Medium format at ISO 1600 - good film/developer combo for tonality

[sleepyhead]

Hi all,

I want to start using my Hasselblad more often handheld in not-very-bright light conditions. I would like to shoot at ISO 1600 at least at f/4 or f/5.6 and still have a reasonable shutter speed to stop subject movement (1/60 or 1/125).

I will be making small prints (less than 4x magnification of the negative) so grain is not an issue. I'm also not interested in ultimate image sharpness, as I'll be doing informal portraiture.

What I AM INTERESTED IN is beautiful tonality. I want good shadow detail, and highlights that are not totally blow out to white.

Can anyone recommend a good film + developer combination for this purpose?

Thanks is advance.

 

[Texsport]

Certainly the great hope here would be that 800T CineStill film is eventually produced in 120. Can be pushed well beyond 1600.

Very wide exposure range and beautiful in daylight with an 85B filter.

I love it in 35 already!

Texsport

 

[sevo]

Delta 3200 is the last "fast" 120 film, not that far below 1600 un-pushed. In my experience, new TX pushes best of the 400 films. And then there is Portra 800 (colour, but chromogenic film often scans better). Best tonality will probably somewhere between these three - entirely depending on your printing/scanning habits.

 

[Pherdinand]

i'd go with tri-x and diafine as easiest and good tonality. Might be a bit flat for optical enlargement, though.
I tried the rollei film that supposedly goes to ei6400 in the right developer but i failed with it miserably.
Delta3200 is nice too, but less available and more expensive. Not very good in diafine - there i'd go for another developer.I like how it looks in studional but i havent seen studional anywhere, for years.

 

[Joe Vitessa]

There's always Tri-X pushed and developed in Diafine... I've seen Tri-X @ 1600 in DD-X and it was simply stunning. Google that combo a bit. There's a photog who shoots it in medium format with beautiful results. Can't seem to find him at the moment...

 

[DaveTheWalker]

Delta 3200 in DD-X works beautifully for small-scale optical enlargements of MF negatives. One of my favourite low-light combinations, with some beautiful tones if you get it right.

 

[sleepyhead]

Hi, thanks to all so far for your answers.

I forgot to mention that I'm asking only about black & white film, and that the cost of the film and developer is not an issue as I will only shoot 10-40 rolls per year (I guess).

Also, I will be making fibre-based darkroom prints, probably toned with sepia and/or selenium to improve archival stability.

 

[sleepyhead]

Delta 3200 in DD-X works beautifully for small-scale optical enlargements of MF negatives. One of my favourite low-light combinations, with some beautiful tones if you get it right.

I've used DD-X with TMAX400 and liked it (135 format)

 

[sleepyhead]

Any thoughts on RODINAL?

Reminder that grain is not a factor.

 

[jawarden]

Hi all,

I want to start using my Hasselblad more often handheld in not-very-bright light conditions. I would like to shoot at ISO 1600 at least at f/4 or f/5.6 and still have a reasonable shutter speed to stop subject movement (1/60 or 1/125).

I will be making small prints (less than 4x magnification of the negative) so grain is not an issue. I'm also not interested in ultimate image sharpness, as I'll be doing informal portraiture.

You're describing pretty much what I like to do too. Here's a 6x6" print I made last week (Ilford MGRC) from a Hassy using Ilford Delta3200 exposed at iso1600. I think I was at f11 though so I used a tripod.

The negative looks really good with no blown highlights and the shadows are there too. D3200 at 1600 can make good negatives for darkroom printing especially compared to the results I normally get from pushing Tri-X (which gets a little too contrasty for my taste in the darkroom).

DDX is a great developer for D3200. They were made for each other.

edit: I see you mentioned toning too. This print uses Ilford Selenium toner which I like. I've been experimenting with leaving the print a bit light and allowing the selenium to produce the last of the dark and mid tones. It's an inexact process for sure 🙂

 

[mfogiel]

For beautiful tonality, the ISO ends at 200-250, so what you are asking for is a 3 stop push - a bit much perhaps. I suggest that you experiment with SPUR Ultraspeed Vario - I am looking at the bottles now ( have not yet had the time to try this) and they claim this to be the only existing developer capable of obtaining ISO 1600 effective speed ( at the toe) out of Tri X. BTW they also have a "better Rodinal" called Acurol N - same beautiful tonality, sharper, smaller grain and less tendency to block the highlights when pushing.

 

[Pioneer]

Interesting Marek. That particular spur developer doesn't seem to be available in the US yet. Maybe I can get Macodirect to ship me some to try out.

My favorite combo remains Delta Pro 3200 in DDX. EI1000 works very well and EI1600 is very close to as nice.

 

[Calzone]

There's always Tri-X pushed and developed in Diafine...

I'm on a similar path shooting 120 at high ISO.

Since you are like me, making negatives for wet printing with added density, follow my lead and shoot Tri-X at 1250-1000 ISO and develope in Diafine 7 minutes in Part A and 4 minutes in Part B. Surprisingly I get a nice range of midtones, but the grain gets a lot bigger than regular Diafine development at 3+3.

In the past I processed and tested Tri-X film speed using "Diafine Times Two," where initial development of Diafine 3+3 is followed by a thorough rinse and then another Diafine 3+3. I found that I liked the results of my 7+4 better and it was less work.

Understand that I minimize aggitation to only 2 gentle inversions per minute for less contrast, finer grain, and more midrange. I imagine if you increased the agitation that you could get the 1600 ISO you require, but it will come at a cost of higher contrast, less midtones, and larger grain.

Also know that Diafine with Acros at 100 ISO 5+5 is kinda wonderful for tripod night shooting with no reciprocy failure. Understand that Diafine is a compensating developer and that I kinda accentuate it in a manner that is a bit like stand developement to get limited development of highlights and for the midrange.

Cal

 

[Highway 61]

Delta 3200 @1600 in Microphen 1+1 for 13'30" @20C.

Works just fine.

 

[RattyMouse]

Delta 3200 in DD-X....my go to film/developer combo for high speed needs.

 

[sleepyhead]

Dear all, thank you for your replies. I think I will go with Ilford Delta 3200, exposed somewhere between 800 and 1600, and developed in DD-X. I will experiment with development times to get the right density/contrast for the paper used to make the prints.

Ilford products are also readily available where I live.

 

[sleepyhead]

JAWARDEN, thank you for sharing. Indeed I think we're on the same wavelength with this. I plan to make small prints as gifts to friends and family. Something a bit more permanent than a posting on Facebook.

You're describing pretty much what I like to do too. Here's a 6x6" print I made last week (Ilford MGRC) from a Hassy using Ilford Delta3200 exposed at iso1600. I think I was at f11 though so I used a tripod.

The negative looks really good with no blown highlights and the shadows are there too. D3200 at 1600 can make good negatives for darkroom printing especially compared to the results I normally get from pushing Tri-X (which gets a little too contrasty for my taste in the darkroom).

DDX is a great developer for D3200. They were made for each other.

edit: I see you mentioned toning too. This print uses Ilford Selenium toner which I like. I've been experimenting with leaving the print a bit light and allowing the selenium to produce the last of the dark and mid tones. It's an inexact process for sure 🙂

 

[sleepyhead]

Perhaps "beautiful" was too optimistic! I want a good tonal range, a print with some depth.

For beautiful tonality, the ISO ends at 200-250, so what you are asking for is a 3 stop push - a bit much perhaps. I suggest that you experiment with SPUR Ultraspeed Vario - I am looking at the bottles now ( have not yet had the time to try this) and they claim this to be the only existing developer capable of obtaining ISO 1600 effective speed ( at the toe) out of Tri X. BTW they also have a "better Rodinal" called Acurol N - same beautiful tonality, sharper, smaller grain and less tendency to block the highlights when pushing.

 

[jawarden]

JAWARDEN, thank you for sharing. Indeed I think we're on the same wavelength with this. I plan to make small prints as gifts to friends and family. Something a bit more permanent than a posting on Facebook.

Exactly what I do. Casey H (a good friend here on RFF that goes by shimokita) suggested a few years ago that I get organized about printing for my kids in the darkroom. So I now have an Ilford box for each kid and they're filling up over time. (Those Ilford boxes are great for storing prints.) I usually make dupes and send prints to friends and family when I can. It's good fun and the recipients seem to appreciate it.

I think you'll enjoy the D3200/DDX combination. It's a great choice for higher iso without excessive contrast.

Jeff

 

[sleepyhead]

Just by way of followup, I tried a roll of Ilford Delta 3200 exposed at ISO 1600, and developed it in Agfa Rodinal (the original one) 1:25 at 20C for 9 minutes.

The negatives were slightly denser than I prefer, and I haven't made darkroom prints yet, but preliminary scans on an Epson flatbed look OK.

Grain is noticible in the scans (no surprise) and may be too much for even the small prints I have in mind, so I'll try Delta 3200 and Ilford DDX next as a comparison.