I'm just getting into B&W and I'm looking for some advice/comparison of Tmax and TriX film.

Thanks

-- Rick (rick.delehanty@ae.ge.com), February 24, 1999

Answers

You should ask this in the "Film & Processing" section, but I think you need to give more information about how you will be using these films and what you will do with it once it is exposed.

-- Jeff Spirer (jeffs@hyperreal.org), February 24, 1999.

As said above, it largely depends upon what you're trying to do and what kind of equipment you're using. However...

If you're really just starting out in b/w, there's no question, you're better off with Tri-X.

It's a proven, near-idiot-proof film yielding lovely results even if your exposures and processing are a bit off... heck, even if they're considerably off. You can expose two stops off of the "correct" exposure, develop it in virtually any developer and be two or three degrees off the "right" temperature for your development time, forget to agitate enough, and still get nice, eminently printable negatives.

Sure, there are downsides: compared to TMX and TMY, there's more visible grain and less true sharpness, but these don't really become a problem until you enlarge a 35mm neg beyond 8x10. (And even then, larger prints from TX can still look very nice, just with a touch of atmospheric grain.) And if you're working with 120 film or sheet film, it's NO problem AT ALL because the degree of enlargement is so much less.

Tri-X has a classic look, nice contrast and gradation, great latitude... Your highlights won't block up at the drop of a hat like they will with T-Max. It's a beloved film used by zillions of pros and amateurs alike for very good reasons.

Nothing against T-Max - I use T-Max 100 in my Minox and get stunning results. But it truly is more of a professional film: you have to expose it much more carefully (not such a problem if you're using a modern camera with sophisticated metering) and you really have to have your darkroom skills together to get process it with consistent results... Your time/temp has to be very precise and your chemistry dilutons perfect, agitation has to be at exactly the right time in exactly the right way, etc.

So I suggest starting with TX. Once you have some practice, you can move on to T-Max, and after working with Tri-X for a while, the level of detail in your first T-Max prints will absolutely blow your mind!

-- Michael Goldfarb (mgoldfar@mobuis-inc.com), February 25, 1999.

I fully agree with Michael. He did not mention the beautiful skin-tones with Tri-X. In 35mm even a nice 'clash' between grain and skin-texture. But I must say I find T-max an irritating film because of the purplish color of the negatives that keeps on coming back, ruins my fixer and contaminates my fixing of Tri-X's also. So I would have to use separate chemicals for the two films and that's expensive and not worth the money. Tri-X seems to give depth to the image for me ('cause of the grain?). T-max has something flattening.

-- Lot (lotw@wxs.nl), February 25, 1999.

Just a mention that I use two bath fixing and have never had problems with purple Tmax negs or other fixing problems.

-- Tim Brown (brownt@ase.com), February 28, 1999.

Tim, that's certainly possible. I did not have problems with every film. And I do two-bath fixing too, but still this problem can come up.

-- Lot (lotw@wxs.nl), February 28, 1999.

Different batches of T-Max seem to have different degrees of purpleness.

-- Alan Gibson (Alan.Gibson@technologist.com), March 01, 1999.

Yes, but as a consolation or to make it more difficult to chose: the Delta films have got it too (especially Delta400 in my experience) and in different degree for different batches.

-- Lot (lotw@wxs.nl), March 01, 1999.

Lot is right, but of course Delta doesn't bleed pink. Hey, how about starting a Delta vs. T-Max flame war? Only kidding :-)

-- Alan Gibson (Alan.Gibson@technologist.com), March 02, 1999.

God Tri-X looked down, saw them fighting and grinned with joy.

-- Lot (lotw@wxs.nl), March 02, 1999.

There is really nothing that can be added to Michael Goldfarb's reply. Tri-X is a great educational tool and a great original film.

-- Michael Purcell (photog@zipcon.net), June 24, 1999.

I started out with T-Max and used it almost exclusively for three years at the urging of my professor. I have had no problems processing or printing either. The tri-pan 400 gave me a grainer print at 8x10 but if you are looking for a stark contrasty print, I prefer the Tri-X. P.S. I also found the Tri -X easier to roll. Ken

-- Ken Gordon (flashgo@earthlink.net), June 25, 1999.