KODAK T-MAX 100 and 400 Professional Films

DARKROOM RECOMMENDATIONS

Do not use a safelight. Handle unprocessed film in total darkness. Do not develop these films by inspection.

Note: The afterglow from fluorescent lights may fog these films. Make sure your darkroom is completely dark before you handle unprocessed film.

STORAGE AND HANDLING

Store unexposed film at 75°F (24°C) or lower in the original sealed package. For protection from heat in areas with temperatures consistently higher than 75°F (24°C), you can store the film in a refrigerator. If film has been refrigerated, allow the package to warm up to room temperature for 2 to 3 hours before opening it.

Load and unload roll-film cameras in subdued light, and rewind the film completely before unloading the camera. Total darkness is required when you remove film from the magazine or load and unload film holders.

For best results, process the film promptly after exposure. Store processed film in a cool, dry place.

EXPOSURE

The nominal speed of KODAK T-MAX 100 Professional Film is EI 100. It was determined in a manner published in ISO standards. Exposing the film at EI 100 should usually lead to the minimum exposure required to produce negatives of very high quality. (See the table at the right.) This film has good latitude and responds well to changes in development time. For consistent results, use the rated speed or make tests to determine a speed rating that meets your needs. For information on methods of determining your best exposure and developer combination, see KODAK Publication No. F-5, KODAK Professional Black-and-White Films.

When you use T-MAX 100 Film for reversal applications, expose it at EI 50. For more information on reversal processing, see KODAK Publication No. J-87, KODAK T-MAX 100 Direct Positive Film Developing Outfit.

The nominal speed of KODAK T-MAX 400 Professional Film is EI 400. It was determined in a manner published in ISO standards. Because of its great latitude, you can underexpose this film by one stop (at EI 800) and still obtain high quality with normal development in most developers. There will be no change in the grain in the final print, but there will be a slight loss of shadow detail and a reduction in printing contrast of about one-half paper grade.

When you need very high speed, you can expose T-MAX 400 Film at EI 1600 and increase the development time. With the longer development time, there will be an increase in contrast and graininess with additional loss of shadow detail, but negatives will still produce good prints. You can even expose this film at EI 3200 with a longer development time. Underexposing by three stops and using three-stop push-processing produces a further increase in contrast and graininess, and additional loss of shadow detail, but the results will be acceptable for some applications.

The speed numbers for these films are expressed as Exposure Indexes (EI). Use these exposure indexes with meters or cameras marked for ISO/ASA or ISO/DIN speeds in daylight or artificial light.

The developer you use to process these films affects the exposure index. Set your camera or meter (marked for ISO/ASA or ISO/DIN speeds) at the speed for your developer given in the table.

Under most conditions, you'll obtain highest quality with normal exposure at the rated exposure index and normal development. For high-contrast scenes, you'll obtain highest quality if you increase exposure by one or two stops and process the film normally.

If normal development produces negatives that are consistently too low in contrast, increase the development time slightly (10 to 15 percent). If negatives are too contrasty, decrease the development time slightly (10 to 15 percent). See Adjusting Film Contrast.

If your negatives are too thin, increase exposure by using a lower exposure index; if too dense, reduce exposure by using a higher exposure index.

Adjustments for Long and Short Exposures

At the exposure times in the table below, compensate for the reciprocity characteristics of these films by increasing the exposure as shown.

Filter Corrections

The filter corrections for T-MAX 100 and T-MAX 400 Professional Films are the same.

Increase exposure by the filter factor or the number of stops indicated when you use filters. For greatest exposure accuracy with a through-the-lens meter, take the meter reading without the filter over the lens, and then increase your exposure as shown in the table.

Note: Filter factors for other black-and-white professional films are different.

PROCESSING

Handle unprocessed film in total darkness.

These starting-point recommendations are intended to
produce negatives with a contrast appropriate for printing with a diffusion enlarger. To print negatives with a condenser enlarger, you may need to adjust the contrast by reducing your development time; see Adjusting Film Contrast. Tank development times shorter than 5 minutes may produce nonuniformity.

MANUAL PROCESSING

Small-Tank Processing (8- or 16-ounce tank)--Rolls

With small single- or double-reel tanks, drop the loaded film reel into the developer and attach the top to the tank. Firmly tap the tank on the top of the work surface to dislodge any air bubbles. Provide initial agitation of 5 to 7 inversion cycles in 5 seconds, i.e., extend your arm and vigorously twist your wrist 180 degrees.

Then repeat this agitation procedure at 30-second intervals for the rest of the development time.

Note: The development times in the table are suggested starting points.

MANUAL PROCESSING

Large-Tank Processing (1/2- to 3 1/2-gallon tank)--Rolls and Sheets

Agitate continuously for the first 15 to 30 seconds by raising and lowering the basket, rack, or spindle 1/2 inch. Do not agitate the basket, rack, or spindle for the remainder of the first minute. Then agitate once per minute by lifting the basket, rack, or spindle out of the developer, tilting it approximately 30 degrees, draining it for 5 to 10 seconds, and reimmersing it. Alternate the direction of tilting the basket, rack, or spindle.

MANUAL PROCESSING

Tray Processing--Sheets

Provide continuous agitation; rotate the sheets 90 degrees as you interleave them. Prewetting sheet film may improve tray process uniformity.

MANUAL PROCESSING

Push Processing

Small-Tank Processing (8- or 16-ounce tank)--Rolls

Use the agitation procedure described under "Small-Tank Processing."

^[1]For instructions on using 1:1 dilution of KODAK XTOL Developer in a small tank, see KODAK XTOL Developer, KODAK Publication No. J-109.
^[2]Development times shorter than 5 minutes may produce unsatisfactory uniformity.
NR = Not recommended

Note: The development times in the table are suggested starting points.

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F-32  • November, 2001