Kodak Tri-X
Encyclopedia
Tri-X is a classic high-speed black-and-white
photographic film
from Kodak. Introduced around 1940 in sheets
rated at ASA
daylight
200 and tungsten 160, it was one of Kodak's first high-speed (for the time) black-and-white films. Tri-X was released in 35mm
and 120
in 1954. Currently it is available in two speeds, ISO 320/26° (320TXP) and 400/27° (400TX). Tri-X 400 is the more common of the two, coming in 24 and 36 exposure rolls of 35 mm
and 120
as well as 50 and 100 ft bulk rolls of 35mm. Tri-X 320 is available in 4×5", 5×7", and 8×10" sheets
.
Tri-X 400 is usually rated at ISO 400 when processed in standard developers and remains among the fastest black-and-white films today. Push processing
Tri-X to EI 800 in a standard developer brings very good results, while further pushing to EI 1600 requires more sophisticated processing. A popular method for pushing Tri-X film is using highly diluted developers with little or no agitation and extended developments times. This method which is referred to as "stand" or "semi-stand" development, can allow the film to be pushed to speeds up to EI 3200 or 6400.
In 2004 Kodak celebrated 50 years of Tri-X's introduction on November 1, 1954 in 35mm and 120 formats.
Tri-X was once one of the most popular films used by photojournalists and many amateurs. It was manufactured by Eastman Kodak
in the US, Kodak Canada, and Kodak Ltd in the United Kingdom. Kodak data-sheets used to recommend different processing times depending on where the film was manufactured. Its sales declined in the 1970s and 1980s due to the falling price and increasing popularity of colour film. Since the advent of digital photography, Tri-X has all but fallen out of use in newspaper journalism, though it remains popular in documentary journalism.
Black-and-white
Black-and-white, often abbreviated B/W or B&W, is a term referring to a number of monochrome forms in visual arts.Black-and-white as a description is also something of a misnomer, for in addition to black and white, most of these media included varying shades of gray...
photographic film
Photographic film
Photographic film is a sheet of plastic coated with an emulsion containing light-sensitive silver halide salts with variable crystal sizes that determine the sensitivity, contrast and resolution of the film...
from Kodak. Introduced around 1940 in sheets
Sheet film
Sheet film is large format and medium format photographic film supplied on individual sheets of acetate or polyester film base rather than rolls. Sheet film was initially supplied as an alternative to glass plates...
rated at ASA
Film speed
Film speed is the measure of a photographic film's sensitivity to light, determined by sensitometry and measured on various numerical scales, the most recent being the ISO system....
daylight
Color temperature
Color temperature is a characteristic of visible light that has important applications in lighting, photography, videography, publishing, manufacturing, astrophysics, and other fields. The color temperature of a light source is the temperature of an ideal black-body radiator that radiates light of...
200 and tungsten 160, it was one of Kodak's first high-speed (for the time) black-and-white films. Tri-X was released in 35mm
135 film
The term 135 was introduced by Kodak in 1934 as a designation for cartridge film wide, specifically for still photography. It quickly grew in popularity, surpassing 120 film by the late 1960s to become the most popular photographic film format...
and 120
120 film
120 is a film format for still photography introduced by Kodak for their Brownie No. 2 in 1901. It was originally intended for amateur photography but was later superseded in this role by 135 film...
in 1954. Currently it is available in two speeds, ISO 320/26° (320TXP) and 400/27° (400TX). Tri-X 400 is the more common of the two, coming in 24 and 36 exposure rolls of 35 mm
135 film
The term 135 was introduced by Kodak in 1934 as a designation for cartridge film wide, specifically for still photography. It quickly grew in popularity, surpassing 120 film by the late 1960s to become the most popular photographic film format...
and 120
120 film
120 is a film format for still photography introduced by Kodak for their Brownie No. 2 in 1901. It was originally intended for amateur photography but was later superseded in this role by 135 film...
as well as 50 and 100 ft bulk rolls of 35mm. Tri-X 320 is available in 4×5", 5×7", and 8×10" sheets
Sheet film
Sheet film is large format and medium format photographic film supplied on individual sheets of acetate or polyester film base rather than rolls. Sheet film was initially supplied as an alternative to glass plates...
.
Tri-X 400 is usually rated at ISO 400 when processed in standard developers and remains among the fastest black-and-white films today. Push processing
Push processing
Push processing in photography, sometimes called uprating, refers to a film developing technique that increases the effective sensitivity of the film being processed. Push processing involves developing the film for more time, possibly in combination with a higher temperature, than the...
Tri-X to EI 800 in a standard developer brings very good results, while further pushing to EI 1600 requires more sophisticated processing. A popular method for pushing Tri-X film is using highly diluted developers with little or no agitation and extended developments times. This method which is referred to as "stand" or "semi-stand" development, can allow the film to be pushed to speeds up to EI 3200 or 6400.
In 2004 Kodak celebrated 50 years of Tri-X's introduction on November 1, 1954 in 35mm and 120 formats.
Tri-X was once one of the most popular films used by photojournalists and many amateurs. It was manufactured by Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak
Eastman Kodak Company is a multinational imaging and photographic equipment, materials and services company headquarted in Rochester, New York, United States. It was founded by George Eastman in 1892....
in the US, Kodak Canada, and Kodak Ltd in the United Kingdom. Kodak data-sheets used to recommend different processing times depending on where the film was manufactured. Its sales declined in the 1970s and 1980s due to the falling price and increasing popularity of colour film. Since the advent of digital photography, Tri-X has all but fallen out of use in newspaper journalism, though it remains popular in documentary journalism.
External links
- Kodak professional Tri-X films
- National Public Radio's Alex Chadwick spoke http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4583051 with photographer Chris Rainier about the history and creativity of Tri-X film.