Greg Mironchuk method of TMX developing

[bruce james]

The Greg Mironchuk method of TMX developing as outlined on his page
at http://www.mironchuk.com/hc-110.html states that longer development
times with dilute developers at higher temps and minimal agitation produces
negs with good shadow detail without blowing out the highlights.
The theory is that developer "poops out" faster in the areas of greatest
density while continuing to develop shadows.
This seems like an ideal method to limit contrast without affecting speed
while also minimizing the potential for film scratching due to agitation.
Development times are not that much longer than standard HC-110 times @68 degrees.

Can anyone say why this method is not more common as a standard tray method
for development for all films? I have done about 20 negs this way and it certainly works well so far. I am also using a night vision monocle which helps a lot too as
you can easily see when the negs are cooked to perfection.

[MIke Sherck]

Sounds like a semi-stand technique. That's been around for quite a long time and is useful for negatives with excessive contrast, such as a relatively dark interior with a daylight-lit window in the shot. You shouldn't need it for scenes with normal contrast but if it works for you, who am I to argue? :)

Mike

[Ron Marshall]

Development with no agitation beyond the first minute is called stand, if there is agitation every third minute or so it is called semi-stand. I often do semi-stand for the reasons you stated, mostly to control highlights. I have not had any problems with uneven development or streaking. During the stand phase my negs were vertical. I have read posts stating that stand dev in trays with negs horizontal can lead to streaking. Search LFPF or APUG for stand and streaking you will find lots of info.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=14573&highlight=stand+development+streaking

[steve simmons]

This method of developing negs and letting the developer exhaust in the high values has been around for years and years and years. .Many years ago the procedure was called water bath development - same theory and benefit. Back in the 80s people used a very dilute HC110 and tri-X for the same reason.

steve simmons

[Brian Ellis]

As others have said, there's nothing new or unusual about this system (I used a similar system known as "divided D76" years ago) As to why it isn't more popular - I don't know for sure, perhaps because many LF photographers use the zone system and you can accomplish pretty much the same thing with it using minus development times.

[bruce james]

I didn't realize it was such common practice.
I can see how contracted development would work
similarily from a contrast perspective despite the slight loss in speed
but neg scratching is such a major hazard
in tray developing and it seems to take care of this problem easily.
Anyway thought it was worth mentioning as most discussion I have seen
seems to not include it as an option with other agitation methods.

Thanks for the responses.

[j.e.simmons]

One of the reasons that it's not more widely used is that there is a potential for getting uneven development in smooth areas of a negative - skies for instance. Also some folks don't like the additional edge effects they get using the minimal agitation schemes. I frequently use it with Efke PL100, which is very prone to scratching, but only on negatives that don't have large areas of open sky.
juan

[steve simmons]

but neg scratching is such a major hazard
in tray developing

This really is a myth. Lots of people, for many , many years have developed in trays without any problems.


steve simmons

[MIke Sherck]

but neg scratching is such a major hazard
in tray developing

This really is a myth. Lots of people, for many , many years have developed in trays without any problems.


steve simmons

It isn't a myth for those folks who consistantly scratch their negatives, Steve. Just because you and I don't have problems with it doesn't mean that there aren't those who do. While I agree that the danger of scratching negatives in trays is often overblown, still you have to admit that not scratching them takes care and practice and some folks just aren't, for one reason or another, able to master the technique.

I use trays. I've always used trays. I like the control I have over each sheet of film. However, I do not like having to stick my fingers in developer/stop/fixer and I just can't feel the film wearing gloves. I do it anyway, but I don't like it. Hey, at least I stopped smoking! :)

Mike

[steve simmons]

Good for you on the smoking:)


steve