Diafine developer

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I shoot TMAX 100. I use TMAX or XTOL developer with what I consider to be good results. I have been told that Diafine two part will give much better results. Any thoughts? Any thoughts on a different film that may give better results? I've been using a 4X5 for only six months, but things are going well. I'm planning a trip to Big Bend and would like to get some good negatives.

Thanks Tim...............

-- tim kimbler (starman2@gte.net), August 05, 1998

Answers

Pick the Xtol & stay with it for a year or so til you know it backward & forward. When you are able to make it do whatever you want then you will have the film/developer to a point where a comparison or new test will actually give you information. Most of the time the info is that what you have been using is just fine. With so many developer/film combinations out there you can't try them all. Unless you really have a need to change(with a reason that you can sit & write down and actually explain to yourself and have it make sense) stay with what works. Seldom does anyone change and actually get better results if they were experienced with one product and knew how to use it in getting good results. Any change will mean more tests and, at least for a time, more insecurity due to unfamiliarity if nothing else. Stay with what works unless you can see, very plainly, that something else is better. Not that someone else using different paper/film/chemistry gets better results, but that YOU can get better results. No matter what you use, even films I think are lousy, there are photogs getting excellent results with them. Learn to really use what you have before tinkering too much unless you are one of the lost souls whose life is spent fruitlessly searching for magic potions to make them better. There ain't no such thing.

-- Dan Smith (shooter@brigham.net), August 10, 1998.

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