Best Developer for Trix 320

[mentalcrisis00]

I used trix 320 for my DV trip because the only other thing hunts had was Tmax 100 and figured the ISO would be too low. And I had heard trix is great stuff, I've personally never used it. I was wondering what I should use to develop this stuff to get best results. I hear alot of people swear by D76 with Trix. I don't have any D76 but I have some Sprint developer and Adox Adonal, would I get better, worse, or similar results from either? All I can find online for kodak developer is TMAX, HC110 liquid, and D76 powder. I'd rather use liquid seeming thats what I've become accustomed to and I generally use up my chemistry within 6 months to a year.

Basically I want a decent tonal range without too much contrast (if possible). It was sort of bright in DV so I imagine the negs will be mostly contrasty anyhow. I'm also pretty partial to slower developments, 9 minutes plus.

[Michael Graves]

HC-110 is my personal favorite.

[John Kasaian]

You can fnd TMAX & HC110 but no D-76??
This is very strange!
Ansel Adams liked the looks of Tri X in HC-110 dil. B You might try that.

[mentalcrisis00]

ya I looked up dilution B and it's like 5 minute development, I've never really done anything that quick but maybe I can try it out. I have been going the Ansel route lately with my switch to tray development so maybe I should just go all the way.

The lab I rent space from has D76 1:1 to use for free however I can't be 100% positive on the dilution or the quality of it. So using it on my death valley stuff is a huge risk. I can't find liquid D76 anywhere, maybe there is no such thing. I hear Sprint is similar to D76.

UPDATE: Sorry for stacking this post up with an enormous amount of questions but I want to make sure I have the dilutions right in my head. For dilution B HC-110 I would use 1 ounce syrup and 32 ounces water, for dilution H I would use .5 ounce syrup and 32.5 ounces water? I assume this because H is half strength of B and I use roughly 33 ounces developer seeming I use small 5x7 trays. If this is wrong call me on it because I don't want to mess my film up over a technicality.

[Eric Biggerstaff]

Kodak D-76 is always a powder, you mix a stock and then dilute to working strength. If you are looking for a liquid version then Clayton F-76 comes to mind and there are others, check out the selection at Freestyle. However, if you want the true D-76 then I believe you are stuck with the powder.

[tgtaylor]

If the film is truly important to you and you don't have prior experience developing it, then I highly recommend that you follow Kodak's recommendations religiously:
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/profe...4017/f4017.pdf If you do, you will not be disappointed.

D-76 1:1 is a good developer (I've used it for years) but Xtol 1:1 is better. Xtol is packaged as a 2-part powder to make 5 liters of stock solution. That's a lot of developer but it's fairly inexpensive ($10) and a stock solution will last 6 months in a floating lid tank which you can be purchased for less than $30.

Good luck and post something if they work out.

Thomas

[Jim Noel]

There is no "BEST" developer for Tri-X or most other films.
Get one and learn to use it with the film and it will be the "BEST" for you.

[Michael Graves]

I dilute the syrup 1:50 into distilled water and develop for 8 minutes. That should give you a decent starting point for your own tests.

ya I looked up dilution B and it's like 5 minute development, I've never really done anything that quick but maybe I can try it out. I have been going the Ansel route lately with my switch to tray development so maybe I should just go all the way.

The lab I rent space from has D76 1:1 to use for free however I can't be 100% positive on the dilution or the quality of it. So using it on my death valley stuff is a huge risk. I can't find liquid D76 anywhere, maybe there is no such thing. I hear Sprint is similar to D76.

UPDATE: Sorry for stacking this post up with an enormous amount of questions but I want to make sure I have the dilutions right in my head. For dilution B HC-110 I would use 1 ounce syrup and 32 ounces water, for dilution H I would use .5 ounce syrup and 32.5 ounces water? I assume this because H is half strength of B and I use roughly 33 ounces developer seeming I use small 5x7 trays. If this is wrong call me on it because I don't want to mess my film up over a technicality.

[mentalcrisis00]

I dilute the syrup 1:50 into distilled water and develop for 8 minutes. That should give you a decent starting point for your own tests.

Thank you Graves, I realize it's all about preference and experience. However I've only been doing 4x5 gung ho for about 4 months. There are a lot of developers and films I'm not experienced at all with. I have been reading up on the forums and in the Ansel book series but there's nothing that compares to hands on experience. If I can get feedback and opinions to make my process better before I attempt experimentation than I'll take what I can get.

I have a few sheets of trix left from my trip so I can do a few test shots and try different developers before I do anything with my important stuff.

Thanks again all I'll be going to the lab this friday so hopefully next week I'll have some stuff to show off.

[Daniel_Buck]

I like HC-110. I don't know about other developers, but HC-110 and Tri-x has proven (to me) to be a very forgiving combination, I love it!