Ilford hp5 is finer grain possible?

[rolfe]

Apologies if this has been mentioned earlier...

When I wet print HP5+ and Tri-X I can't tell the difference between them.

When I scan, HP5+ has much more grain than the Tri-X.

This has been true with any number of scanners -- Noritsu, Imacon, drum scanner...

Why? I have no idea, but HP5+ is clearly not optimized for scanning.

It is an otherwise excellent film, and these comments are about 35mm scans. At MF and larger, I don't think grain is an issue.

Rolfe

 

[02Pilot]

Apologies if this has been mentioned earlier...

When I wet print HP5+ and Tri-X I can't tell the difference between them.

When I scan, HP5+ has much more grain than the Tri-X.

This has been true with any number of scanners -- Noritsu, Imacon, drum scanner...

Why? I have no idea, but HP5+ is clearly not optimized for scanning.

It is an otherwise excellent film, and these comments are about 35mm scans. At MF and larger, I don't think grain is an issue.

Rolfe

I've never noticed this. I find HP5+ to have very little grain when scanned, even when pushed a couple stops. Here's one processed normally:

And this was pushed to 1600:

 

[Perks]

They look fine grained indeed, what developer did you use 02Pilot?

 

[02Pilot]

They look fine grained indeed, what developer did you use 02Pilot?

Homebrewed Caffenol. Standard dev is C-H(RS) for 15min@20C, 1min agitations, +2 push is C-L for 70min@20C, stand w/two turns at 35min.

 

[RObert Budding]

I just developed a roll of hp5+ using d76 1:1 as I used to do years ago for tri-x. I am surprised at how grainy the negs are - more than I remembered from a few years back when I shot film. Is there a way to use Ilford hp5 and get a more moderate grain? thanks, john.

I've usually printed B&W in a darkroom. Even then, I'm usually unhappy with enlarging 35mm beyond 8x10 (that's with borders). I used to use D76, but I'm now only using XTOL.

You could move up to medium or large format.

 

[Perks]

Homebrewed Caffenol. Standard dev is C-H(RS) for 15min@20C, 1min agitations, +2 push is C-L for 70min@20C, stand w/two turns at 35min.

Caffenol stand? I will have to look into that one of these days.

 

[Bill Clark]

I just bought from B & H some 120 HP5 Plus. I’m going to develop with Mic-X from Freestyle.

When I use a 35 film camera the biggest enlargement I make is usually 8x10. Even when using slower speed films.

At any rate, medium format helps me with films with higher ASA.

 

[Ronald M]

Split D23 or divided D23 unless the film has been reformulated to thin emulsion.

In that case, shoot at 200 and reduce developer time 20%.

 

[jbrubaker]

I switched from D-76 to a fresh batch of XTOL. I'm now getting the kind of negs I want - full film speed and nice tight grain with high acutance. As some of you have noted, wet printing will probably give even more pleasing prints, but it's not always possible. thanks john.