Chris101
summicronia
White "specks" and leaking bright light is normal for this film.
White "specks" and leaking bright light is normal for this film.







I send all my film off to NCPS for cheap developing and scanning, but when I asked what dev they use this is what they said, "Clayton Chemistry F76 which we believe is a derivative of D76."
My lab uses XTOL and say when I shoot it at 1600, they generally recommend still processing it as if it were at 3200. Only had one roll done by them, but it came out nice.
film base + Fog is not low with this film. I was getting around 0.3 but that could be partly caused by my fixer.
You will always get grain with D3200 its not a fine grain film. Using 18mins dev as I found for normal contrast makes things worse. It's really best in 120 format if grain is an issue for you. It's worse in microphen but if you want a true EI of 3200 then microphen is the only way to go and you just have to put up with the grain. DDX seems reluctant to go much faster than 1600.
I'd suggest you take speed down to 1250 for next roll and try Xtol. ( that is if you feel you were capturing plenty shadow when using EI 1600 )
Problem you have is that scanning will exagerate the grain.
Nate - the images you posted in the 'all in the eyes' thread are all superb!
Tim, living in Japan I just don't have the time and space to deal with developing and then scanning black and white in house. I'm happy 99% of the time with what NCPS gives me. Perhaps I'm just not picky. I love developing, but not scanning. Scanning frustrates me 99% of the time.
Didn't end up shooting the 2 rolls (incl 1 expired) last weekend. Hopefully soon.
Thanks. Starting to appreciating what "fog" means now.
I think the next time I will drop the EI to 1250 and develop in Xtol.
Tim - will raise the blacks a bit until I get a true black in the unexposed areas.
Working more with film again is helping the digital photography as well.
Nate - the images you posted in the 'all in the eyes' thread are all superb!
I still think you should give microphen a try at EI3200 just to see what this film is really about. You might be pleasantly surprised even with the grain. The benefit is the shadow separation you get in very low light (providing its in the subject).
Last time I checked microphen was a speed losing developer. Can't see how it could possibly pull more shadow detail than XTOL or DDX.
I think you better check again.