Diafine developer

[Tim Kimbler]

I shoot TMAX 100. I use TMAX or XTOL developer with what I consider to be good results. I have been told that Diafine two part will give much better results. Any thoughts? Any thoughts on a different film that may give better results? I've been using a 4X5 for only six months, but things are going well. I'm plann ing a trip to Big Bend and would like to get some good negatives.

Thanks Tim...............

[Dan Smith]

Pick the Xtol & stay with it for a year or so til you know it backward & forward . When you are able to make it do whatever you want then you will have the film /developer to a point where a comparison or new test will actually give you info rmation. Most of the time the info is that what you have been using is just fin e. With so many developer/film combinations out there you can't try them all. Unless you really have a need to change(with a reason that you can sit & write d own and actually explain to yourself and have it make sense) stay with what work s. Seldom does anyone change and actually get better results if they were exper ienced with one product and knew how to use it in getting good results. Any change will mean more tests and, at least for a time, more insecurity due to unfamiliarity if nothing else. Stay with what works unless you can see, very p lainly, that something else is better. Not that someone else using different pa per/film/chemistry gets better results, but that YOU can get better results. No matter what you use, even films I think are lousy, there are photogs getting ex cellent results with them. Learn to really use what you have before tinkering t oo much unless you are one of the lost souls whose life is spent fruitlessly sea rching for magic potions to make them better. There ain't no such thing.