Over exposed Tmax 100

[xkaes]

I screwed up and overexposed Tmax 100 4x5 by 3 stops. Any suggestions?

You didn't tell us how many exposures. That makes a BIG difference. Are we to assume 4x5"?

[Andrew O'Neill]

You didn't tell us how many exposures. That makes a BIG difference. Are we to assume 4x5"?

He said it's 4x5...
I have done this with TMY. I gave minus development. Flat ugliness. I developed the next sheet for my normal time. Dense, but much better. Printing it in the darkroom was a nightmare. Scans and makes lovely digi neg. So, the question is, how will you be printing the negative?

[Michael R]

Yes. Reducing contrast in an attempt to compensate for overexposure is counterproductive.

After processing, one way to reduce overall density without materially altering contrast is to use a "cutting" reducer (Kodak R-4a).

This. And just print or scan through the excess density.

Of all films, TMAX100 is probably the best film to have this happen to (perhaps with exception of TMY2).

Reduced development will just reduce contrast/gamma, making it even more problematic to get a decent print from it.

[bill2424]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have a couple sheets to play with. I think I’ll start with a slight decrease in development and see what it looks like. I haven’t given up on the idea of making a 16x20” digital negative. I’ve gone that route before in order to save an image

Bill

[Doremus Scudder]

I have a couple of inadvertently 3-4 stops overexposed negatives, one on TMX one on TXP (forgot to stop down...).

I developed normally. They proper proof blank white, but print just fine with extended print exposure times. I'd just develop normally and deal with it from there.

Best,

Doremus

[Drew Wiley]

As a routine shooter of TMax in all formats, at least up to 8x10, I find a lot of the above, "What the heck" kind of advice pure crock. It all depends on the original contrast range. And if that range itself was rather high to begin with, say 10 stops, three more isn't likely to get useably retrieved on a film "latitude" excuse. The horse has a broken leg, and you might as well shoot it. If it was a relatively soft contrast range, like 7 stops, then you might well be able to salvage the image. TMax is a wonderfully versatile film, but one of the least forgiving in terms of significant exposure errors.

But I'm just rephrasing what xkaes already pointed out. It all depends. Generic answers are worthless.

[Michael R]

The point is that the best result will be obtained from development to a normal gradient. There's no getting around that, no matter what the contrast range.

As a routine shooter of TMax in all formats, at least up to 8x10, I find a lot of the above, "What the heck" kind of advice pure crock. It all depends on the original contrast range. And if that range itself was rather high to begin with, say 10 stops, three more isn't likely to get useably retrieved on a film "latitude" excuse. The horse has a broken leg, and you might as well shoot it. If it was a relatively soft contrast range, like 7 stops, then you might well be able to salvage the image. TMax is a wonderfully versatile film, but one of the least forgiving in terms of significant exposure errors.

But I'm just rephrasing what xkaes already pointed out. It all depends. Generic answers are worthless.

[Drew Wiley]

I'm not disputing that Michael; but if the scene was too contrasty to begin with, a lot of surplus density is going to be pushed clear over the cliff, shouldered off, and be very difficult to retrieve in any printable fashion, if at all. "Something" can always be recovered, but it might not be what one hoped for taking the shot.

[Michael R]

Well I can't argue there. What's gone is gone.

I'm not disputing that Michael; but if the scene was too contrasty to begin with, a lot of surplus density is going to be pushed clear over the cliff, shouldered off, and be very difficult to retrieve in any printable fashion, if at all. "Something" can always be recovered, but it might not be what one hoped for taking the shot.

[jnantz]

the OP didn't say how "contrasty" the scene was, if it was filled with contrast the op is as screwed as he was if he exposed it normally
3 stops over for tmax really isn't much, in addition to under exposing it 5 stops, I've over exposed it 5 or 6 stops still got printable negatives.

OP
good luck with your film, teaspoon measured caffenol c might be a good developer to use to process it. it loves over exposed film.\..
don't bother with the fancy recipes, just use instant coffee, super washing soda and powdered Vit c,
8 oz. water
4 slightly rounded tsp. instant coffee (CHEEP!)
2 tsp. washing soda
1000 mg Vitamin C (1/4 tsp powder)
maybe 8 minutes.