Neopan 1600 - what do you do?

[Harry Lime]

Might just try that tomorrow, Harry - I'm at work and the camera and film aren't but I reckon I can afford to waste a few shots in my lousy efforts at "street" - hell, it's Oxford, there's bound to be interesting people somewhere around.

For a while i shot Neopan during the gloomy daylight hours and it worked very nicely. The daylight stops the shadows from blocking up and the extra contrast put a little bite in to the negs. I stopped shooting it, because once it got dark, Delta3200 was the better choice.

 

[photophorous]

Shoot a roll at 1600 ISO on a bright overcast day and you should get some nice contrast out of it. If you want lower contrast, you'll need to slow it down some. I like it in DD-X best, but it's also good in D76 undiluted.

I'm about to start using it with Clayton F76 Plus if anyone has any tips on that combo.

Paul

 

[Tom A]

I have been exprimenting with Rodinal 1:100 stand developing and Neopan 1600. This is with a ZM 21f4.5 Biogon on a R4M Bessa. I have reduced the times in a series of 4 trials, from 60min,45min,30 min and this 25 min. I added Sodium Sulphite (2%/4%/5% and in this the last batch 10% - the Bill Pierce formula)

 

[Tom A]

Another shot with Neopan 1600 ( I have been rating it at 1200 asa according to my meter in the Bessa R4M) Again, Rodinal 1:100, adding 10% Sodium Sulphite, for 25 minutes. Again Zeiss ZM Biogon 21f4.5.
Modern films like Acros 100 works very well at 200 and the Neopan 1600 is good too. Older style film Tri X/XX ended up quite often with "fried edges" from the stand process. Partly to blame there is the Paterson reels that I use. If I was to use this process consistently I would switch to stainless reels. It was more of an experiment than anything else - and a reason for using up that foul looking 100-125 Ml of rather vintage Rodinal.

 

[Leigh Youdale]

I found that at 1600 it got grainy and is extremely sensitive to any overdevelopment. It just blocks up. I've had better results at ISO 800 or 1000 with adjusted development time. At that speed you can use it in more situations. Delta 3200 is fast but VERY grainy

 

[ederek]

Here is my first frame with Neopan 1600, shot just over a week ago...

and another, both shot with M4, 35mm Biogon, Neopan 1600 at EI 1600, in XTOL. Have been shooting recent couple rolls at EI1200 or so, and have also tried it in Diafine.

 

[clayne]

I have 100s of rolls of this stuff and shoot it primarily under low light and occasionally in
more than adequate light. It's naturally on the contrasty side unless pulled by 1-2 stops
and cooperates very well with D-76, XTOL, and even D-76/XTOL blend experiments:


Nikon F3HP + Nikkor 20mm f/2.8 AIS, Fujifilm Neopan 1600@800, Kodak D-76 1+1



Leica M4 + Summicron-M 35mm f/2.0 IV, Fujifilm Neopan 1600, Kodak XTOL 1+1



Nikon F3HP + Nikkor 35mm f/2.0 AIS, Fujifilm Neopan 1600@3200, Kodak XTOL 1+1



Canon EOS 1V + EF 135mm f/2L, Fujifilm Neopan 1600, Kodak D-76+XTOL 1+1


Your best bet is to just shoot it consistently, use a known developer you're familiar
with, and refine results. It's more than capable.

 

[campbellcj]

I haven't shot much of it, but it definitely works well for nightclub/concert settings.

Nikon F100 w/ 85mm f/1.4

 

[Muggins]

Well, at long bloomin' last I've finished the roll and got the prints back. As ever with experiments some worked, some didn't. However, I had a barrel of fun pushing my horizons and trying things I'd never usually try. I think these three give a reasonable sample of the good ones. I'm especially pleased with portrait as I really don't do people pics, she doesn't really do posing for portraits and it was a spur-of-the-moment decision in a very gloomy theatre (shut up at the back! - the photo! Honestly, some people. I like the intimate feel of the close-up, and the expression is very characterful.

You thoughts would be welcomed!

Adrian
(incidentally - how do I embed pics from Flickr in my post, or is it easier to just use Photobucket's img tags?)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3594/3526784648_31f861175e_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3394/3526784478_700d22bb02_o.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3649/3525975351_3b4e941fea_o.jpg

 

[Thardy]

Ah, for another use. 'nico' from these forums liked to use this at 1600 in his Bessa L with 21/4 so he could just slap the aperture at f/22 and have good shutter speed and everything in focus during the day. His blog is here: http://fotonico237.blogspot.com/

This film seems to work very well in bright light (as in the above condition) Not what I usually think for ISO 1600.

 

[David R Munson]

I reeeeeeeeally like it at EI 400

(Olympus Pen D)

 

[clayne]

I'm especially pleased with portrait as I really don't do people pics, she doesn't really do posing for portraits and it was a spur-of-the-moment decision in a very gloomy theatre (shut up at the back! - the photo! Honestly, some people. I like the intimate feel of the close-up, and the expression is very characterful.

(incidentally - how do I embed pics from Flickr in my post, or is it easier to just use Photobucket's img tags?)

Unfortunately you have to do it manually like so (remove all spaces):

[url = "page_address"][img]image_address[/img][/url]

What are you using for scanning software (manuf software?) and/or are you cranking the contrast afterwards? The shots are quite contrasty (Neopan is contrasty - but not that contrasty). Obviously development process can affect things as well but it doesn't look like that here.

This film seems to work very well in bright light (as in the above condition) Not what I usually think for ISO 1600.

High response doesn't necessarily translate to the overall response of the curve itself (although they're typically intertwined). But yes, Neopan does well in bright light (usually).

I reeeeeeeeally like it at EI 400
(Olympus Pen D)

Those negs look more like EI800 developed as if it were EI400. They're underexposed or underdeveloped. 1600PR@400 comes out quite dense and hot.

 

[David R Munson]

Exposed at and developed for 400. I do print/post for contrast, though, so YMMV.

 

[Larky]

I use it for everything, including strong sunlight. I simply love everything about it, and with 2 hour stand dev in Rodinal, oh boy, the negs are like looking at that Keira Pirate of the Thingy Nighty woman's bottom - hmmmmmm.

Seriously though, I use it for everything. I go from 1600 ISO to 50 ISO, the stuff in between doesn't excite me. 100 Acros is good mind.