Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2001/12/11

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Subject: [Leica] Re: Pink haze
From: David Prakel <dgp@btconnect.com>
Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2001 08:14:20 +0000

on 10/12/2001 8:39 pm, Feliciano di Giorgio at
owner-leica-users@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us wrote:

> I just developed my first roll of TMAX400 and notced a slight pink haze
> across
> the center of the developed roll. I used Kodak's TMAX developer, but was
> curious
> if that particular stock doesn't play nice with non Kodak fixers. Of
> course it could
> simply be some contamination on my end, but I was curious. Also do you
> HAVE to
> develop TMAX in it's specified developer? Could I use something like
> Rodinal?
> Tri-X doesn't seem to care.

The pink colour is the remains of the magenta dye used to adjust the
spectral sensitivity if the film. People do say that it doesn't matter but I
don't feel I've done the job properly with TMax unless I get true B&W negs.
You need to fix the film for slightly longer and then wash thoroughly. My
rule of thumb is twice the clearing time plus a minute.

TMax is the one film I still wash in running water - I use Ilford's
agitation technique to save water with other less fussy emulsions.

As to developers I've had good results with D-76/ID-11 and of course Xtol
but my favourite is very dilute Ilford Perceptol (1:3 dilution) which seems
to take the characteristic curve into glorious printability. In fact the
only developer I don't like using is TMax! Watch the temperature though.

- -- 
David G Prakel


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