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

[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.

I may also try Delta 3200 at 1600 developed in Agfa Roinal at 1:50 to see if the grain is a bit more subtle.

 

[john_s]

Since you want reasonable speed and minimal grain perhaps rodinal is exactly what you don't want with such a high speed film which shows significant grain in every developer that I've tried (including DDX in which it's not too bad).

 

[sleepyhead]

Since you want reasonable speed and minimal grain perhaps rodinal is exactly what you don't want with such a high speed film which shows significant grain in every developer that I've tried (including DDX in which it's not too bad).

Yes, I agree, Rodinal is what I had in the house.I'll be ordering some DD-X soon.

 

[Nokton48]

All of this is very timely and relevant to me. I have a dozen rolls of 120 Ilford Delta 3200 left and have just loaded a roll into one of my 6x9cm Plaubel Makina roll backs. I've used this film in my Hasselblads and last used DDX developer. Results were grainy but likeable. It will be interesting to use this combo in my three Plaubel Makiflexes. I have some specific photographs in mind to take with the 150mm F2.8 high speed Schneider Xenotar. Great fun ahead.

 

[Fotohuis]

In R09/Rodinal the speed of any film is going down at least 1/3-2/3F stop of the nominal value. D3200 will be hardly iso 1000. (Nominal speed approx. 1600).

For high speed films a speed enhancing type is advisable:

DD-X, Microphen, Diafine, RPX-D, Xtol.
With D3200 DD-X E.I. 1600 is one of the best choices.
Tri-X 400 (Kodak) and Diafine (E.I. 1000-1600)
RPX-400 (Rollei) in RPX-D (E.I. 400-1600). RPX-D is made by SPUR.
HP5+ (Ilford) in Microphen (E.I. 400-1600).
TMY-2 (Kodak) in Xtol, DD-X (E.I. 400-1600).

Xtol (Kodak)/Fomadon Excel W27 (Foton/Foma) and PC-TEA (Pat Gainer) are rather compatible. In push development 1+0 or 1+1 (PC-TEA 1+50).

 

[Roger Hicks]

In R09/Rodinal the speed of any film is going down at least 1/3-2/3F stop of the nominal value. D3200 will be hardly iso 1000. (Nominal speed approx. 1600).

For high speed films a speed enhancing type is advisable:

DD-X, Microphen, Diafine, RPX-D, Xtol.
With D3200 DD-X E.I. 1600 is one of the best choices.
Tri-X 400 (Kodak) and Diafine (E.I. 1000-1600)
RPX-400 (Rollei) in RPX-D (E.I. 400-1600). RPX-D is made by SPUR.
HP5+ (Ilford) in Microphen (E.I. 400-1600).
TMY-2 (Kodak) in Xtol, DD-X (E.I. 400-1600).

Xtol (Kodak)/Fomadon Excel W27 (Foton/Foma) and PC-TEA (Pat Gainer) are rather compatible. In push development 1+0 or 1+1 (PC-TEA 1+50).

Or according to Ilford, ISO 1250 in a speed increasing developer such as DD-X or Microphen. But as you say, it's great at EI 1600 in DDX. Tonally, that combination is the easy winner. ISO 400 films may get close to ISO 800 in the right developer (DD-X, Microphen) but EI 1600 will be rather over a 1-stop push which rarely improves tonality.

As an aside, nothing to do with your post, why are so many people unable to distinguish between ISO and EI?

Cheers,

R.

 

[Pioneer]

Or according to Ilford, ISO 1250 in a speed increasing developer such as DD-X or Microphen. But as you say, it's great at EI 1600 in DDX. Tonally, that combination is the easy winner. ISO 400 films may get close to ISO 800 in the right developer (DD-X, Microphen) but EI 1600 will be rather over a 1-stop push which rarely improves tonality.

As an aside, nothing to do with your post, why are so many people unable to distinguish between ISO and EI?

Cheers,

R.

They haven't read your book Roger! 😀

 

[sevo]

As an aside, nothing to do with your post, why are so many people unable to distinguish between ISO and EI?

The makers themselves always mixed it up, for marketing reasons, so where should consumers get the notion of them as separate entities ...

written on the road

 

[Colin Corneau]

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"d second this, plus suggest Portra 800 pushed a stop for colour.

Your contrast and tonality will also depend on your subject matter - hard light will mean more work to attain your goal.