T-Max 400 and Azo and Pt

[Richard K.]

For those who have an idea, what would be a good EI and starting (tray) developing time in PMK or ABC Pyro for TMY sheet film to be printed in Pt/Pd or on Azo? Tanks a lot!:confused:

[Jan Nieuwenhuysen]

I have experience with TMY in ABC pyro, developed for printing on AZO, only. The normal 1:1:1:7 dilution is much to fast working for this film in my experience. I tried 1:1:1:17 and 3:1:1:30 (which I liked best). Time for N development was about 7 - 8 minutes. I suggest rating at about half the indicated film speed for starters.
I stopped using this film for AZO because the magenta sensitising dye makes it virtually impossible to develop by inspection, which for me is one of the charms of the process. It can be done by desensitising with pinacryptol yellow and the use af an amber safelight or under infrared.

A wealth of information can be found on the AZO forum (http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/AzoForum/default.asp)

[Michael Kadillak]

I have experience with TMY in ABC pyro, developed for printing on AZO, only. The normal 1:1:1:7 dilution is much to fast working for this film in my experience. I tried 1:1:1:17 and 3:1:1:30 (which I liked best). Time for N development was about 7 - 8 minutes. I suggest rating at about half the indicated film speed for starters.
I stopped using this film for AZO because the magenta sensitising dye makes it virtually impossible to develop by inspection, which for me is one of the charms of the process. It can be done by desensitising with pinacryptol yellow and the use af an amber safelight or under infrared.

A wealth of information can be found on the AZO forum (http://www.michaelandpaula.com/mp/AzoForum/default.asp)

No reason to stop using TMY because if an inability to utllize DBI. You do not need any densitizing anything. All you need is use an infrared monocle that can close focus and use an IR LED light source on the wall on the other side of your developing trays under a diffused globe activited by a foot switch and look at the non-emulsion side. It does not get any easier. Plus you can use the IR monocle to load holders which you can really appreciate when you are shooting ULF.

Cheers!

[Richard K.]

Michael, where does one get an IR monocle? It can't just be a passive filter since our eyes don't see IR?

[D. Bryant]

Michael, where does one get an IR monocle? It can't just be a passive filter since our eyes don't see IR?

It's an electronic gizmo that converts IR to visible light. I used to have a link for the source but don't any longer but I'm sure that some one will post it or identify the source.

Personally I don't think it's necessary to do DBI but it is a worthwhile technique that works.

Don Bryant

[Don Hutton]

I believe that this is a fairly popular model for darkroom use (it's what I bought as the result of a bit of online research). They used to be available cheaper on EBay...
http://www.atncorp.com/NightVision/NightVisionBinocularsGoggles/ATNViper

[Richard K.]

I believe that this is a fairly popular model for darkroom use (it's what I bought as the result of a bit of online research). They used to be available cheaper on EBay...
http://www.atncorp.com/NightVision/NightVisionBinocularsGoggles/ATNViper

Don, would you need an IR illuminator to provide ambient IR illumination or is that built into the googles? Or is there enough IR light around that can be amplified (I wouldn't have thought so in a DARKroom?!?)?

[Michael Kadillak]

Don, would you need an IR illuminator to provide ambient IR illumination or is that built into the googles? Or is there enough IR light around that can be amplified (I wouldn't have thought so in a DARKroom?!?)?

Many people use the built in IR illuminator that comes with the unit. But the engineer in me tells me that since IR is invisible and you can see the red glow, so can your film. Remember, these untis were developed for the military and are currently being marketed to weekend warriors and the red glow was added to make sure that the operator could see that the IR light source was ON.

The only way to know if this affixed IR light source is adding fog to your film (and to qualify how much it is adding) is to test the device and qualify this variable just like you would do a safe light test. In complete darkness put a piece of clack electrical tape down the center of at least three sheets of film and turn on your IR monocle with the affixed light source and allow it to be at about arms length facing the test sheets. Take one sheet away from the test at about half of your normal development time, take the second sheet away at your development time and the last sheet at about 30% more than the nrmal development time. Turn off the IR device and in complete darkness pull off the tape and develop the sheets for your normal development time and evaluate the unexposed area that was under the tape relative to the "exposed" area. You likely will be able to do this with your naked eye without a densitometer. I was surprised at the results I found.

My solution was to leave the IR light source on the unit off and bounce an external IR light source off of an adjacent wall. Secondly, I put a second LED IT light source on a wall behind my darkroom sink and put it behind a diffused glass globe and connected it to a foot activated light switch that I can use to illuminate the negative from behind.

This monocle is another tool that is available to the photographer. The other benefits are that you can see what you are doing with tray development so my negative scratches have been significantly reduced. Plus it is a also beneficial when loading ULF holders considering the price of the ULF sheet film. I want to insure that I do not damage this very expensive film loading it or developing it.

Cheers!

[Richard K.]

My solution was to leave the IR light source on the unit off and bounce an external IR light source off of an adjacent wall. Secondly, I put a second LED IT light source on a wall behind my darkroom sink and put it behind a diffused glass globe and connected it to a foot activated light switch that I can use to illuminate the negative from behind.

Hi Michael;

What are these external IR sources called (I mean a suggestion of a specific brand), how much cost, and where can one buy them? Thanks!

-Richard

[Michael Kadillak]

Hi Michael;

What are these external IR sources called (I mean a suggestion of a specific brand), how much cost, and where can one buy them? Thanks!

-Richard

The devices I use are 2-3" circular IR light banks that are composed of 24-36 individual LED elements that have a glass cover over them and plug into the wall. These are used extensively in the security business as they provide illumination for large areas that are monitored by IR cameras. My first one I purchased cheap on E &%y from domestic sellers at very reasonable costs. The other one I got from Amazon was a bit more expensive but has 68 LED illuminators. It is a Lorex VQ2120 Night Vision illuminator. You should be able to find illumination devices that work perfectly for this application for between $20-$30.