Best film/dev combo for contrasty low light?

Koolzakukumba

Koolzakukumba

Real men use B+W
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I'm about to embark on a project which will involve a lot of shooting dark interiors but with bright windows and open doorways in the frame. I need something that will retain highlight detail but not muddy up the midtones. My normal choice would have been APX 100 developed in Barry Thorton's two-bath but I've found that the mid tones lack pop with this combination. HP5 plus in dilute Perceptol is the way it's looking just now. Does anyone have some suggestions for a combination that wont flatten the mid tones too much? The camera will probably be a Rollei SL66E.
 
T-Max 400 + Rodinal 1+50 another option would be a Pyro developer like Tanol Speed or Pyrocat (Pyro is good for highlight retention/contrast control) keep in mind that Film handles overexposure much better than underexposure.
At the printing stage you could pre-flash the paper to retain some highlight detail, split grade printing could help as well.

Dominik
 
DominikDUK said:
T-Max 400 + Rodinal 1+50 another option would be a Pyro developer like Tanol Speed or Pyrocat (Pyro is good for highlight retention/contrast control) keep in mind that Film handles overexposure much better than underexposure.
At the printing stage you could pre-flash the paper to retain some highlight detail, split grade printing could help as well.

Dominik
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This has worked for me too (TMax400 and Rodinal 1+50).
 
Don't know if you have tried Peter Hogan's Prescysol developers, but they hold detail really well over a wide contrast range.
Easy to use & he is a great guy to talk to for tech. info.I speak only as a satisfied customer. This is my go to dev. these days as it seems v. idiot friendly!
Jon
 
Thanks for the replies guys. I'm not so much concerned with capturing the shadows and highlights as I can do that by exposing properly and then giving the film the right time in the developer. My main aim is to keep some separation in the mid tones. I don't want a negative where the mid tones are compressed. Below is an example of the subject matter. Don't read too much into this one, though, as, although a (poor) scan of an Agfa APX 100 neg, it was processed in Nik's Silver Efex Pro 2 which added the grain and border.

I seem to remember HP5 Plus in dilute Perceptol is a good combo but I can't remember where I read it now! I'd like to avoid the tanning developers if possible as I try to limit the variables and I think I'd need to spend too much time getting to know them.

tenement+close.jpg
 
I think you should try Tri X and develop in any compensating developer. I find DD X to work well. This was shot at EI 500 and developed in DD X 1+9:


W20110409 by mfogiel, on Flickr
 
Koolzakukumba said:
Thanks for the replies guys. I'm not so much concerned with capturing the shadows and highlights as I can do that by exposing properly and then giving the film the right time in the developer. My main aim is to keep some separation in the mid tones. I don't want a negative where the mid tones are compressed. Below is an example of the subject matter. Don't read too much into this one, though, as, although a (poor) scan of an Agfa APX 100 neg, it was processed in Nik's Silver Efex Pro 2 which added the grain and border.

I seem to remember HP5 Plus in dilute Perceptol is a good combo but I can't remember where I read it now! I'd like to avoid the tanning developers if possible as I try to limit the variables and I think I'd need to spend too much time getting to know them.

tenement+close.jpg
Click to expand...

Rodinal 1+50 does exactly that it compensates and gives superior tonal separation. D23 the uncrowned king of midtones could be a another option.
 
Neopan 400 in DD-X.

There is also FX-39, which I have only used - with success - with Delta 100 (that developer should be tried and tested though before serious use).
 
Some great suggestions here! Please keep them coming. I'm beginning to warm to the idea of Tri X's gutsy tones in dilute Perceptol.
 
I would recommend D23 and use it as a split developer as that would allow you a fair bit of control of mid-tones and high lights. You would also have the flexibility to modify times in either A or B to maximize control.
Film could be TriX - but this combination would also work with +X or FP4+.
 
5168237780_00ca0eacd4_z.jpg


Neopan 1600 in D23 Divided. A 5 min and B 5 min. You can cut this time somewhat by doing it with continous developing. I would go A 4 min and then play with the B times to get it were it meets your requirements. Even with TriX @ 400 I would do a test with A4 and B5 min and then modify the times to fit.
 
This was probably a darker scene, but when I got around to working the file I had forgotten the light level. Anyway, TMY-2 in Rodinal 1+50:

6472198653_2ae7149347.jpg
 
After a lot of thought, I'm going to try the materials I have at hand first to see how they perform. That means Fomapan 100 (rated at 50 ISO) and Barry Thornton's two-bath developer. I've thought in the past that the two-bath isn't great for mid-tones but Fomapan is quite gutsy and I can't remember having tried this combination before. The two-bath is excellent at controlling highlights which will be handy. Failing this partnership, I think the next shot will be with HP5 Plus or Tri X in Perceptol 1+3. Thanks for the suggestions and comments.
 
If a tripod is an option, HP5+ @ iso 50 in Perceptol 1:1. I've used this with much success (with Microdol-X, basically the same) and managed to get light bulbs that are light bulb shape and retain detail well into deep shadow areas.
 
sepiareverb said:
If a tripod is an option, HP5+ @ iso 50 in Perceptol 1:1. I've used this with much success (with Microdol-X, basically the same) and managed to get light bulbs that are light bulb shape and retain detail well into deep shadow areas.
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By those standards, I offer HP5+ @ E.I. 250 in Xtol 1:3 with continuous agitation. Gruene Hall.

Gruene+Oct+2008+_2+of+5_.jpg


Gruene+Oct+2008+_1+of+5_.jpg


Gruene+Oct+2008+_4+of+5_.jpg


Click this for the big picture of Gruene Hall.



Wayne
 
mfogiel said:
I think you should try Tri X and develop in any compensating developer. I find DD X to work well. This was shot at EI 500 and developed in DD X 1+9:


W20110409 by mfogiel, on Flickr
Click to expand...

Plus one. I'd go Tri-X at 650 ISO and Diafine 3+3 minimizing aggitation to only two inversions per minute.

Tom A's suggestion of also trying FP4 or Plus X I think is also a good idea, but you'll have to figure out the film speeds that work for you.

The benefit of using Diafine is that you can mix Plus X, FP4 and Tri-X all in the same tank and develope 3+3. You can even include HP5, but with Diafine expect a little more film speed (perhaps 800 ISO instead of Tri-X at 650) and grain.

Cal
 
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