Rhodes
Time Lord
Is Ilfosol-3 a fine grain developer or not? What kind of ilford or kodak is a fine grain developer?
Sorry if this is a silly question!
Sorry if this is a silly question!
Chris101
summicronia
It depends on the film, and what you mean by "fine grain". Some films have inherently less grain than others. If grain is especially objectionable in your application, and you MUST use film, then look to chromogenic film such as XP-2. These are as close to grainless as film gets.
If you want to use traditional silver grain film, then slower film will show less grain. The developer will affect how the grain forms, and 'fine grain' can mean a couple (at least) different things. Grain that is rendered with less contrast will give a smoother perception to the image, at the cost of 'visual acuity' - the perception of sharpness. Grain rendered very small, but with high contrast, will have a noticeable granularity to smooth textures, but will sharply render small details. Either of these situations will fit into the bracket of "fine grain".
When used with the same film, exposed in the same way, Ilfosol-3 will produce a sharper negative with some (fine) grain (but less than say, ID-11 or Ilfotec HC), while Perceptol will give less noticeable grain with slightly less perceived sharpness.
Here is a chart to translate between Ilford products and equivalents made by Kodak, since you ask about both.
If you want to use traditional silver grain film, then slower film will show less grain. The developer will affect how the grain forms, and 'fine grain' can mean a couple (at least) different things. Grain that is rendered with less contrast will give a smoother perception to the image, at the cost of 'visual acuity' - the perception of sharpness. Grain rendered very small, but with high contrast, will have a noticeable granularity to smooth textures, but will sharply render small details. Either of these situations will fit into the bracket of "fine grain".
When used with the same film, exposed in the same way, Ilfosol-3 will produce a sharper negative with some (fine) grain (but less than say, ID-11 or Ilfotec HC), while Perceptol will give less noticeable grain with slightly less perceived sharpness.
Here is a chart to translate between Ilford products and equivalents made by Kodak, since you ask about both.
drewbarb
picnic like it's 1999
The only silly question is one you don't ask. Ilfosol-3 is supposed to be a fairly fine grain developer- however: I think most folks will agree that achieving fine grain is as much about your film/ei combo and your processing regimen as it is about the developer you use.
Perceptol, XTOL, T-Max, Microdol-X and certainly a few others are formulated to yield fine grain. Choose slow film, give it generous exposure, process carefully at 68/20 degrees using gentle, even agitation and you will get finer grain from just about any developer.
Perceptol, XTOL, T-Max, Microdol-X and certainly a few others are formulated to yield fine grain. Choose slow film, give it generous exposure, process carefully at 68/20 degrees using gentle, even agitation and you will get finer grain from just about any developer.
Roger Hicks
Veteran
Fine-grain developers ALWAYS give lower speed, because you can't get something for nothing. Likewise, true speed-increasing developers always give bigger grain. And some developers that are praised for their tonality give big grain AND low speed. Rodinal is a good example.
D76/ID-11 were the traditional 'best balance' on speed, grain and tonality. Some prefer Xtol nowadays. Others sacrifice speed for finer grain (Perceptol, Microdol-X lose up to astop). Yet others sacrifice grain for speed (I like DDX, true ISO 2/3 to 3/4 stop over 'box' speed).
DO NOT give conventional film generous exposure, because more exposure ALWAYS means more grain and less sharpness. With chromogenics (XP2) you still lose sharpness but you get finer 'grain' (dye-cloud structure).
For minimum grain, your aim must always be the minimum exposure and minimum development that give you the results you like. Personally I'll put up with more grain and less sharpness in return for better tonality.
Cheers,
R.
D76/ID-11 were the traditional 'best balance' on speed, grain and tonality. Some prefer Xtol nowadays. Others sacrifice speed for finer grain (Perceptol, Microdol-X lose up to astop). Yet others sacrifice grain for speed (I like DDX, true ISO 2/3 to 3/4 stop over 'box' speed).
DO NOT give conventional film generous exposure, because more exposure ALWAYS means more grain and less sharpness. With chromogenics (XP2) you still lose sharpness but you get finer 'grain' (dye-cloud structure).
For minimum grain, your aim must always be the minimum exposure and minimum development that give you the results you like. Personally I'll put up with more grain and less sharpness in return for better tonality.
Cheers,
R.
Rhodes
Time Lord
Hallo, sorry for the late reply, it was a busy and tire full weekend. First, thank you for your replies. When I ask the question, it was more to know a bit how to "catalogue" the developers. Like digitaltruth as in the formula section: general purpose developers, speed, etc, to guide me.
I am trying to develop kodak rpc with what I have at home. With rodinal, I got a lot of grain (for what I think, IMO, for a low iso film), but also know that the result I got may be do to using rodinal, at 1+10 (lot of), agitation, etc.
I am trying to develop kodak rpc with what I have at home. With rodinal, I got a lot of grain (for what I think, IMO, for a low iso film), but also know that the result I got may be do to using rodinal, at 1+10 (lot of), agitation, etc.