Excessive contrast with Tmax 100

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I have been using 4X5 Ilford HP5+ developed in D-76 full strength, for the time recommended by ilford. And using acid stop bath and kodak rapid fix. I am totaly satisfied with my results.

I recently added 35mm Kodak t-max 100 to my film types. I developed this the same way (times according to kodak)

I tried to print some of these on my Omega D3 tonight. The ilford HP5+ is great! The kodak Tmax is VERY contrasty... there is no inbetweens!! the hair is black and the face is white!!

2 questions. How can I prevent this in the future? How can I make prints from the negatives I have now?

thanks

I

-- Pete (gregarpp@icqmail.com), July 07, 2001

Answers

I went back though the charts I had... Looks like I developed my T-max 100 as Tri-X 100 so it was overdeveloped by 3 minutes!!! I know what to do in the future...

but how can I make printable negatives out of these???

-- Pete (gregarpp@icqmail.com), July 07, 2001.


You might try Farmer's Reducer. It should be available at most camera stores.

-- Joe Miller (jmmiller@poka.com), July 07, 2001.

Farmers reducer will just increase the contrast even more. It will bleach out the existing shadow densities long before it bleaches out the high values. Try printing on a lower grade paper. Or learn to make a contrast mask if the negs are that important. James

-- james (james_mickelson@hotmail.com), July 08, 2001.

Pete, with your excessively contrasty negatives, you can try developing the prints till you begin to see density in the dark areas, then immediately move the print to a water bath for 30 sec or so. Then go back to the developer; then back to the water bath as often as necessary till you get an acceptable result. This procedure tends to produce grainy prints, but with 4x5 TMAX that shouldn't be any problem.

Another alternative is to flash the paper. You'll have to work out an exposure sequence for your particular paper. Try closing your lens down to its minimum aperture, cover the lens with a styrofoam coffee cup, then expose text strips on a full sheet for 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15 sec. Process the sheet and label the times on the sheet when it's dry, and keep it handy. For starters with your prints, flash the paper at the point just below were any density shows. Then print your negative. This will effectively bring the highlight density up faster than the shadows. If it's still too contrasy, you can try the next step up the scale. If it has become too flat (you are effectively fogging the paper), go down a step. You could also combine the two techniques--water bath and flashing. Good luck.

-- Ted Kaufman (writercrmp@aol.com), July 09, 2001.


I think that a plexiglas diffuser might have a more even light than the cup.. just a thought.

-- mark lindsey (lindseygraves@msn.com), July 10, 2001.


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