I've been having a problem with my B&W photos. When I shoot in harsh light, like in very sunny days, even if I take the meetering quite correctly, I end up with pictures with totally bright areas. The contrast is very strong. I'm using TMax 100 and following all the instructions. Could this be a problem with my development process? If so, how can I correct?

-- Herbet Camerino (hbrasileiro@cihi.ca), April 20, 2000

Answers

Yep, Tmax has a tendency to "block up" if overdeveloped. Try cutting your development time by about 10%, but you might have to drop the rated film speed to compensate. I used to rate Tmax at 80 ISO and use either D76/ID11 or Paterson Acuspecial with a shorter time than recommended. When Acuspecial was discontinued I changed over to Ilford's Ilfosol-s developer and find that it doesn't clog the highlights so readily.

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), April 20, 2000.

I agree with Pete, or you could take the easy way out and use a conventional non t-grain film. Highlights are definitely hard to control with TMX.

-- Conrad Hoffman (choffman@rpa.net), April 20, 2000.

How can the fixer using influence this? I'm using kodak fixer for 3 min with agitation for 5 sec at each 30s.

-- Herbet Camerino (hbrasileiro@cihi.ca), April 20, 2000.

TMX 100 is actually one of the best highlight films ever made. You just can't develop it too much. I urge you look at prints by people like John Sexton before you condem a film. He certainly does not have crudely blocked-up highlights, does he?

-- E. L. (elperdid65@hotmail.com), April 21, 2000.

The fixer should not be causing your problem with blocked highlights. One way to test your processes, along with your meter and camera, is to bracket several of your shots, going up and down 2 f-stops in half steps. That'll give you an idea of the optimum exposure settings for sunlight, tmax100, and whatever developing/printing processes your're using. It may also be the case that your metering is correct, but the camera may be off a half or full f-stop. Bracketing will also indicate if this is the case.

-- Christopher Hargens (ldmr@cruzio.com), April 21, 2000.

I've posted the following site many times, but it's worth looking at again as a way of controlling high contrast problems:

http://teachnet.edb.utexas.edu/%7Eleica/hc110.html

It's simply a means of using HC110 for TMax film at a high dilution, extending development time, using no acid in the wash, and very infrequent agitation. It does work and is worth a try, in my opinion.

I am, however, beginning to use good 'ol Tri-X more and more, and using "Tri-X Pan" for 120 (not the "pro" version). It is forgiving and has a tonal quality all its own.

-- Todd Frederick (fredrick@hotcity.com), April 23, 2000.

Everyone has trouble with contrast in very bright lighting conditions on sunny days. So it is most likely that your developing schemes are wrong for these conditions. If you have calibrated your film speed correctly for good shadow detail and but you have highlight values that aren't printable, then your development times are too long and your agitation may be too great. Recalibrate your film speed to make sure your shadows have been placed right and then recalibrate your developing times to get your highlight values to print at a point that gives you a white that you like(a zone VII gives you a high value just under pure white). Lighting conditions that are greater than 4 stops of difference between your darkest shadows with detail and highlight values which have detail neccessitate development schemes with less agitation or development times. These are your minus development schemes. James

-- james (james_mickelson@hotmail.com), April 23, 2000.

Hy guys, During this weekend I shot one roll of TMAX100 and two of PANX125. I tried to reduce the development time for the TMAX100 from 6 1/2 to 6 at 24C using TMAX developper and got great results even better than the ones with PANX. Thanks for oyur tips and suggestions.

-- herbet camerino (hbrasileiro@cihi.ca), April 25, 2000.

What is PANX125? Could this be Plus-X Pan?

-- Sal Santamaura (bc_hill@qwestinternet.net), April 25, 2000.

Yeah, sorry, I mixed up. I meant Plus-X Pan125.

-- herbet camerino (hbrasileiro@cihi.ca), April 25, 2000.

Suggest also you could use a Tiffen Ultracontrast filter (which, contrary to its name, reduces contrast very effectively).

-- Mike (heathmg@state.gov), June 09, 2000.