[Leica] TMAX RS developer

[red735i at earthlink.net (Frank Filippone)]

I use it on all my Tmax 100 films.... 35mm, 120, and 4x5.  The output ( or
ASA input) seems the same, regardless of the film size.  The emulsions I
think are the same.  The backings are certainly different, and the
antireflection backings are different.  However, I get the same times in
development for all 3 film sizes for the same negative densities.

BTW, I found that developer exhaustion is an issue with Tmax RS.  In my
tests, you need a minimum of 35-40mL of concentrate per 8x10 equivalent.
Thus, in my JOBO, using 3 rolls of 35 film per run, at a 1:5 dilution factor
( 4'30" at 75F) , I use 600mL of diluted developer ( the maximum liquid
allowed in a JOBO CPE2 is 600mL).  100mL of developer concentrate, 500mL of
distilled water.  Note this is not a standard Kodak dilution, it works for
me in my darkroom.  If you use much less developer concentrate per roll, you
end up losing density as the developer exhausts.

For those into developer times, etc. I recently tried a set of negatives at
Kodak's suggested time for this film/developer/ASA combination and found the
negatives way too dense.

I have no clue on TMAX 400 films.  I do not use them.

Frank Filippone
red735i@earthlink.net



Does anyone use this with their TMAX films instead of the conventional
developers? I understand that the sheet film people use it - very
diluted - to good effect. But I'm wondering how it works for 35mm?