From: lancelot@spock.uucp (Thor Lancelot Simon)
Subject: Re: Film for College Newspaper
Organization: Choate Rosemary Hall
Distribution: usa
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 20:20:32 GMT

In article <1993Jan16.193606.14323@wuecl.wustl.edu> jrt2@cec2.wustl.edu (Jeffrey Ryan Taylor) writes:
>Question:  We are trying to determine whether to switch from T-max films to
>Ilford.  We shoot approximately 20% of low light situations with TMZ and the
>remaining pictures with TMY.  Due to our organization, much of our developing
>is done quickly without much adjustment of temperature.  We understand that 
>T-Max films are very sensitive to temperature variations and that Ilford is 
>much more tolerant.

TMY developed in Diafine yields 500ASA, fine grain, and consistent results at
any time/temperature combination at over 70 degrees and between 3 and 5 minutes.
I have to admit that TMY in D76 1:1 does look noticeably better, but I prefer
TMY in Diafine to HP5 or Tri-X so long as I'm not shooting for that certain
distinctive Tri-X/D76 tonality, which I just plain have a lot of trouble finding
elsewhere.  If you're looking at Ilford films, I can heartily recommend their
Delta 400, though it does tend, just like TMAX, to kill fixer pretty quickly.
Delta's grain isn't quite as fine as that of TMY, but it's a lot easier to
process for consistent results, and I prefer the tonality any day.  The other
nice thing about Delta is that pushed to 800ASA, it looks a lot like Tri-X
at 400ASA, which almost anyone competent in the darkroom can print pretty
easily.  Give it a try.  I have several rolls of the new Delta 100, but I've
yet to develop any.  Details at 11, but I expect that I'll prefer it to TMX
for some of the same reasons I prefer the faster delta to TMY.  I've no idea if
a 1600 or 3200ASA Delta is in the works, but some people have recommended
Fuji Neopan 1600 as a very fast tab-grain film that's easier to process than
TMZ.  Give it a try and find out!  So far as my recommendation of Diafine goes,
I don't have a good exposure index for Delta in Diafine, but last I called the
manufacturer of Diafine (Ethol-Acufine, on N. Kedzie ave in Chicago, you can
get the # from Information) they tentatively recommended 640ASA, and said they'd
have a better idea shortly.  It's worth noting that Diafine can cause _severe_
base curl with some films, but those are mostly Estar base, and you're unlikely
to ever use any of those films.  I've also seen Diafine negs come out with a
strange green tone to the base, but since I develop in pyro pretty frequently
this didn't really bother me either, and it really is more or less meaningless.
Hope this info helps!


>	Should we switch to Ilford, and if so to which film?  Also, which 
>chemicals are compatible with both films?  We currently use T-Max developer,
>Kodak Rapid Fix, and Kodak Hypoclear.
>	Thank you for your time.
>
>			  	Allen Gurney
>				Jeff Taylor
>


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*Thor Simon             * Okay, just a little pin-prick...There'll be no more-*
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