I just bought my first set of chemicals for processing TMAX100 in my darkroom. I mixed them already, but am confused about the Tmax RS developer. I mixed the whole gallon. Am I just supposed to use that as is, and reuse everytime? Or should I be diluting that gallon solution even further? My friend told me to mix a batch diluted 1:4 evertime I process a new batch and then throw it out. Help me! I'm axious to start processing.
by the way, i'm processing 4x5 film in small tanks using hangers.
Can you go into more detail about what size of RS you bought and how you mixed it. I'm not clear on whether you bought the gallon size or the quart size of the concentrate from the store. Also, how did you mix it? With water or did you just add the Part B solution?
Mixing the batch as instructed to get a whole gallon while also adding part "B" is the standard 4:1 dilution. It is perfectly acceptable to develop at this strength. Just look at the recommended time tables. To get to 9:1, just mix the 4:1 with equal parts of water and that will lengthen your developing times.
The only thing you should be concerned about is that mixing it with water decreases the time that it is usable to about 1-2 months. John Sexton is the resident expert on T Max emulsions and the RS developer. I have read that he puts the Part B in the Part A concentrate bottle and just mixes what he wants from concentrate 4:1 or his preference 9:1. Developer last a whole lot longer.
T Max 100 is noted for being fickle about consistent agitation although it produces fine grain and excellent expansion and contraction and reciprocity characteristics. JOBO rotary processing provides excellent results with this fim albeit at a price. JOBO processors are not cheap. If the hangers give you a hard time, you can try rotary development in cheap PVC tubes or the Beyond the Zone System tube processing system. This subject has been discussed extensively here.
Cheers!
I mixed the whole gallon. And I'm reusing it after each use. I did it yesterday and the negatives look great. But if next time I buy RS I mix just the part B into the Part A bottle and work from that, mixing at 1:4, should I just throw out the developer after each batch? or should I just keep doing what I'm doing now mix the whole gallon and just reuse it?
In all of the literature and discussion of this subject I have been privy to, it was always advised that it is a one shot developer. Use it once and toss it are my recommendations.
The degredation of the negatives with continued use may be hard to see and IMHO, it is not worth the risk considering the investment in film and your time.
Cheers!
So next time I want to do like John Sexton does and mix part B into the part A bottle and leave that as my stock. Then when I'm ready to develop I mix 1:4 with water and that is my working solution. After I'm finished I discard. Is this correct? How many negatives can I run through one batch? Thanks alot for all your help!
Yes Brian, that is correct. Use this composite A&B as your stock to be mixed. You might also try 1:9 to get some additional mileage out of your developer. Development times are longer, but still great results. Sexton uses this dilution as well. I do not know the exact unit of film per developer ratios from Kodak, but it is not important. Fill your developing tank and make one run with it (how many hangers you can get in one tank is "one" run). Dump it and use fresh developer for the next.
Good Luck!
Michael, so if I mix 1:9 then my develop times are twice as long as 1:4 correct? Thanks
Not necessarily. Go to the Kodak website and look at their recommended starting times and temps for this dilution and start from there. Modify as necessary after you inspect your results.
Shadows are dictated by exposure, but should contain detail (unless you are purposefully taking it out). Highlights are driven by development time.
Cheers!
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