Is this look possible with Diafine and Tri-X???

[mike_sta._maria]

<p>Hello all,<br /> I've been reading so many great things about diafine (and some not so great things) so I've taken the plunge and decided to give it a try. I am currently waiting for it to arrive. In the meantime, I want to know if high contrast is possible with this film/developer combo as opposed to what I've been using: Tri-x @ 200-400 ISO in D76 1:1. Some examples of the look i'd like to achieve are basically that Japanese high contrast, high grain look in the likes of Daido Moriyama and more recently Anders Petersen which I've linked below: <br /> <a href="http://www.anderspetersen.se/AndersPetersenHTML/anderspetersen.html" target="_blank">http://www.anderspetersen.se/AndersP...spetersen.html</a><br /> Thanks all in advance. And yes, I know it's not original to try and 'look' like other photographers I'm just mainly interested in achieving similar contrast and graininess as the above aformentioned names. <br /> Technical info: I am using a Focomat 1C with focotar-2 Ilford multigrade paper and filters. And souping the prints in Dektol. Any help is Highly appreciated. Please have a look at my flickr and tell me what you think!<br /> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/31945706@N08/" target="_blank">http://www.flickr.com/photos/31945706@N08/</a></p>

[lex_jenkins]

<p>Tri-X in Diafine tends to have lower contrast than most other developers used to push Tri-X. It'd be the opposite of the look you're after. It is possible to get higher contrast tho' - but it's done in printing using magenta filters on variable contrast paper. Choice of paper and toning will help too.</p>

<p>When I want higher contrast I use Microphen for pushing. But I try to avoid the chalk and soot look I used to get so I tend to avoid the developers I used years ago for pushing: ID-11/D-76, Rodinal or other popular developers.</p>

<p>A few examples from my portfolio that show the typical results I get:<br>

<a href="../photodb/folder?folder_id=304508">TX (Tri-X pan 400) @ EI 1250 in Diafine</a><br>

<a href="../photodb/folder?folder_id=304490">TMY (T-Max 400) @ EI 1250-1600 in Microphen</a><br>

<a href="../photodb/folder?folder_id=837716">Old B&W Stuff</a> - (These are from decades ago using Tri-X from ISO 200-800 in HC-110. The Stevie Wonder pix were Tri-X at 800 in HC-100.)</p>

[iain_mcelwain]

<p>Diafine would not be the ideal developer to achieve high contrast because it just develops the film the same way no matter how long you leave it in the tank. As such it's not really meant for push development.</p>

<p>If it's high contrast you're looking for with added graininess I would use instead developers such as Rollei RHS, Amaloco AM 74, Tetenal Neofin Rot or Neofin Blau, Fomadon LQR, and Kodak D-19.</p>

<p>Having said all that, I would say that a lot of it has to do with the lighting. Some of the photos taken by Andersen use flash at close up range with high fall off towards the background, and others are natural light but with a high subject brightness range.</p>

[User_502260]

<p>Neofin Rot hasn't been available for some time. AMALOCO AM74 isn't available in the U.S. but the Rollei equivalent is. </p>

[jtk]

<p>Does somebody market a version of Neofin Rot? (in the US?)</p>

[mike_king3]

<p>HC-110 at certain dilutions is similar to D-19. For this application I used to use TXP 120 and HC-110 until the Great Yellow Father shot itself in the foot (again) and discontinued yet another of my stable of workhorse films and paper. Tri-X 35mm and HC-110 will get you close if you shot in contrasty light. </p>