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Anyone tried ADOX 100 Silvermax? Thoughts?


wlaidlaw

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Eoin, 

 

I have ordered 5 rolls for delivery to my UK house, which I am going back to for a few days at the end of next week. With my usual Fomapan 200, I have been using a pale yellow -1EV B+W filter, which means, apart from the increase in sky contrast, I can leave my various lightmeters all set at 100 ISO, the same as Ektar and Provia in other cameras. I would guess that with a high contrast film like Silvermax, a yellow filter might be a step too far, apart from lowering the ISO to 50, which makes it a bit too slow. 

 

The bad news is that my friend's spare Rondinax 35U, he was going to lend me, had a crack in it. He now remembers he put it up in his attic over 20 years ago, thinking that the parts other than the outer tank, reel, knife, film guide, etc, might come in useful at some point. The good news is that Rondinax prices seem to have come down a bit since I last looked. 

 

Wilson

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Eoin, 

 

I have ordered 5 rolls for delivery to my UK house, which I am going back to for a few days at the end of next week. With my usual Fomapan 200, I have been using a pale yellow -1EV B+W filter, which means, apart from the increase in sky contrast, I can leave my various lightmeters all set at 100 ISO, the same as Ektar and Provia in other cameras. I would guess that with a high contrast film like Silvermax, a yellow filter might be a step too far, apart from lowering the ISO to 50, which makes it a bit too slow. 

 

The bad news is that my friend's spare Rondinax 35U, he was going to lend me, had a crack in it. He now remembers he put it up in his attic over 20 years ago, thinking that the parts other than the outer tank, reel, knife, film guide, etc, might come in useful at some point. The good news is that Rondinax prices seem to have come down a bit since I last looked. 

 

Wilson

 

Having started the week-end with no Rondinax tanks due to the one I was going to be lent, being cracked, I now seem to have ended up with 2 Rondinax tanks, a 35U and a 60 for 120 film. I better buy bigger bottles of Rodinal and ADOStop and ADOFix  :)

 

Wilson

Edited by wlaidlaw
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An example of Silvermax 100 in Rodinal 1:25

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Maarten,

 

That is very much the grey gradations I am looking for. 1:25 is quite concentrated for Rodinal, is it not? They do not even quote development times for that dilution but only for 1:50 and 1:100. What time/temp did you use?

 

Wilson

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Here an example of Adox Silvermax 100 in Rodinal 1:50.

 

My development is always the same. Tank in a water bath. The temperature is carefully manually controlled. Developer at right temperature as well.

To control the temperature I use a high quality (mercury...!) thermometer.
Continuous agitation for the first 30 seconds, then 3 inversions every minute. Acid stop bath for 30s and standard fixer for 8 minutes.

 

Development times at 20 degr.C:

Silvermax in Rodinal 1:50 - 12 minutes,

Silvermax in Rodinal 1:25 - 8 minutes.

 

Have fun!

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Here an example of Adox Silvermax 100 in Rodinal 1:50.

 

My development is always the same. Tank in a water bath. The temperature is carefully manually controlled. Developer at right temperature as well.

To control the temperature I use a high quality (mercury...!) thermometer.

Continuous agitation for the first 30 seconds, then 3 inversions every minute. Acid stop bath for 30s and standard fixer for 8 minutes.

 

Development times at 20 degr.C:

Silvermax in Rodinal 1:50 - 12 minutes,

Silvermax in Rodinal 1:25 - 8 minutes.

 

Have fun!

 

Nice one Maarten - thx for sharing !

Do you have any experiences how sensible the film itself is against scraches ?

I remember I read somewere it should be a weak spot !

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Nice one Maarten - thx for sharing !

Do you have any experiences how sensible the film itself is against scraches ?

I remember I read somewere it should be a weak spot !

 

The new Adox films (including the Silvermax) are okay. The former ones like the CHS50 and CHS100 not so. The new films are produced on a different coating line.

I like the clear backing of the Silvermax, makes me almost wanting to try the film for B&W slides.

Before drying I use a chamois to get most of the water from the film backing, I never touch the emulsion side.

With a bit of Photoflo or similar this procedure gives good results for me.

I scan almost immediately after drying.

The toughest film I know is Tri-X from the 70-ties, these negatives are still in excellent condition after being printed several times.

 

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I think it's wonderful film. It has great deep tones.

 

Yes I love the tones as well!

To add to the confusion: this is Silvermax 100 in D76 1:1, 11 minutes at 20 degrC.

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Dartmoor ponies.

 

Leica MP

90mm elmarit-M f2.8

Heliopan Y12

Adox Silvermax 100 in Silvermax developer.

 

 

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The toughest film I know is Tri-X from the 70-ties, these negatives are still in excellent condition after being printed several times.

 

When I start photography I only had 35mm and sharpness and grain were very important to me.

Best film I ever used was the Agfa APX 25 developed in Neofin Blue (50 ASA).

 

After decades of digital I went back to film and start loving the Kodak Tri-X 400 (still do) !

Sharpness and grain is not my primary aim any more........

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All set now. "No Darkroom" is no excuse now. My multi-pack of Rodinal (Adonal), Adostop, Adofix and Adoflow are on the way to me from Fotoimpex in Berlin. It was cheaper buying from them than in France. Of course having given away all my bits and pieces over the years, I also needed film drying clips, accurate thermometer, measuring beakers, film cassette extractor and Smiths darkroom timer. I have a number of Neotech synthetic chamois leathers, which I prefer to using a squeegy. I only use the chamois on the non-emulsion side. 

 

Wilson

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Edited by wlaidlaw
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I prefer Adox CHS 100 ii ..... very broad, lots of greys, and if I want deeper blacks I can do that in PP. Silvermax is supposed to have a higher silver content, but somehow it hasn't quite shown up that why, just comes out as a higher contrast BW which is fine but not what I am after. I also tried their CMS 20 ii but can't get it right .... anyone else try?

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The film clips I ordered seem to have got lost in the post, otherwise ready to go. Only problem is temperature. It is 27º in the house today and all the chemicals will also be at that temp. It is one of the cooler days we have had in the last month as well. I cannot be bother to fiddle around with ice baths, so either wait until a Mistral Day (two days forecast for early next week or wait until later in the year. 

 

The other problem is that I have been royally done over by an eBay seller who was showing 4 different size plastic measuring cylinders in their offer picture for €30 and talked about the different sizes in the main blurb. They only sent the 250ml cylinder. In tiny writing down at the bottom of the offer it said only 250ml cylinder being sent on this sale. I have requested a reversal of the sale and I will buy from another and honest source. €30 for a single plastic cylinder is way OTT. 

 

Wilson

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Amazingly the eBay seller of the 250ml beaker has come back to me, apologised and agreed that their offer was totally misleading and is sending me FOC return label and refunding my purchase. Meanwhile I bought three x 250ML graduated beakers from MX2 photo sales in France for the price of one from the original eBay seller.

 

As the Rondinax 35U tank only takes 200ml of fluid and the Rondinal has to be diluted at 50:1, I will need to get some 10ml syringes from the local pharmacy to measure out 4ml of Rondinal. I have plenty long blunt needles left over from the Jon Cone refillable ink carts for my Epson 3880 printer. For things like Adofix diluted at 1:9, I have plenty of the larger 50ml syringes, again from the Jon Cone carts. 

 

Wilson

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