T Max 400 (2) Reciprocity Correction

[Michael Kadillak]

Had not checked the newer version of T Max 400 and assumed the older reciprocity correction of the film from the original TMY was still in play and could tell immediately that something was awry when I developed the sheet. I checked the tech publication and the reciprocity correction is published as to be negligible out to 10 seconds where one only need to add 1/3 stop. Has anyone verified this correction in the field? If this is verifiable I will be more than pleasantly surprised and pleased as punch.

Many Thanks!

[Bruce Watson]

Has anyone verified this correction in the field?

That sounds about right for the latest version. I haven't made the effort to build a curve for it, but that sounds about right. The extension on the bottom end (shadow detail) is amazing.

I did some testing years ago where I shot the same image on dialed in Tri-X and dialed in TMY. I was looking at the shadow detail, so old dry-stack stone walls in direct sunlight, boulders in streams in direct sunlight, that sort of thing. I wanted the shadows to be a nice smooth gradient that extended all the way to featureless black, but to carry as much detail as possible on the way there. I metered with a modified Pentax digital one degree spot meter and exposed the target shadows for Zone III.

My intent was so see how far down the gradient the image would go. But that's not what I got. With TMY, I got shadow detail that didn't stop. I didn't get to a point on the film (that I could find) where all detail dropped out and I had clear film. With Tri-X, I got hardly any of the gradient at all -- it dropped to clear film almost immediately. IOW, Tri-X went into reciprocity failure in the shadows, where TMY did not.

I've still got the mostly full box of Tri-X I was using for that test. Haven't shot a sheet of Tri-X since. I've only used TMY since that last test run.

No other iso 400 film can touch TMY for this. The only films that are better, and then only marginally, seem to be TMX and Acros, both iso 100 films.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Reciprocity data that I generated for the old TMY years ago, has worked fine for me and TMY-2.

[Michael Kadillak]

Reciprocity data that I generated for the old TMY years ago, has worked fine for me and TMY-2.

It appears that based upon old T Max 400 reciprocity data that I got from Kodak and that was affirmed by Howard Bond in Photo Techniques as an example shows that a two second exposure of the original T Max 400 sheet film would be corrected to three seconds. The new T Max 400 film in the tech report from Kodak shows that there is no correction out to 10 seconds where you add 1/3 stop. The densities I got with the new film were visually excessive indicating that there was far more exposure than necessary hence the post. I found a German Prontor timer in my drawer that I forgot I had acquired and hope to get to employ this for some testing shortly to take the human error out of the equation and really look at this more closely as Bruce has done. The more I use this sheet film the more I realize that it very likely is the best sheet film likely ever manufactured. Expensive, but oh la laaaaa.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I agree. Definitely is likely the best film ever manufactured... but, once I'm out of 8x10, that's it for me. I'll continue shooting it in 4x5, though.

[Kirk Gittings]

I have some frozen but not sure when I got it exactly. When did the "new" come in?

[Michael Kadillak]

I have some frozen but not sure when I got it exactly. When did the "new" come in?

Several years ago Kodak spent some big bucks to improve the film mainly to increased the resolution as if it really needed it. The new film has been reviewed by Sandy King as well as others and although I was not sure how I would like it over the original product (normal angst when what you are familiar with changes causing you to have to make adjustments). But after giving it some time and effort I can now admit it is a kick ass improvement. I am only learning now that the seemingly innocuous reciprocity correction is another vote of confidence in this direction. You can do a google on this subject Kirk and get a background on this activity. The exact date escapes me.

[Sal Santamaura]

...When did the "new" come in?Fall of 2007:


http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/support/techPubs/f4043/f4043.pdf

[Kodachrome25]

It's become my favorite film, I shoot it in 35, 120 and 4x5 and mostly soup it in Xtol 1:1. Simply spectacular film in any format.

[bgh]

I agree, it is a remarkable film, especially for the reciprocity characteristics. Given the work that I do (HABS/HAER), I shoot quite a lot in low-light situations, and since I'm on a fixed budget and schedule, I can't wait forever to get the series of photographs that I need. TMY-2 is amazing. Unfortunately, now that Kodak has seen fit to jack the price up unmercifully, I need to find an alternative. I'll mix some TMX into the mix on my next job in a couple or weeks, and see how that does.

Bruce

[Drew Wiley]

The "new" seems to have more consistent granularity (less clumping), so appears less grainy in the print, and changed a bit subtly in terms of development timing.
I'm not certain about the recip characteristics, but seem to have been guessing it reasonably well so far. Usually a modest correction for the kinds of times I run into.
I shoot it at full 400 speed, which is really a luxury in this windy area. Very versatile stuff, but I too might have to supplement it with something else in 8x10 if the
price keeps climbing.

[Kodachrome25]

Bruce, what is that saying of things you can count on in life, death and taxes?

Well you can add one more and that is that no matter who makes the film, it will continue to rise in price. I know folks in the marketing and PR departments who used to work at Eastman Kodak and now work for Kodak Alaris and believe me, the last thing they want to do is to either discontinue a product or raise the price. So if it means keeping the product around longer, they will raise the price and many of us who depend on the products support that.

Fuji Acros is now the most expensive black and white sheet film there is and it will still sell right up until the point that they nix it. TMY went up from $1.70 a sheet to $2.20, not terrible considering what they have been through and the fact it is a sheet film in the year 2014. This may not change the fact that you feel you can no longer afford it but it is the way it is all going. I tried to help folks out when they raised the price by telling them to stock up on it from Adorama who had it back ordered at $84 a box. I did and so did several other people who sent me PM's thanking me for the tip.

Trust me....if and when the day comes you can no longer get TMY and Ilford has not added 4x5 Delta 400 to the lineup, you are going to see expired TMY in 4x5 going for well over $4 a sheet...

[Drew Wiley]

ACROS is rather affordable in 120; so it must be something about the film base itself rather than the emulsion which drives up the price of the sheets. But I just ordered more sheets of 4x5, cause when you're shooting sheet film to begin with, it's pricey not matter what, and no sense compromising the end result. With respect to TMY, when my wallet gets low, I just shoot it in 4x5 instead of 8x10. But I've got a decent reserve of 8x10 in the freezer, which I bought at a better
price. It all adds up.... the film, the print paper, the matboard. LF is a bad addiction, period.

[jonesp]

Using the View Camera: A Creative Guide to Large Format Photography Paperback by Steve Simmons gives fairly accurate reciprocities for several color and B&W films.

115694

[StoneNYC]

I know that practically no one posting here probably use an iPhone, but if you do, a member if the LF forum has created a reciprocity timer app, it takes all the math given by the various manufacturers, as well as special options for certain kodak films created by pro's who didn't like the kodak math.

Anyway I don't do any reciprocity calculations anymore I just plug in the data and let the app figure it out. I know this probably annoys some traditionalist but I find it helps me to focus on the image and forget the distractions of trying to do math in fast fading light conditions.

Here is the link. The regular version is sufficient for most needs and the upgrades for note taking and exporting are also handy in the more expensive pro upgrade. But even the basic version is excellent! And accurate!

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/reciprocity-timer/id459691262?mt=8

The new TMY-2 is really great, although I personally have chosen only Acros100 for my long exposure work, TMY-2 is very good for that also, the toe best when it comes to good reciprocity characteristics.

After these two it seems only TMX and the ilford films are OK but not great, and of course FOMA is horrible... Lol

[ROL]

I know that practically no one posting here probably use an iPhone,...

Quite correct, StoneNYC. I have an iPhone and said app. But since I never carry a phone with me in the field, I don't practically use the app. I guess I'm the exception that proves your rule, somehow. Now, if I could only figure out how to use them dang computing machines and chat forums to tell whippersnappers what I really think about them...

[Drew Wiley]

What's a phone? I don't even carry a watch in the field. Go to bed at dark. Wake up at dawn. Time long exposures just by counting the seconds myself.

[sanking]

"I know that practically no one posting here probably use an iPhone, but if you do, a member if the LF forum has created a reciprocity timer app, it takes all the math given by the various manufacturers, as well as special options for certain kodak films created by pro's who didn't like the kodak math."


Why in the world would you think LF users don't use current technology? Drew Wiley does not represent all of us, you know!!

But thanks for the link. Looks like a useful app and I am keen to put it on my iPhone 5s.

Agree with you about Acros 100, my top choice for film also, though unfortunately Fuji never made it for 5X7 so I only have TMY-2 in this format.

BTW, I have a few 50 sheet boxes of TMY-2, frozen since purchase. When the going price hits $10 a sheet I am selling!!

Sandy

[StoneNYC]

"I know that practically no one posting here probably use an iPhone, but if you do, a member if the LF forum has created a reciprocity timer app, it takes all the math given by the various manufacturers, as well as special options for certain kodak films created by pro's who didn't like the kodak math."


Why in the world would you think LF users don't use current technology? Drew Wiley does not represent all of us, you know!!

But thanks for the link. Looks like a useful app and I am keen to put it on my iPhone 5s.

Agree with you about Acros 100, my top choice for film also, though unfortunately Fuji never made it for 5X7 so I only have TMY-2 in this format.

BTW, I have a few 50 sheet boxes of TMY-2, frozen since purchase. When the going price hits $10 a sheet I am selling!!

Sandy

Haha! I'm trying to sell/trade a 25 sheet sealed pack of TMY-2 that's fresh in date and no one will trade me so good luck!

As for my comment, I looked at the current people who had posted, as well as the OP having been out of the game for so long, and decided that so far those people probably did not use current technology in order to estimate their exposure, I did not mean the whole of the forum community, simply the home had posted so far. That's all.

I look forward to seeing what you think about the app Sandy.