Re: to ted grant

[Ted Grant <75501.3002@CompuServe.COM>]

Steven Blutter wrote:
<<<to clarify, are you shooting the t-max 3200 rated right at 3200?
i didn't check the developer times (i'm at my desk at work), but is your
9 1/2 mins. @ 75 over or under? also, those rapid agitations scare me with such
sensitive material.>>>>

Hi Steve,

I use it at 3200 and the negs are on the mark for my printing with a Leica
enlarger, Kodak Polymax or Elite paper and developer.

The temp of 75 degrees I use for both the 3200 and t-max 400 and the times are:

3200....9 1/2 mins.
 400....6

One of the things it took me a while to accept and learn to do was the agitation
difference from Tri-x or other B&W films where we did it gently. However the
T-max, I turn the tank up and down or lift and drop the reel rod continously for
the first 15 secs and then at each 30 secs after, I reverse the tank three times
quickly.

This made quite a difference in the film response after I accepted and did the
Kodak recommendation for agitation. What works for me, may not work for others,
but I use that development technique for the 400 when I rate it at 800, which is
my normal practice when shooting indoors and I make 16X20 prints that some folks
think I've used the zone system. :)

<<<the pics on your web sight don't seem to have required such speed...
(especially liked the one of the guy reading the x-rays - well done!)>>>

The material in the book is shot on Tri-x in the beginning as T-max wasn't
available and when Tmax came on the market I switched to 400 rated at 800 and
processed as above directions. I only required 3200 in a few places and I
believe after the fact I could still have got away with the 800.

Thanks for the compliment on the doctor looking at the x-ray film.

Too bad we couldn't get a copy of the book in the hands of all the LUGNUTS who
are into B&W, as the reproductions are quite phenominal as were the prints for
an exhibition in the National Art Gallery of Canada.

ted
Victoria, Canada
http://www.islandnet.com/~tedgrant