Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1999/02/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Bob, I also use Ilford Delta films almost exclusively, with Kodak Xtol as my main developer. Like you, I tried the Tmax films but just couldn't get what I wanted out of them. I also use Ilford paper as I like the way it works with the Delta films. Kodak paper seems to have a much shorter shelf life than Ilford. I can't tell you how much Kodak b&w paper I've had to dump in the trash because it had gone grey. The Ilford never gave me this problem although it was stored in the same place. I stopped buying Kodak paper. Fred RBedw51767@aol.com wrote: > > Jim and Peter: > > After about a 20 year photography hiatus I got back into it last year. I was > shocked at how little it had changed with the exception of the film category. > Being very familiar with Kodak it was only natural that I began using their > latest product which was Tmax. After going through about a dozen rolls I was > becoming very discouraged and began to consider spending more time on other > interests. As a "last ditch" effort I tried Delta 100 and it was like the sky > opened up and shined. I have since gone back several times to try Tmax and it > just doesn't work for me. At this time the only Kodak product that I use is > Xtol. There are rumors that Ilford will introduce, in the near future, an > ascorbic acid based liquid developer to compete with Xtol. Perhaps I just > don't know what I am doing with Tmax but the difference is dramatic for me. > > I was taking some pictures of a barn the other day and this young man stopped > to talk to me. He was a student of photography at a local college. As I was > loading Delta 100 in my Hasselblad he made the comment that he wasn't aware > that anyone else made film but Kodak. The only film that he had ever used was > Tmax. Talk about a generation gap! Needless to say, I suddenly felt very > old. I gave him some Delta 100 and asked him to let me know how it worked > for him. > > Before it gets started I do not work for Ilford, in fact I don't work at all. > The Ilford line of products is very easy to use. I love their liquid > chemicals and papers. Their website provides a lot of information and I wish > that I could justify owning their variable contrast enlarger head. While > Kodak has ventured away from the low volume amateur Ilford has focused their > attention on them. > > I love to hear about the film/developer combinations that work for other > LUGGERS. Unfortunately, Tmax has made it very difficult for me to consider > Kodaks products. Perhaps I am not handling it properly. > > Thanks for listening. > > Bob Bedwell