Advice on developing Neopan 1600

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Aghast by the timescale involved in getting a roll of Elitechrome developed by my local photo store, I have resolved to start developing at least my B&W films. I have started with Fuji Neopan 1600. Why, er I dunno just liked the idea of an ultra fast film I suppose.

Of course, after keeping it for donkey's years, I finally disposed of my Paterson dev tank about a year ago :( Oh well carpe diem as they say. So I'll need a new tank plus chemicals & a few bits n pieces.

So, my question given the above is what would all you wise people recommend as a developer for the above, but also with a view to developing other types of film, should the mood take me. I know there's been shed loads of stuff on this subject, but I'm a little er confused by all the tech talk, and would just like a plain and simple recommendation at this point.

It's been a long time, but I'm sure I can recover some of the skills eventually, hell I even developed my own E6 years ago!

Thanks to all

Andy
 
I can give you some tips on Neopan 1600. I like the stuff but it can be a bit finicky. True speed is probably closer to 800 than 1600 with shadow detail being virtually nil (when in doubt, expose for the shadows).

I've gotten good results with D-76 1:1 at 20C using "Kodak" style agitation.

One pic in my gallery, entitled "At the Market" was taken with Neopan 1600. This pic shows how quickly you lose detail in the shadows.

Try the folks on APUG for more detailed info on this film and developing B&W in general.

Jim Bielecki
 
I, too, developed Neopan 1600 in 1:1 D76. But I rate it at EI 1000. I ultimately abandonded this film, even though I liked it, because it wasn't available in 120.

Robert
 
I process it with Kodak's TMAX developer at 5 and half minutes (the first 30 seconds with continuous agitation, then three inversions and back, plus BANG !, each 30 seconds)

I use TMAX developer not because of any carefull study, but out of instinct and comfort, as it comes liquid and it is a general fine grain developer.

If the mood takes you, be more than suspicious about this developer printed times for Kodak's films, and come back to the forum.

Cheers,

Ruben
 
D76? And can that also be used for other stuff as well??? Which would be a more flexible choice, the D76, or the TMax??

As far as shadow details, not too worried just at the moment as I guess this could rate pretty much as a test roll.

What's APUG??

Thanks for the help guys.

Andy
 
Following tips I got from Roman I shot the Neopan 1600 rated at 1600 and developed in Calbe A49 (now Adox Adolux ATM49). A (German only) table with the development times for the stock solution can be found here:
http://www.fotoimpex.de/Technik/Entwicklertab/EntwicklertabA49/entwicklertaba49.html

At 20 degree celsius it would be 6-8 minutes with 1 minute initial movement and then every 30 sec for 3 sec. Diluted 1:1 the times should be multiplied with 1.3 to 1.5

I do not remember the correct times but here are some samples:
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=4503&cat=4854
http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=4499&cat=4854

Cheers
Thomas-Michael
 
Using the recommendations of Daniel Ridings on the LUG, I process Neopan 1600 in Xtol 7.5 minutes at 68 degrees with dilution 1:1. I agitate about 10 - 15 seconds in the beginning and then 2 inversions every 30 seconds after that. The two inversions take about 5 seconds. Works very nicely - it's a good film.
 
I have never actually shot Neopan 1600, so I have nothing to contribute there (other than that it seems to go really contrasty really fast). However...

sfb_dot_com said:
D76? And can that also be used for other stuff as well??? Which would be a more flexible choice, the D76, or the TMax??
Click to expand...

All developers can be used with all films. You just might not like the results of some combinations :).

D76 is often considered the universal developer, since it's been around so long and is such a great combination of speed, grain, and sharpness. Plus using it at different dilutions gives you tremendous flexibility. Anchell & Troop say that every film out there has to work at least "pretty well" in D76, or it wouldn't be a viable product. I think that's pretty accurate.

I haven't used Tmax, but I know it'll give you a bit more speed. Plus, it's liquid (D76 comes as a powder, unless you buy pre-mixed Lauder d76) so it's a bit easier with which to work. I personally prefer Microphen for pushing anything, but no recs on time. Sorry.

apug.org is the analog photography user group website. Quite hardcore film-based. I don't see a lot of discussions on there about pushing, though. I think the black and white forum on photo.net is just as good for this particular topic. If you want to konw about some _really_ advanced B&W stuff (developers, etc) then apug is the place.

allan
 
I've done Neopan 1600 in Diafine too ... for me, somewhere just under 1600 seems right in this developer. Maybe 1200. I've also had good luck with Neopan 1600 in HC-110, dilution H, 10 minutes at 24C. Very nice film. Buy it in bulk from the Megaperls webshop.
 
For a developing tank get another Patterson or a Patteron-like tank (Arista Pro is very good) if you feel comfprtable with the plastic ones.
Otherwise try getting a Kindermann or a Nikon metal tank.

For chemistry, depending on how many rolls you are trying to process and whether you feel comfortable mixing powders I believe D76 or its clones are a great starting point.
But Ilfotec DDX and/or Xtol would work better with Neopan 1600.

I have developed Neopan 1600 with IlfosolS, FG7, D76 clones and DDX and the ones develope din DDX had better tonality and better shadow detail even when exposed at box speed.
 
I've shot a hundred or two rolls of Neopan 1600, I guess, mostly rated at 1600, with a few pulled to 800. My commercial lab always developed it in Xtol. If my exposures were bang on, the combination made for superb, sparkling negatives, but even a little bit off (I tend to overexpose by default when bracketing) and they got damn near unprintable real quick.

Overexposed Neopan 1600 in Xtol is... dense. Alarmingly dense. I suppose if I was sent into a darkroom tomorrow with orders to come out with a developed roll of it, I'd try D-76 to start. Might not make a difference, I dunno, but it's a good starting point at any rate.

Neopan 1600's probably my favorite film ever. Very round-grained, contrasty stuff, the way I shot it and had it developed, anyhow, and I loved that about it. Peter Lindberg's Versace aesthetic stuffed into a little green box.

It's been a while, but as soon as I use up my Neopan 400, I'm gonna go buy me some.
 
sfb_dot_com said:
D76? And can that also be used for other stuff as well??? Which would be a more flexible choice, the D76, or the TMax??
Click to expand...

I process Neopan 1600 and Neopan 400 in D-76 and have had no problems with the results so far.

As mentioned it's a good start point.
 
i shoot two films..hp5 and neopan 1600 (now, thanks to megaperls, super presto :)...i use D76 1:1 and develop for 9:30 (i usually do 8 rolls at a time so i give time for my dark pour)...constant for first 30 sec, 4 inversions every minute for 7 mins....last two mins i let it stand.....i rate it around 1000/1200 and get good negs ...if you print your own you can always burn down the highlights
 
Fuji neopan 1600 is the only non-Ilford black and white film I use. I use Ilfotec DDX for 5 min 30 sec. Agitate the first 10 seconds then every minute for 10 seconds. Liken it!
 
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