Austerby
Well-known
I'm interested in exploring using heavy grain in some photos, which is the opposite of the perfect look I've gone for in the past. Particularly for taking photographs in grey English wintery weather as I rather fancy emphasising the gloominess via the grain.
I've tried HP5+ at 3200asa dev in R09 1+50 18mins - which produced quite meaty grain that liked, but what else do you suggest?
I've tried HP5+ at 3200asa dev in R09 1+50 18mins - which produced quite meaty grain that liked, but what else do you suggest?
mothertrucker
Well-known
Try a half frame camera - grain will be bigger by default!
Arbitrarium
Well-known
Kentmere 400 is pretty grainy (and cheap!). Shoot it at 800 and it'll be super grainy I expect. I wouldn't know about enhancing grain through development as I only do C41.
stompyq
Well-known
Try orwo 400 and rodinal. All you'll see is grain
Ko.Fe.
Lenses 35/21 Gears 46/20
Fomapan 400 in Rodinal. Try at box speed first, it might scare you already. 
f16sunshine
Moderator
Look for old film.
This is 50 year old Tri-x 135 souped in Rodinal 1:100.
Southworth run by Adnan, on Flickr
This is 50 year old Tri-x 135 souped in Rodinal 1:100.
Southworth run by Adnan, on FlickrSteve M.
Veteran
Tri-X in Rodinal (Ro9 is fine) is a classic grain combination, and more attractive than HP5 in my opinion. Don't forget to over agitate the heck out of it :]
And by the way, congratulations on trying this. Grain is truly beautiful if done correctly. It's the photographic equivalent of pointillism in painting. I look at digital black and white photos, (and yes, even from the vaunted high end Leica cameras), and just shudder. They're ugly, and have no tonal range. A good B&W film shot and developed correctly to accentuate the grain is a thing of beauty, w/ fantastic tonal graduations, deep blacks, and bright whites.
And by the way, congratulations on trying this. Grain is truly beautiful if done correctly. It's the photographic equivalent of pointillism in painting. I look at digital black and white photos, (and yes, even from the vaunted high end Leica cameras), and just shudder. They're ugly, and have no tonal range. A good B&W film shot and developed correctly to accentuate the grain is a thing of beauty, w/ fantastic tonal graduations, deep blacks, and bright whites.
mbisc
Silver Halide User
Try any old school film (e.g. PlusX) and develop it in TMax RS at 75F.
Found out the hard way -- I absolutely love TMax RX with TMax 100 & 400 film, but the grain is ridiculous for older film emulsions.
Found out the hard way -- I absolutely love TMax RX with TMax 100 & 400 film, but the grain is ridiculous for older film emulsions.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Back 4 decades ago my friend Jim in art school used Dektol (paper developer) to develop film. The grain was huge. Likely used Tri-X of HP5 which was the rave at that time.
Cal
Cal
rlouzan
Well-known
#9 I second that!
santino
FSU gear head
Yeah, I used Hp5+ @800 and Paper developer.
f16sunshine
Moderator
MDC has some film development time listed for Dektol.
I have a few new bags of it remaining from wet printing days....
Might have to give a try.
I have a few new bags of it remaining from wet printing days....
Might have to give a try.
sepiareverb
genius and moron
ORWO N74 in Rodinal 1:25 for 9 minutes. Just printed from a roll of this the other day and found some biggish grain even in the darkroom print.
Microphen for HP5+ at 800 too.
Microphen for HP5+ at 800 too.
Calzone
Gear Whore #1
Wow.
I didn't realize that others are crazy like my friend Jim. LOL.
Jim was doing this back in the 70's.
Cal
DominikDUK
Well-known
overexpose and overdevelop hp5 or tri-x in Rodinal 1+25 Ralph Gibson treatment and you'll get lots of big grain and a huge boost in contrast. HP5 E.I . 200 11mins @20c in Rodinal 1+25.
Love that combo
Love that combo
benlees
Well-known
Delta 3200 has huge grain. Expose for 1600 and use Hc 110h and you will trip over the grain. Decent agitation helps!
ACullen
Well-known
I made the mistake once of developing Delta 3200 in Rodinal. Big grain plus zero shadow detail. Not what I was looking for.
zuiko85
Veteran
Get a Minolta 16 Ps and some cartridges off of ebay.
Discard whatever film is in the carts and order a 100 ft. roll of Eastman 16mm Double-X negative film.
Load up and shoot the film at ISO 200 and develop in HC-110 at 1:60 syrup:water for 9 min. at 70F.
You will get plenty of grain on those 10X14mm negs by the time you blow them up to 8X11 inch prints.
Oh. one more thing, shoot the lens at f8 or smaller. On the Ps the 25mm lens is fixed at 5M with enough DOF at f8 to cover focus far enough as makes no difference.
Discard whatever film is in the carts and order a 100 ft. roll of Eastman 16mm Double-X negative film.
Load up and shoot the film at ISO 200 and develop in HC-110 at 1:60 syrup:water for 9 min. at 70F.
You will get plenty of grain on those 10X14mm negs by the time you blow them up to 8X11 inch prints.
Oh. one more thing, shoot the lens at f8 or smaller. On the Ps the 25mm lens is fixed at 5M with enough DOF at f8 to cover focus far enough as makes no difference.
julio1fer
Well-known
Try DK-50 at stock strength if you can get an old can. Chances are it will work as new.
DK-50 was intended for press photographers with 4x5 format; in 35mm it will give you grain for sure. Half frame would enhance the grain, of course.
DK-50 was intended for press photographers with 4x5 format; in 35mm it will give you grain for sure. Half frame would enhance the grain, of course.
Dan Daniel
Well-known
I was taught this as a common technique for newspaper photographers. Development time of 90 seconds as I remember- dirty, huge grain, but it made deadline and for newsprint halftones of nighttime fires or accidents it looked fine.