Delta 100 @ iso 2000 - It can be done

[Honus]

About a week ago, I had posted that I accidentally exposed Delta 100 @ 2000 iso (I thought I had Tri-X in the M2) and asked for developing advise. TomA and steverett provided some, so I took a bit from both of them and developed as follows:

Rodinal 1:100 AND Xtol 1+4. Agitate for 1 minute, then let stand for 2 hours @ 20 deg. C.

The results turned out much better than I had expected. I was particularly impressed with the mid-tones. The photos are not particularly noteworthy - just a few shots in the Denver Art Museum and in a restaurant, but wanted to pass them on anyway.

 

[Honus]

Here's three more from the same roll.

 

[Gabriel M.A.]

Rodinal 1:100 AND Xtol 1+4. Agitate for 1 minute, then let stand for 2 hours @ 20 deg. C.

Oh, my

Great examples.

I've never liked Delta 100, but I think you just converted me...

 

[planetjoe]

...I think you just converted me...

Yeah; me, too. Nice images, Honus.

This is about the nicest resolution to a "mistake" I've ever seen. Rodinal + Xtol seems like an interesting combo. I wonder if Rodinal + ascorbic acid could do something similar?

Here's the original thread, if anyone's interested.

Cheers,
--joe.

 

[charjohncarter]

That's impressive. Why two developers?

 

[jan normandale]

Basically it's over four full stops! That's quite amazing.

 

[sherm]

As one who doesn't shoot a large amount of B&W, I'm going to ask the "dumb" qquestion as to why these are appealing??? I mean no offense, just trying to learn more from you guys. Is it the grain, the contrast , shadows etc.......

Thanks and apologies for what may be brutally obvious to the more knowledgeable folks..........

 

[toyfel]

Spectacular!

Thanks for posting, Honus!

 

[Phoenix Phil]

These are very impressive. I really appreciate that you shared your results.

 

[owenreading]

Those are damn fine pictures. I never thought Delta films pushed well at all, but here's some evidence disproving that. I have one roll of Delta 100 sitting on my shelf. I wonder...

 

[Morca007]

Well, I'm impressed.

 

[hans voralberg]

Two developer mixed together ? Is that right ? I'm so gonna try this

 

[MartinP]

Along with everyone else, I am very surprised (in a good way) ! Managing to get these tones from such a tiny bit of the exposure has worked out very well . . . . I wonder what could be done with Delta400 ????!!

I am curious about the proportions of the two developers and why indeed you used some Rodinal ? I don't know the chemistry of what Rodinal does but it is a favourite for stand-processing apparently - very good at minimising fog perhaps ?

 

[vincentbenoit]

Amazing indeed. Thanks for sharing this. I now know what to do with these rolls of Delta 100 I thought I'd never use...

Vincent

 

[gavinlg]

Robert, those actually look amazingly good - not just the fact that they turned out (which is a shock), but they actually look pretty damn good.... developed for 2 hours you say......

 

[steverett]

Glad to see they worked out, Honus! The grain looks as good as any 1600 speed film, and perhaps with better midtones. Surprising! You should write to Ilford with your success story.

 

[-vin-]

wow! but I can't understand how and why you decided to use a mix of two developers...

by the way, I have this roll of APX100 I exposed to 1000 😀

 

[40oz]

nice work. I'm glad you tried it, and glad they turned out.

 

[Phoenix Phil]

So now that there is a film / developer combination that works to 2000 ISO, what camera is capable of 2000 ISO? I know that the newer film cameras will support the expanded ISO range but the older cameras won't (and those are the ones of interest).

 

[vicmortelmans]

I'm still struggling to get my times/dilutions/temperatures right for a single developer, so I'm not up to mixing yet... although the results are very tempting indeed... Any idea if this also works as spectacularly on ISO400 films, pushed an equal number of stops (= ISO 8000)?
Groeten,
Vic