Traditional B&W lives (For A While Longer!)

[Glenn Kroeger]

Kodak continues, but changes Plus-X, Tri-X and TMax

http://www.kodak.com/US/en/corp/pressReleases/pr20020224-01.shtml

[Richard M. Coda]

How do you make film less susceptable to dust? Are they going to package Plus-X and Tri-X in Readyloads? To me, that would seem the only way. But if so, why don't they just come out and say it???

[Sal Santamaura]

Reading that release leads me to believe the new manufacturing facility is less likely to produce film with a static charge, therefore less susceptible to dust problems. Just a guess, since they don't state explicitly. Curious, however, is why developing times may need to be adjusted.

[John Kasaian]

Goooood Morning! I wonder what the new & improved Tri-X will be like? If they are interested in capturing back the lion's share of the "HalfthetimeIdon'tknowwhatI'mdoingmydarkroomisthekidsbathroomandmy enlargerisolderthandirt" market, of which I am a sterling example, I will be more than happy to road test a free box(the 50 sheet or will it be a larger size? 8x10 please) and let my findings be known to the World. Just send that big yellow box over to my house!

[Tom Raymondson]

"The only difference photographers are likely to encounter is a slight adjustment in development times."

Longer? Shorter?

[Steve Gangi]

It sounds like they will be making the film in a "clean room". That means the air is highly filtered (for the dust), and the temperature and humidity are controlled (higher humidity means less static). However, that really means nothing if you are shooting in a cold dry place unless it's a Readyload (maybe). Film has what is basically a plastic substrate. Plastic is horrible about static. Also factor in the plastic film holder, and whatever charge your own body has built up, and any dust in or around the camera, and it can get ugly.

[Nicholas F. Jones]

After spending a year or more working through five different sheet films in various developer combinations, I concluded that the best option for me is Tri-X in either HC-110 or D-76 (the latter, with paper developer Dektol, the "Holy Trinity", right?). Tri-X is relatively fast and forgiving in the darkroom--in my case hand- processing in trays. I just want to say how happy I am with Kodak's decision to continue with the "venerable" b&w films. Maybe this was a strictly dollars-and-cents business decision, but I would also like to think that Big Yellow recognizes some obligation to do its part to support the medium and technology that it did so much to create and develop in the first place.