Is this grain normal on HP5+ @ 800 ?

[SergioGuerra]

Greetings!

I have been complaining alot about too much grain on my film, but always thought it would be because of my old scanner (Agfa Duoscan T1200) and never about my development process.
Until recently I have been reading about temperature differences on the process, and reticulation.. Wow... it could be it because I always do Stop-Bath with cold tap water, and final cleaning bath too... :bang:

The first thing I tried was to test a new film with liquids at same temperature across all the process. Unfortunately the film I had on my Oly XA was HP5+ @800 and was developed with Hc110-B for 7.5 minutes.

I was wondering if you can tell me if this grain "sounds" normal to these condictions/film/developer...

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=80293&ppuser=4047

Thanks!

Sergio

 

[titrisol]

very nice foto, grain seems to be a lot lesss than what I expected

 

[elude]

It's ok, but not beautiful (my opinion 🙂). Try D-76/ID-11 stock 17 mins with very little agitation (once every 3 mins)

 

[SergioGuerra]

I heard of D-76 giving better results with HP5... I think I ll buy D-76 next time I shop for quimics 🙂

 

[mr_phillip]

I really like HP5+ in HC-110 at the box speed, but it's not a great match when pushing the film. HP5+ doesn't really push all that well (certainly nothing like as well as Tri-X). I agree with the post above that it's not so much that it goes excessively grainy, as that the character of the granularity is somehow ugly (and the highlights tend to blow out very quickly).

The suggestion of D76/ID11 sounds like a good one, and I'd also be tempted to try XTOL (either stock or 1+1), which is my fave developer for pushing film.

 

[titrisol]

Sergio, I think a good way of working is using HC110 in E (1.5 the time of dilB), F(2.5 dilution B) or H(2 dilutionB) dilutions and then extend your development with reduced agitation (once every 3 minutes)
That way you can boost shadows and prevent highlights from blooming.
Since you have both HP5 and HC110 I'd give it a try. Bracket a few exposures to see which EI works best as well and to check whether the push can go farther.

HP5 pushes well in DDX IMHO

 

[SergioGuerra]

On this shot from the same roll you can see better the grain:

http://www.rangefinderforum.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=80372&ppuser=4047

The uglyness of this grain is because of the film, the developer or their combination? (or even the dilution?)

Thanks once again for the comments and help 🙂

 

[RObert Budding]

I really like Fuji Neopan 1600 rated at 800. Stunningly fine grain for the speed.

 

[charjohncarter]

Some of the last scan/image 'grain' may be scanner artifact. Print it and see.

 

[trittium]

I really like the results I have had with D-76. It was the standard developer in the last photoclub I was in.

HP5 D-76 I believe it was pushed to 800