Fuji Neopan 400 What developer ?

Hektor

Hektor

Leicapile
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Hi, I've been considering having a go with Neopan 400 and looked on the Fuji website for dev recommendations.

They suggest SPD (Super Prodol) and Fujidol, both of which are not obtainable in the U.K. as far as I know.

Does anyone know what category these developers are, or what they are similar to ?

Has anyone experience of this film in DDX, FX39, FX50, or XTOL ?

What is considered a good developer for this film, considering I don't want to use Rodinal, and can't buy Diafine in the U.K.

Best regards, John Craddock. ----- leicapile, lol.
 
hey there John in Birmingham - I went to Aston Univ. (quite a while ago). 🙂 I use Neopan 400 a lot and get it souped in XTOL by a lab. Can't speak to any of the other developers you are interested in. This winter I'll be getting into my own development and I'll continue to use XTOL because I really like the Neopan/XTOL combination.

Click on my gallery link (below) and have a look at the pics in there - nearly all of them are Fuji B&W; Acros 100 and Neopan 400 and 1600, but most are Neopan 400 and all are developed in XTOL. Cameras are Leica with mostly Leica glass and Canonet QL-17.

 
Hey Peter, I did an electronics course at Aston in 1968 (ouch!)

I've looked at your gallery --- very impressed, -- certainly I think Neopan 400 has the potential for the look which I am seeking.

I've heard that XTOL sometimes has inexplicable failures, something to do with exhaustion or contamination, but perhaps in a lab or deep tanks it doesn't happen ?

Thanks for the reply, John C.
 
So you're before me John I was there in the mid to late 70's doing an MSc.

I've heard that about XTOL too, and some people are afraid of using it but a few have reported here that they've never experienced the sudden failure. I am certainly going to continue using it because it seems to work with Neopan 400 very well.

Hopefully others will chime in with experience with other developers.

 
Almost all of my images in my gallery here at RFDR Forum were shot on Neopan 400, and I processed all of my film in D-76 1 to 1 dilution, as a one shot. Develop and dump. I love the results with Neopan, and I think this developer/film combination produces better results than belov'd Tri-x in D-76. Look at my images, many of them night-time shots, and you decide.

You should be able to get Kodak D-76 or the Ilford Identical developer "Ilford ID-11" just about anywhere. The box that Neopan 400 comes in, if unfolded and layed out flat inside out, has the developing times for D-76 and many other developers, at various dilutions and temps.
 
Hi John,
I got very good results with A49 1+1.
A short word to XTOL - the problem was discussed in detail in several German fourms. The problem seems to be iron ions in the water, so destilled water is the way. But this developer still dies without any warning in terms of discolouration. An other drawback is the 3.6 liter packaging - Kodak stopped the production of the 1 l version.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Robert
PS: I attached a sample picture - unfortunately not taken with a rangefinder 🙄
 
NP400 is a great film. I'm just finishing off a 100' roll. I had never shot with it before, and wasn't expecting to like it much, but I got some very satisfying images using it. I like the results I got using a solvent (fine grain) developer, D76, D23, and FX15 (I also split the D76 and the D23). I shot mostly in broad daylight and early evening, and, of course I prefer it for the lower light stuff. I've got a smattering of examples in my gallery, but Phototone's gallery is a good example of what NP 400 can get you in low light, with D76. BTW, most of what I shoot is scanned and posted for online viewing.

🙂
🙂
 
Last edited:
Neopan 400 in DDX 1+4 is a beauty!
I don't have the time with me right now but digitaltruth has a very good estimate.

Hektor said:
Hi, I've been considering having a go with Neopan 400 and looked on the Fuji website for dev recommendations.

They suggest SPD (Super Prodol) and Fujidol, both of which are not obtainable in the U.K. as far as I know.

Does anyone know what category these developers are, or what they are similar to ?

Has anyone experience of this film in DDX, FX39, FX50, or XTOL ?

What is considered a good developer for this film, considering I don't want to use Rodinal, and can't buy Diafine in the U.K.

Best regards, John Craddock. ----- leicapile, lol.
Click to expand...
 
XTOL failures are a thing of the past.
As with any other photo-myths it has stuck around.
KODAK added some chelating agents to prevent those way back......
But if you want to be sure mix your Xtol with distilled water, break the gallon into 500ml bottles and use one bottle at a time.
Just in case, always test using a leader in the developer. It should turn black in about 1/5 of the development time.

Hektor said:
Hey Peter, I did an electronics course at Aston in 1968 (ouch!)

I've looked at your gallery --- very impressed, -- certainly I think Neopan 400 has the potential for the look which I am seeking.

I've heard that XTOL sometimes has inexplicable failures, something to do with exhaustion or contamination, but perhaps in a lab or deep tanks it doesn't happen ?

Thanks for the reply, John C.
Click to expand...
 
I've had well over a hundred rolls of Neopan SS, 400, and 1600 developed in Xtol, by a first-rate professional laboratory. Serious bunch of otakus, catering to advertising, press, and fine-art photographers. They apparently regularly monitored and tested their chemistry, told me so in so many words. I had zero problems. Not a single hiccup. Sparkling negatives, when I did my part at exposure, at least. Not one dodgy film in five years.

Wouldn't change a thing.
 
Poptart, the fuji website does say, more or less, any developer - but - I am seeking a certain "look" for my pics.

We are coming up to the concert season in the Uk, and my wife and 3 boys are all at the Albert Hall right now queueing for the "Proms"

My current photographic interest is to take photos in smaller venues, typically university concert halls, of up and coming classical musicians, together with one or two established maestros playing with student and amateur orchestras.

Using an incident light reading, 1/30, F2. and 400ASA, is typical.

Musicians get animated whilst playing, and I'm handholding and getting older (58)
so 1/125 is better.
An orchestra is big, so DOF and "bokeh" are relevant, F2.8 or F4 is better.
Musicians wear black, so shadow detail is important - you can't push much (+1 ?)
So far with these settings I need 6400ASA !

I've tried Delta3200 but the grain is so big that when I enlarge to A3 it obscures the detail in the instruments and faces.

It seems to me that compromises are needed, and ideally the look I want is Delta100 printed on cooltone ( fairly fine grain and clinical).

Tri-X in D76 doesn't do it, I dont like Rodinal, and I can't buy Diafine in UK.
I've tried Emofin but the tonality and mid tone compression is awful.

Looking at other peoples prints Neopan400 appears to have exceptionally good mid tones and nice clean clinical tonality, but you've got to watch the dev so as to keep the grain as fine as is practical.

It seems to me so far the most likely thing to try is XTOL, 1/100, F1.4, Neopan400.

Regards, John C.
 
Alfa, very useful for 1st trials, but it doesn't tell you what the negs or prints will look like. I'm not inclined to try everything. I thought that Fuji SPD or fujidol would be optimised for NP400 but I can't buy them in UK, and don't know what category of developer they are, or what they are similar to.

Regards, John C.
 
Hektor said:
Hi, I've been considering having a go with Neopan 400 and looked on the Fuji website for dev recommendations.

What is considered a good developer for this film, considering I don't want to use Rodinal, and can't buy Diafine in the U.K.

Best regards, John Craddock. ----- leicapile, lol.
Click to expand...

80% of my images here on RFDR forum in my gallery were shot on Neopan 400 developed in D-76 1 + 1 DILUTION. If you are shooting with 35mm size Neopan 400, then the inside of each box the rolls come in has developing times for D-76 ad various temperatures, and at full strength, and 1 + 1 dilution. I have been extremely pleased with the tonality and grain with this combination. You be the judge, just check out by gallery nere. NOTE: Ilfords ID11 is the same developer as Kodaks D-76. It might be easier in Britain to get ID11. Gallery Link below.
 
I still don't have a feeling for ewhat look you want?
do you want your negs to be very contrasty, very creamy?

You may also try Neopan 1600, almost as fine grained as Neopan 400 with 2 extra stops of speed.

I have developed both in DDX with good results....
DDX has rendered very "creamy" negatives to me, with good contrast and excellent midtone range
I assume that if you developed longer the contrast will increase a little
and if you use more diluted DDX you can get a different look as well........
 
Hektor said:
Phototone, your gallery is impressive and your pictures are beautiful. I am greatly encouraged. Have you ever tried XTOL and compared it to D76. Kodak says it's finer grained and slightly more shadow detail.

http://wwwuk.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/chemistry/bwFilmProcessing/selecting.jhtml

Regards John C.
Click to expand...

I have quite a few packets of XTOL, as I had to special order it, and the minimum quantity (from my vendor) was a case. I have not tried it yet, as I am so pleased with the results I get with the D-76 1+1 dilution (same as Ilford ID-11) It was my understanding that you wanted advice on the most widely available "standard" developer that you could easily obtain in the UK? that would give excellent results with Neopan 400? Can't beat D-76 (Ilford ID-11). As far as my photography style in b/w, I tend to expose generously, so shadow detail is not an issue. D-76 gives full emulsion speed, though with very good sharpness.

As with any developer you have not tried before, you should develop a test roll, and evaluate the results yourself, before you commit valuable film.
 
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