Fringe benefits of a change of materials.

[John Bragg]

Hi there ! How many of you have found some unexpected benefits from a change of film stock? I recently made a decision to use all Ilford film for a while, and get to know it as well as I know Tri-X, just as a viable alternative if the worst should happen. I started with Delta 400 and liked it, but the price was higher and so I thought, lets give the venerable HP5+ a go. It has been a very happy transition for me, and in some ways the combination of HP5+ and my usual HC-110 developer has yielded results that I prefer. Better shadow detail and a subtlety in mid tones that I really like ! In short I am smitten with it and it has been a valuable exercise for me.. How many of us just use the same comfortable materials year on year and never realize our full potential ? I will always love Tri-X, but now I have an alternative that has subtle but tangible differences that I know will be of benefit.

All shots exposed at ei200 and developed in HC-110 H for 12 mins @ 20c.

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Boat trip, Mevagissey. by johnbragg1, on Flickr[/IMG]



Life Buoy, Padstow. by johnbragg1, on Flickr



Father Daughter time. by johnbragg1, on Flickr

 

[Noll]

Once I saw what Foma 100 could do I was pretty much through with PlusX...very nice results with the hp5+, btw.

 

[John Bragg]

🙂 Thanks Noll. I know what I like in a photo and that is half the battle ! There are many ways to similar results and having a plan B and possible plan C is often wise.

 

[varchs]

Hello there!
Nice pictures, and I really like the kiss one.
I 99% use HP5 (hand rolled) and ilfosol 3.
Over the last year I am using Sunny 16 on a 1/250 basis and it seems that a bit overexposure helps.
It seems to me that is a nice film for wet prints... but it is quite tricky in scanning (It gives some kind of greyish results in digital).
I know it is film... right...?

I have tried some c41 color this summer and I rurally enjoyed it! It was a different view in my environment. I haven't scanned any of them yet though.

Have fun taking pictures!

 

[John Bragg]

Hello there!
Nice pictures, and I really like the kiss one.
I 99% use HP5 (hand rolled) and ilfosol 3.
Over the last year I am using Sunny 16 on a 1/250 basis and it seems that a bit overexposure helps.
It seems to me that is a nice film for wet prints... but it is quite tricky in scanning (It gives some kind of greyish results in digital).
I know it is film... right...?

I have tried some c41 color this summer and I rurally enjoyed it! It was a different view in my environment. I haven't scanned any of them yet though.

Have fun taking pictures!

Hi Varchs,

Thanks for the positive feedback. These are straight scans on a Plustek 7400 film scanner. You are right about it liking a generous exposure, and also correct that it wet prints well. I haven't found it to be flat and greyish in scanning, just easy to get a result that I like, but I am developing in HC-110.

Regards, John.

 

[varchs]

I have recently purchased a new scanner Plustek Optik Film 8100.
I have managed to get superiorly better results than my previous Rollei DF-S190SE...
I have to work harder with my scanning settings...
;-)

 

[charjohncarter]

John, I didn't take you long to dial HP5+ in did it? You comment about shadow detail intrigued me. Do you feel it is better than TriX?

 

[FrankS]

Unless you are already using HP5 and HC-110. Then, why change?

 

[BLKRCAT]

I like this HP5 look but never managed to get it dialed in. Perhaps I'll try your combo of over exposing and Dil H in the future.

 

[John Bragg]

John, I didn't take you long to dial HP5+ in did it? You comment about shadow detail intrigued me. Do you feel it is better than TriX?

Hi John
It seems to have a bit more real speed than Tri-X and perhaps a bit less of a shoulder. I just know that the shadow detail looks more open @ ei200. I tend to treat my scanner as an enlarger and develop to suit "it", rather than photoshop afterwards. These are all straight scans.

 

[John Bragg]

I like this HP5 look but never managed to get it dialed in. Perhaps I'll try your combo of over exposing and Dil H in the future.

Also dont over agitate during development. I only use 15 secs initial, then 2 invertions at 4, and 2 more at 8 mins, then empty out at 12 mins. I think Charjohncarter uses similar. Good luck.