Ilford Delta 3200 film

[colyn]

I just bought a couple of rolls for some nighttime photography. Any suggestions for exposure etc since I won't be using a meter.

Mainly night shots of downtown and lit buildings.

 

[back alley]

i used to use this film alot when i shot in medium format.
i rated it at 1000 and developed in ddx, otherwise shoot as normal.

joe

 

[FPjohn]

http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm

 

[sepiareverb]

I find it better at 1250 or 1600 at the developing times listed for 3200. Gets very little range of tones otherwise. Next time I try it I'm going to rate at 3200 and develop as if it was shot at 6400 or more, with reduced agitation for the 2nd half of development, I'm thinking this will help pull better 'shadow' detail, keeping in mind that it is pretty damn dark wherever I use this stuff. I've gotten decent prints shooting this in the darkroom at work under safelight illumination.

 

[colyn]

http://www.fredparker.com/ultexp1.htm

Thanks

A lot of info on this site..

 

[Bob Michaels]

Delta 3200 is problematic shooting at night because of the severe reciprocity failure. It's good if it's just dim and you can handhold. But when it's real dark and you're shooting on a tripod, Fuji Acros works much better. Sometime it's faster considering reciprocity failure.


Delta 3200 does shine when used in handheld MF. It seems you can push it a stop to a true 3200. I was never too thrilled trying to use it in 35mm.

Shooting at night with no meter? I'm clueless given the lack of info.

 

[colyn]

But when it's real dark and you're shooting on a tripod, Fuji Acros works much better.

How can Acros be better for dim or dark shooting when its speed is only 100?

 

[foto_fool]

How can Acros be better for dim or dark shooting when its speed is only 100?

Less reciprocity failure means you can nail the exposure despite slower shutter speeds?

I second using DDX as the developer - nothing else is worth a darn. I think I have had pretty good results rating and developing the 135 film at 3200, but there is doubtless room for improvement 🙄.

- John

 

[Bob Michaels]

How can Acros be better for dim or dark shooting when its speed is only 100?

Acros has minimal reciprocity failure whereas Delta 3200's become rather severe very quickly. Look at their respective tech data sheets.

Extrapolating the Delta 3200 reciprocity failure curve, I would guess that somewhere around a two minute exposure that Acros would be faster than Delta 3200. Acros doesn't even have a reciprocity failure curve, it just says add 1/2 stop between 2 minutes and 16 minutes of exposure.

 

[colyn]

Less reciprocity failure means you can nail the exposure despite slower shutter speeds?
- John

I understand reciprocity failure but I still don't understand how a dimly lit scene the gives me say 1/15th at f/4 at 3200 ISO constitutes reciprocity failure. The same scene is going to require a longer exposure with 100 speed film such as Acros which will translate into reciprocity failure.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Colyn, you are correct at 1/15th. There is no reciprocity failure at that point. I was thinking much longer times.

Different thought: Assuming a tripod (as a building at 1/15th would suggest) why tolerate the grain of Delta 3200 at 1/15th when you can shoot one the finest grain films for 1 sec.?

My thinking comes from the fact that the only time I ever shoot slow film is at night. That's the only time I use a tripod. But once on the tripod, why not?

 

[colyn]

Colyn, you are correct at 1/15th. There is no reciprocity failure at that point. I was thinking much longer times.

The actual times I want to shoot are between 1-3 seconds where reciprocity failure is easily compensate for.

Different thought: Assuming a tripod (as a building at 1/15th would suggest) why tolerate the grain of Delta 3200 at 1/15th when you can shoot one the finest grain films for 1 sec.?

I want more control over aperture rather than shutter speed to get more depth of field in certain scenes. In order to do this with slower films I would have to make changes due to reciprocity failure as a result of the required longer exposures.

I saw several nighttime 8x10 photos shot with Delta 3200 today at the camera shop where I bought the film. Grain was hardly noticeable. HC110 was the developer used to soup the film..

 

[Rob-F]

I will second the advice to shoot Delta 3200 at a speed lower than 3200, which is really close to a two stop push. 1600 is better, and if you want still better shadow detail, 1000 is better still. Ilford Microphen is the best developer I have tried for pushing this film--and many others. I tried it in TMax developer and got too much grain.

 

[Nokton48]

There is copious shadow detail at EI 1000, which slowly dissapears as you increase the EI. At 6400 it's all highlights, and no real shadow detail I'm another that will recommend Ilford DDX, it's a bit expensive, but I've not yet been unimpressed. It's a good combo.

 

[Michiel Fokkema]

Hi,

I've been shooting a lot of delta 3200 for a low light project. i shoot at 3200 because i really need every bit of speed i can squeeze out of it.
Because DDX and xtol seem to be the developers most recommended i've tried them both. The recommended times by ilford are indeed too short. I've tried xtol both at full strength and 1+1. I don't see much difference between the two developers or dilutions. Xtol seems to have a bit more contrast. I was surprised by the quality of this film. It really works well. Grain is well controlled and there is not to excessive contrast like in Neopan 1600.

Best regards,
Michiel Fokkema

 

[gertf]

Look up the thread by Merciful ('Push it, push it real good') on pushing Tri-X to 12800

 

[colyn]

I second using DDX as the developer - nothing else is worth a darn. I think I have had pretty good results rating and developing the 135 film at 3200, but there is doubtless room for improvement 🙄.

- John

Since none of the camera shops in my area carry Ilford developers (just fixer (??)) I ordered DDX from Freestyle.

 

[colyn]

I ordered ddx from freestyle today and will be shooting this film this weekend. Hopefully it works out..

 

[briandaly]

So Colyn, how did it work out?
I'm shooting in a low-light environment soon and have bought a roll each of Neopan 1600 and Delta 3200. I'll be developing in DD-X. I'd be interested to see your results.
Brian