Advice re tmax film developer for 45

[Fred L]

I dunno, if you're the type to play around, I'd try several of the developers recommended, and see which prints, or contacts best for you. I've used Ilfosol, Ethol Blue and D-76 in the past, but currently use Rodinal, HC-110 and Pyrocat HD. The first two get the most use.

[Pere Casals]

If you mix using distilled water and store in one of these: https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...ge_Tank_2.html the developer will last at least 6 months if not much longer.

+1

An even better solution is to store it in coke (soda bottle with skull and bones !!!) plastic bottles, that plastic blocks gas very well, and it can be deformated to eliminate air.

I once successfully developed film with developer I mixed 9 months earlier - not recommended however.

I've also used old xtol, 1 year old, with no problem. A drop test can be made to see the developer strength compared to a test made when it was fresh, but like you I'd also prefer not to use it after 6 months.

[Drew Wiley]

Almost all common developers work decently with TMX, with specific pros and cons of course. D76 is not entirely predictable unless you standardize on it either just mixed, same day, or let it plateau about a week after mixing, then up to a few months in airtight glass bottles. It shifts activity over the first several days. A buffered version without this problem is sold by Photographer's Formulary. One of the things I dislike about TMX is, despite its tremendous capacity for detail, it has relatively poor edge acutance compared to its faster brother, TMY. I generally did both in PMK pyro over the years. But now I've switched to Perceptol for TMX100, not at standard dilution, but at 1:3. This higher dilution significantly increases the edge or Mackie effect to achieve sharper-looking images, while sustaining the extreme detail per se. I use it 16 min 1:3 at 20C trays for "N". I still prefer PMK for TMY400. TMax RS developer is comparatively expensive to use, can be hard to find, and is not necessary unless you are trying to achieve an especially long straight line with TMX at a relatively high gamma (high contrast). HC110 would be a far more affordable second choice in such circumstances.

[paulbarden]

For my own work, I have decided there is rarely any reason to choose something other than Xtol.

[ic-racer]

I never had any issue with dichroic fog when using Tmax (non RS) with Tmax 4x5 film. It is my favorite combination for rotary processing in an Expert Drum at 24C. The concentrate stores well and is easy to mix with tempered water just before use. It is the most obvious choice for my work where shadow detail is important and grain and film sharpness are non-issues at the magnifications I usually print 4x5 negatives.

[Pere Casals]

I never had any issue with dichroic fog when using Tmax (non RS) with Tmax 4x5 film.

Wrong information deleted

[interneg]

It was probably something much more complex than the pH of tap water. The anti-dichroic fog agents in use in films and chemistry by the 1980's were pretty obscure organic chemicals, and it may have been the case that insufficient quantities to cope with certain sheet film process environments were initially used in TMax films. When Tmax-RS was formulated, adding a quantity of suitable anti-dichroic stain agent to the developer would have been very simple. It is likely that at some point when the film formulation was updated, the dichroic stain problem was corrected, but the developer datasheet not updated. The anti-dichroic stain agents started out as developer additives, but over time they seem to have been largely incorporated into the emulsions. The quantities used are miniscule, so they don't need to appear on the MSDS. For example, the 'X' in Microdol-X was chlororesorcinol.

[Pere Casals]

It was probably something much more complex than the pH of tap water. The anti-dichroic fog agents in use in films and chemistry by the 1980's were pretty obscure organic chemicals, and it may have been the case that insufficient quantities to cope with certain sheet film process environments were initially used in TMax films. When Tmax-RS was formulated, adding a quantity of suitable anti-dichroic stain agent to the developer would have been very simple. It is likely that at some point when the film formulation was updated, the dichroic stain problem was corrected, but the developer datasheet not updated. The anti-dichroic stain agents started out as developer additives, but over time they seem to have been largely incorporated into the emulsions. The quantities used are miniscule, so they don't need to appear on the MSDS. For example, the 'X' in Microdol-X was chlororesorcinol.

You are right, I deleted wrong information in my post to no misslead other people.

______

Here there is an interesting thread about that: https://www.photrio.com/forum/thread...-2#post-752907