I have been testing my Tmax 100 film with the Tmax developer. Unfortunately I have been getting incosistent results. I first developed it for 6.5 and 6 mins at 75 C and my negatives were lacking in contrast, highlights were underdeveloped. Then I tried it again at the same time this time my negatives were well overdeveloped. The difference between the two tests is that I agitated inititially for about 15 secs or less then every 30 secs for 5 sec in the second test. In the first test I didn't do the initially agitation but agitated it every 30 secs for 5 secs. I did several tests and am getting the ideal time of about 4.5mins at 75 C with initial agitation for about 15secs then every 30secs for 5 secs. Is this possible only 4.5 mins whereas the recommended time is 6.5 mins? Is the initial agitation that much significant to alter the film's density?

-- Irwin Y. Cua (lt_md@stluke.com.ph), May 12, 1999

Answers

Yes, it is possible. T-Max 100 demands consistent technique from initial exposure all the way through the wash cycle. How can you be sure the second test was overdeveloped and not overexposed? Did you shoot the same scene, with the same lighting, and the same exposure? If not, you have too many variables to know what is causing the problem.

Take heart, you can nail your T-Max expsoure/processing procedure without resorting to studio lights and a densitometer. Shoot three 12-exposure rolls of a gray card under controlled conditions. Make sure you meter carefully, bracket your exposures by one-half stop, and record all your exposures.

Process one roll at 6.5 minutes, one roll at 5.5 minutes and one roll at 4.5 minutes. Print contact sheets of each. One roll should have an exposure where the gray matches card at your camera's recommended exposure when the film base disappears on the contact sheet, assuming your light meter is working correctly. You now have a development time that will yield your expected results.

Make sure you monitor the temperature very carefully while processing. You might want to invest in a tempering box. At the very least, use a tempered water bath. You can build one with nothing more than a small plastic tub, a thermometer, and an aquarium heater.

You might also want to order some BW-2 developer from Photographer's Formulary. I get better results with it than with T-Max developer, but other people I respect get excellent results with T-Max, and some prefer D-76. You can find Photographer's Formulary at http://www.montana.com/formulary/Index.html.

Experiment a little, and don't be afraid to make mistakes.

-- Darron Spohn (dspohn@clicknet.com), May 12, 1999.