Kodak T-MAX 3200 (TMZ)

The name has always been misleading. Kodak's native speed for T-MAX 3200 TMZ was rated internally closer to EI 800. Kodak shipped it at 3200 because that is where photographers pushed it. The T-grain technology meant it held together at those push speeds better than any conventional-grain emulsion of the time, and the grain structure at EI 3200 in D-76 or T-MAX RS was finer than Tri-X pushed two stops to 1600. That was the actual value proposition.

The original TMZ-coded emulsion ran from 1988 until Kodak quietly discontinued it in 2012 during their bankruptcy reorganization. When it came back in 2018 as P3200 (the P standing for push), the emulsion was reformulated. The new version is slightly different in grain character and shadow rendering. Shooters who used the original heavily have opinions about the difference; most people who pick it up now have nothing to compare it against.

Prince's concert photographers used it. Sports photographers working under arena lighting used it. Photojournalists covering night riots without flash used it. Any situation where you needed film speed more than anything else.

Development time matters enormously with this stock. Push to EI 3200 in T-MAX RS at the recommended time and you get workable shadows. Overdevelop by two minutes and the highlights block up badly. The film rewards accurate development more than most.

The reciprocity exponent is 1.04. This is one of the most favorable reciprocity characteristics of any film, which makes sense given the stock was engineered for low-light short exposures. Zone Light Meter applies the correction past one second. Long exposures on a film designed for fast available-light work are uncommon, but if you are shooting predawn exterior work, the math holds.

How the app handles this stock

Box speed: ISO 3200. Picker exposes pull/push chips so you can shoot it at any speed you want and the meter follows.
Reciprocity: Above one second the app raises metered time to the power of 1.04.
Expired film: if you load an old roll, set the expiry year and storage in the app and the ISO scales for you. B&W negative decay rates are baked in.

Frequently asked questions

What ISO is Kodak T-MAX 3200 (TMZ)?

Kodak T-MAX 3200 (TMZ) is an ISO 3200 b&w negative film from Kodak. You can rate it at box speed or push and pull it; set the speed you actually shot and the meter follows.

Is Kodak T-MAX 3200 (TMZ) still in production?

No. Kodak T-MAX 3200 (TMZ) is discontinued, so it is freezer stock and the secondhand market now. Expired rolls drift slower over time, so many shooters overexpose a stop.

Does Kodak T-MAX 3200 (TMZ) suffer from reciprocity failure?

Yes, on exposures longer than about one second. Its reciprocity exponent is 1.04, so a metered 10 seconds becomes about 11 seconds. Zone Light Meter applies this automatically.