Tri-x400 in radinal, dektol, and d76

[hao_ho]

Hi, everybody, I got a question I really want to ask you guys. I am just starting my own darkroom, and I have a lot of question during

developing my film.

 

So, here is my question.

 

What is difference between tri-x 400 in radinal 1:50, dektol 1:3, and d76 1:1 ? Which one is sharper, the grain is larger.

 

And tri-x 400 to 1600 in radinal 1:50, dektol 1:3, and d76 1:1 ? Do I lose a lot of detail by push the film? Which is better , pushing or not

pushing(to get grain)?

 

I am looking for a very grainy look, but not too high contrtast. I do know using the high number filter during print, but now I want to fouces

on developing process.

 

Can you guys help me out?

 

Also, I read a lot of post in internet, they said radinal is a very sharp developer. What does the sharp means?

 

Thank you again, I hope my question are not too stupid.

 

Mike

[bruce_watson1]

<p>Get a copy of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Film-Developing-Cookbook-Darkroom-Vol/dp/0240802772"><em>The Film Developing Cookbook</em></a> by Anchell and Troop. Answers all your questions and then some.</p>

[larrydressler]

<p>Maybe this will help you. http://www.unblinkingeye.com/Articles/Rodinal/rodinal.html</p>

[chris_waller]

<p>Rodinal will give you grain but also majors in sharpness. However, it is not the first choice for pushing.</p>

[larrydressler]

<p> One way to get extra speed but keep contrast low with Rodinal is to use semi stand development. If you want to go up to 1600 dilute your Rodinal 1-100 and get it to about 20c. then pour it into the tank and agitate for 30 seconds set it down and then give it 1-1 agitations at 30 minutes. If you want box speed then stop the development at one hour. Tho go farther give it another few agitations at 1 hour and set it down. Some people stop at 1.5 hours but I found for 1600-3200 that 2 hours is the correct time.<br>

I must also add that if you normally use 300ml of developer solution change that to 500-600ml depending on your tank. I know some won't hold 600ml of solution.</p>

[pc_b]

<p>To get the most grain...<br>

1) Overexpose 1.5-2.5 stops without compensating dev times (tough on your scanner, manageable in the wet darkroom)<br>

2) Develop at 24°C instead of 20°C<br>

3) Use HP5+ (inherently 'grainier' than Tri-X)<br>

4) Use paper developers like Dektol (supposedly grainier than Rodinal) but dev times will be very short and contrast steeper; most probably with all of them. (no experience, yet)<br>

5) Storing film in a hot environment may 'help', too. (unconfirmed, just an idea)<br>

6) Working with a sharp 28mm and cropping each negative fairly (to 35mm or 50mm equivalent angles of view) will get you bigger grain. But you'll need a truly sharp enlarger lens (top lensesby Schneider or Rodenstock) or a Coolscan 5000/9000.</p>

<p>And yes, buy the Anchell/Troop book. Incredibly informative. Also on developers 'beyond' Rodinal.</p>

<p>Really grainy negatives will always have less middle grays, less steps on the gray scale, in general. Tri-X does a great trick there, though.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>Some people like Rodinal but Tri-X in D-76 is a classic combination, probably the most popular combination of a film and developer that ever existed. I have used it for close to 49 years with excellent results. It's as close to a standard for B&W as it comes. If you are starting in the darkroom, this is what you want to use and get to know to "learn to walk" before you try anything else, including Rodinal. Dektol is a paper developer and is not recommended for developing film. Advanaced darkroom workers may or may not want to experiment with it, but as a beginner, don't go there.</p>

[craig_shearman1]

<p>Wow, big typo last night. That should have said "close to 40 years" not 49.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<blockquote>

<p>"I am looking for a very grainy look, but not too high contrtast."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>You might consider Delta 3200 in Diafine. Best combination I've found for low to moderate contrast, full shadow detail and very pronounced grain. For best shadow detail expose at EI 1000-1600. For more contrast try EI 3200-6400.</p>

[paulie_smith1]

<p>Rodinal with sodium ascorbate tames the grain a bit. Dektol is for paper. D76 is the tried and true old favorite of many but does gain in activity on sitting.<br>

Take a serious look at Xtol. A good match for this film in its current iteration.<br>

Tri-X today is not the same as it was a few years ago. Many of us who have been shooting for a long time find it good but almost unrecognizable compared to Tri-X of a decade and more ago.<br>

As with any film and developer out there I will give a standard recommendation. Try a combination or even a few. Pick the one that looks best to you and stick with it for at least a year of shooting - unless you have a specific reason to change. Make prints and look at them, fine tuning along the way. After a year, if you shoot a fair amount and make good prints - you will have a baseline for comparison if you change something in the workflow. Now you can try something else and if you can actually SEE a difference in the finished prints and that difference is an actual improvement - then you make a change.<br>

Almost any combination will work if you learn to use it. There is no magic answer and no 'one, best way' to shoot and print. Consistent working methods polished with experience is worth more than any new product on the market.<br>

I know many who absolutely hate certain films and film/developer combinations yet others get excellent exhibition work using that formula. Personal taste and long experience, coupled with an ability to learn and make critical judgments, makes for better images. Just don't scrimp on the one major darkroom/printing accessory that is critical to producing excellent work. A big trash can - and the will to use it.</p>

[lex_jenkins]

<blockquote>

<p>"Tri-X today is not the same as it was a few years ago. Many of us who have been shooting for a long time find it good but almost unrecognizable compared to Tri-X of a decade and more ago."</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Yup, it seems closer now to the original version of T-Max 400. More sensitizing dyes, finer grain. Tri-X is still a good film, but it ain't what it used to be.</p>

[paulopires]

<p>I really like Tri-X and I dare to say I always get decent results using with it in combination with different developers. <br />Using it plain, at ISO 400, I do prefer the Xtol look. Amazing contrast, great detail.<br />Microphen does not give that little "extra punch" and the negatives are less contrasted.<br /><br /> I've also used Tri-X @ 6400 and developed it in ID11 and the results were very, very good. I made several attempts to find the right development time and I've ruined 2 rolls but it was worth the experiment.<br /><br />The softness of Mamiya lenses lets me push Tri-X @ 1600 and develop it in TMax Dev, which is IMMO a very good combination for Tri-X even up to 3200.<br /><br />Please forgive my poor English.<br /><br />My cookbook. <br /> http://cookingfilm.wordpress.com/category/kodak-trix-400/</p>