[Leica] Tri-X

[Mike Johnston <michaeljohnston@ameritech.net>]

Lutz Konermann: >>>Could you please be so kind as to point me out, which
is the best
developer/dilution/temperature/time as for your darkroom experiences -
be
it the nominal 400ASA<<<

Lutz,
My standard is to shoot it at 200 and develop in D-76 1+1 for 8.5
minutes at 68 degrees. That's a slight "pull," meaning overexposure and
underdevelopment, because I tend to value more open shadow detail and a
silvery smoothness in the grays. A certain gentleness.

Subjective terms, those.

As the editor of a photography magazine I should never say such things,
but I've probably tried as many different developers with Tri-X as
almost anyone (excpeting Arthur Kramer or the late Bob Schwalberg, it
should go without saying), and seen as much research and testing on the
subject as anyone, and--I have to say--D-76 appears to be "it" for TX. A
few things do almost as well; a few do a bit better in one department or
another; but for overall balance of characteristics it's a wonderful
combination.

- --Mike

P.S. I never push and I never recommend pushing. Kodak makes a very good
1000-speed black-and-white film that will give much better results than
any slower film pushed.