Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1997/09/17
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]>Hello Luggers, > >Is there anyone who can help me? I have tried using T-max 400 under low >light conditions, rated at 800 and developed in T-max or HC-110. The >negatives I get have very course grain and also high contrast. I would like >to have more tones in my prints. With regards only to Tmax 400, is there >any way I can do this? > >--adi I would recommend using Kodak CN 400 B+W film rated at 800. Send it to your local dip and dunk lab for normal C-41 color processing (it's designed to produce a B+W neg. using color processing). The grain and tonality of CN 400 are better than TMax 400 in my experience, and the processing consistency that C-41 dip and dunk provides is better than I can achieve with my hand-inversion tank setup. Kodak recommends normal development for CN 400 rated at 800 and a 1 stop push for CN 400 rated at 1600. A caveat: I haven't used the CN 400 rated at 800, but I've had very good luck with it at 400 and 200. The grain is very fine, comparable to TMax 100. If you really want to use TMax and nothing else then I would recommend getting a rotary processor with temperature control. You need to keep time and temp. carefully controlled for the TMax films, and they also have to be exposed with care--if you get it wrong then you block up your highlights or lose shadow detail more easily than with other films. If you want to do your own processing and don't mind using something besides TMax 400 then I would recommend trying Ilford Delta 400. I've never rated it at 800, but I've always liked it better than TMax at 400. To my eye, TMax 400 produces some of the ugliest tones among all of the B+W films I've tried. In fact, it is the worst I've come accross. Yeah, I know, it could be my local water or bad handling on my part, but I shun the stuff. I hope these opinions in conjunction with those of others help you out. - -Charlie