle states 14min for 1:50 with TRIX, but I personally found that too long.</p>

 

[larrydressler]

<p>Drew I also Use Rodinal but not for 35mm much I love it with films up to ISO 125 but I prefer 1-100 and even 1-300... It is my favorite Developer for TMY-2 in MF and that is an ISO 400 film.. so not everything is Black and White .. we need our grays.</p>

[thomas_sullivan]

<p>long live Tri-X and HC-110!</p>

[thomas_sullivan]

<p>....and Acufine when pushed to ISO 1600</p>

[kasperhettinga]

<p>Just like Drew, I really like the combination of Tri-X and Rodinal. 1:50 for 10 (EI 250) - 13 (EI 400) min...the grain is slightly more visible compared to HC-110, but it looks great.</p>

[john carter]

<p>Excellent Larry, I like this combo too. I use dilution H, and I use Ansel Adams HC-110 compensating method. The AA method is great when you have a roll with many types of lighting situations.</p>

[amy_burchenal]

<p>Love that combo too. You can spend a lot of time experimenting with different developors, papers etc, but I like to keep it simple. Pretty much all my 35mm has been developed with a Tri-X HC 110 combo. You can view at www.amybphoto.com. I also shoot primarily with an old Contax IIIa. Great photos.</p><div></div>

[mendel_leisk]

<p>I never got into the finer points of how a developer works, just stuck with HC110 and Tri-X400: it worked well, the liquid concentrate was convenient and efficient for me.</p>

[jason_hall5]

<p>Thanks for posting Larry, Great stuff and great film/developer.</p>

[dave_wilson1]

<p>I'm there too, but mostly been using the Ilford film FP4 more than the trix.</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Great shots, Larry. HC-110 is the only developer I use for Tri-X. I also like it for Plus-X, Ilford FP4+, HP5+, and the occasional roll of expired Panatomic-X. Never cared for the look of Pan F+ in it, though.</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>No for PanF I use Diafine at EI 64</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>Larry- when I used to shoot Pan F+ Diafine is exactly what I used. I think I probably just rated mine at box speed, though. I could also do okay with this film by rating it at E.I. 25 and giving normal development in D-76. My slow film of choice now is Rollei Pan 25.</p>

[spanky]

<p>I've had good Tri-X negs with HC-110 1:50 for eight minutes. I'm looking to shoot a test roll and soup in Rodinal. The HC-110 just isn't grainy enough for me :-/</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>I have some I recently did in Rodinal 1-150 Full Stand 45 minutes IE 400 Let me find them.</p>

<p>http://www.flickr.com/photos/jokerphotography/sets/72157611590358262/</p>

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3284/3133265588_be5437f68c_o.jpg" alt="" width="611" height="942" /></p>

<p><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3214/3133266174_3a08dba5c8_o.jpg" alt="" width="925" height="600" /></p>

[jukka1]

<p>I also like this combo, in fact I dont use anything else.<br />I use dillution b and develeop for 6 minutes.<br />This is shot with Rolleiflex 2.8.<br /><a href="http://www.photo.net/photo/9480440">http://www.photo.net/photo/9480440</a><br>

Sincerely, Jukka</p>

[christer_almqvist2]

<p>Intersting as all this is, it would be even more so if all of you guys would state whether your experience relates to 35mm, 120 or LF. Thanks.</p>

<p>Chris</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>35mm for my Tri-X mostly I will be getting 120 Tri-X after my huge supply of TMY and Foma Pan is gone...</p>

[thomas_sullivan]

<p>35mm and 120....Tri-X in HC-110</p>

[Mike Gammill]

<p>If I had to get by with only one film, it would be Tri-X. 35mm mostly, but for finer grain I'd just shoot 120 TX in my Mamiya 645 and Yashica D.</p>

[jay_de_fehr]

<p>Finding a film/developer combination that just never seems to fail is a liberating experience. One can spend hours louping negatives and prints in marvelous thrall, incredulous at the possibility of its superior. It's natural to wonder why anyone would use anything else, until one sees equal, or even superior results from a completely different combination. The more variables involved in a process, the greater the number of possible routes to a given result. Making a print, or even a negative involves so many variables it sometimes seems that nothing will work, and other times it seems as if anything will, and each conclusion is equally frustrating, for completely different reasons. What irresistible madness!</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>Could be why people went to Color in the 50's LOL And then regressed to Digital these days... Heck I shot a roll of Microfilm today at 64 to develop it in Dektol because Though I found my Perfect for my Tri-X for what I normally shoot I hat to always be normal.</p>

[dpbours]

<p>I actually use Amaloco AM74 on 35mm Tri-X 400 film in a rotary machine - Jobo autolab 800.<br>

The grain gets a bit heavier, but I appreciate it. It is constant over the entire negative.</p>