[rollei_list] Re: TMax 100 Development
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jan Decher" <Jan.Decher@xxxxxxx> 
To: <rollei_list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, October 19, 2008 5:05 PM
Subject: [rollei_list] TMax 100 Development


Hi Everyone,
I used a roll of TMac 100 for the first time in my Rollei 3.5E and am at a loss as to the best developer for this film (at 100 ASA) 
I have Rodinal and D76 in stock.  Which one should I use?
At 20° "The Massive Development Chart" (http://www.digitaltruth.com/ devchart.html) recommends 9.5 min in D76 (1:1 ) and 12 min in Rodinal 
(1+50), which one is better?

Thanks,
Jan
Both will give you satisfactory results but D-76 is closer to optimum and will deliver somewhat greater speed and finer grain. I use D-76 1:1 as a one shot for 100T-Max. The optimum developer is Kodak Xtol which gives the best combination of fine grain, maximum speed, and good sharpness. For maximum speed use Phenidone type developers such as Xtol, T-Max or T-Max RS, Microphen, DDX. These will give you about 3/4 stop more speed than D-76. Xtol will be silghtly finer grain, the others slightly coarser grain than D-76. The Phenidone types also generally yeild greater Dmax (its pretty high anyway) and somewhat straighter characteristics. For finest grain use either Kodak Microdol-X or Ilford Perceptol (they are nearly identical). These, used full strength, will give you grain nearly as fine as the late, lamented, Kodak Technical Pan but with considerably greater speed and much easier control of contrast. Kodak has very complete developing recommendations for T-Max film on its web site. Note that Kodak developing charts are intended to yield contrast suitable for contact printing and diffusion enlarging. For the right contrast to use Grade-2 paper on condenser enlargers somewhat lower contrast is required. Kodak recommends reducing developing time about 20% and increasing exposure about 3/4 stop for this contrast index value. Note that tabular grain films like T-Max seem to be more sensitive to the degree of development so require more care in control of temperature, time, and agitation method than normal cubical grain emulsions. Also, T-Max negatives may look a bit thin when they are the right printing density. T-Max films have a sensitizing dye that tends to be persistent. It results in an overal lavender or pinkish stain. While Kodak used to state that this was due to incomplete fixing the dye seems to persist even when quite complet fixing is carried out in ammonium thiosulfate fixer. The dye can be completely removed by treating the film with Kodak Hypo Clearing Agent after fixing and before washing. Also note that T-Max films take longer to fix than conventional films. Use a two bath system. While ammonium thiosulfate fixer ("rapid fixer") is more effective sodium thiosulfate fixer will work fine but needs a full ten minutes to fix out the film. In a two bath system fix in each bath for at least five minutes. The use of KHCA with any film will help to remove residual fixer reaction products as well as hypo and the residual sensitizing dye and is highly recommended. It also reduces wash time from about 30 minutes to about 5 minutes. A further note: If you use Microdol-X or Perceptol for minimum grain it will give you very little acutance effect so, unless your lenses are very good, the images may appear somewhat soft. For 35mm the finness of grain will give you a smoothness of tone gradation normally associated with larger negatives. I've shot a great deal of T-Max 100 and 400 over the years in all sizes from 35mm to 4x5. Its a very satisfactory film if processed correctly. Most complaints about excessive contrast or density come from incorrect development. Also note that the density range of these films is very much greater than printing paper so one can get highlights which have detail when the negatives are examined but print as white because the paper simply can't reproduce them. I have less experience with other tabular grain films, such as Ilford Delta and Fuji Acros, but they seem to have similar characteristics. 

--
Richard Knoppow
Los Angeles, CA, USA
dickburk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


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