Equipment I use...

• YashicaMat-124G. I bought it brand new in 1986.  Since my last trip to Europe, I'm stocked up on real PX625s for at least a decade ;-)
• Canon T-70. A decent SLR, it also doubles as something like a spot-meter for my TLRs.
• Minolta Autocord LMX. Surprisingly nice optics, and the price was perfect. The meter is awful, I either use my T-70 as a meter or run an automatic flash.
• Sunpak 333 flash for the T-70. It actually seems pretty accurate in automatic mode.
• Sunpak 120J Auto Pro flash for the TLRs. I can start brush fires with this puppy, and the look of the light from the big, round, reflector is cool.
• Vivitar 2600. I keep this old workhorse around as a spare.

Materials I use...

• Kodak TMax100 (TMX) - this had been my general purpose black and white film until TMY and T400CN unseated it. I've had no problem with consistency since I started processing it myself, and this really a remarkable film.  Now, I primarily use this for applications where I want minimum grain without resorting to APX25.
• Kodak TMax T400CN -this chromogenic film gives a grain and sharpness comparable to TMax100, and processes in C-41. Perhaps the neatest feature for me is the long straight exposure curve, which, like TMax100, allows one to print glowing highlights with deep detailed shadows. T400CN has effectively replaced TMX for most uses - I expose it at EI 320-400 and have it processed normally.
• Kodak TMax400 (TMY) - TMax400 processed in Xtol 1+1 is sharp and beautiful.  This is has become my 'everyday' film, when I'm not shooting T400CN..
• Agfa APX25 - when you really want minimum grain and smooth (though shouldered) tonality and don't mind a slow film, this is great.
• Kodak Pro100 (PRN) - I like this film. It isn't fancy, it works best in daylight, it gives very sharp prints with great flesh tones.
• Kodak Pro400 (PPF) - particularly in 120, this is a great 400 speed color film.
• Kodak Polymax II RC - the darkroom I commonly use is not set up for fiber paper. I've experimented with several different RC papers, and this one is the best (IMHO). It is nothing like the old Polymax RC.
• Ilford Multigrade MG IV FB - this is the primo VC fiber paper, at least until Kodak starts coating Polymax II emulsion on FB.
• Kodak Xtol developer - this has become my choice for processing all B&W. TMax100 and TMax400 look particularly nice, even old Tri-X comes out with a pleasant grain and surprising sharpness. The Kodak data sheet J-107 lists times for most every name brand B&W film you can buy, and the times have worked well for me from day one.

Materials I have used...

• Ilford XP2 - I don't use this much now, but this is a delightful wide-latitude film with excellent image quality. I expose XP2 at EI 200 and have it processed normally.  T400CN offers better real emulsion speed, much finer grain and improved tonality, but some folks like the shouldered exposure characteristic of XP2.

Dana, K6JQ.  Last upated: 1 October 1998.