The problem with developing TMAX sheet film in TMAX developer is well known.
The fact that Kodak does not give developing times for those combinations
should suggest an incompatibility! Never fear, however, Kodak has
formulated TMAX RS developer with that problem in mind (and replenishment,
as well.) The fog which one experiences with the TMAX-TMAX combination has
been defined to me as "dicroic fog" and is not in the emulsion but is rather
on the surface of the film. While the negative is still in the wash it can
be swabbed with a cotton ball or some such similar and the fog removed.
Most of us don't like the idea of having to swab off our negatives to remove
what doesn't need tho be there in the first place and so use TMAX RS
developer with our TMAX films.
On the subject of PYRO, I am just experimenting with TMX and pyro in my JOBO
processor but am having some teething problems. Uneven fog which seems to
be a result of uneven flow BEHIND the films. Gordon Hutchings has addressed
this problem and I expect to have it unnder control one of these days.....
However, anyone with experience with this is invited to send suggestions.
Thanks,
Hal Faulkner
-Original Message-----
From: SCHRAMMR@WLSVAX.WVNET.EDU <SCHRAMMR@WLSVAX.WVNET.EDU>
To: alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca
<alt-photo-process-l@skyway.usask.ca>
Date: Monday, January 12, 1998 5:27 PM
Subject: Pyro
>Joe et al,
>
>I frequently process T-Max 400 4 x 5 in pyro developer. When compared to
>D-76, the results are astounding. The first time I tried it, I took two
>photographs of a brick building on our campus using a Toyo 4 x 5 field
>camera with a Schneider lens. I processed one neg in D-76 and the other
>in Pyro. When the negs were dry I put them on a light table and examined
them
>with a loop. Wow! I about fell through the floor. With D-76 you could count
>the bricks and poof tiles. But with Pyro you could see the sand in the
morter.
>No kidding. Caution: I was using 4 x 5 sheet film. When I tried the same
>pyro formula with 120 roll film (T-Max 400) - disaster. Clumped grain and
>way too much contrast and density. T-Max 400 shet film and T-Max 120 and
35mm
>films are not the same. e.g. you can develop 35 mm and 120 T-Max in high
>energy T-Max developer, but don't try using T-Max developer on sheet film
>or you will get a lot of background fog. Take it from one who has learned
>though bitter experience. ;-)
>
>Bob Schramm
>
>