Your best B&W Film/Developer combo - and why ?

Thank you LeicaM3 !
Thats what I was looking for- quick and dirty directions !
Could you describe what you feel the characteristic "look" is , with each combo ?
 
Bmattock ... interesting to read your comments on Diafine. I bought some recently but haven't got round to using it yet ... and I have some TRI-X which I also haven't used. Might have have to delve into this I think! :)
 
Keith said:
Bmattock ... interesting to read your comments on Diafine. I bought some recently but haven't got round to using it yet ... and I have some TRI-X which I also haven't used. Might have have to delve into this I think! :)
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If you notice the box that the two cans of Diafine came in, it lists suggested EI for a variety of popular films. About the only real experience I have with Diafine is with Tri-X, and I have to say I was not impressed with my initial results shot at the recommended EI 1600. At 1200, however, I was quite pleased.

Now, of course if I wanted to push Tri-X significantly further than EI 1200 (or 1600), I could do so with either D-76 or Rodinal, among many developers that will sustain a great deal of pushing. But I find that Diafine + Tri-X @ EI 1200 is about the same results as D-76 1:1 + Tri-X @ EI 400 - with more shadow detail. In other words, it is about the only time I can think of that you don't get the downside that comes along with most pushes (more grain and higher contrast). Diafine is basically NOT a push - it is just a developer that requires film processed in it be rated differently.

For the rangefinder available-light street-shooting fanatic, I would think that Diafine is a natural, a perfect fit with Tri-X.
 
BMattock, I actually enjoyed and appreciated your "Lecture". It was very instructive.

I currently am gravitating towards combos with TriX/APX100/Neopan400 and Rodinal/Diafine/D76/HC110. That alone brings up 12 possibilities.

BTW, I did not hear anything anywhere about Pan F. Any thoughts ?
 
srtiwari said:
BMattock, I actually enjoyed and appreciated your "Lecture". It was very instructive.

I currently am gravitating towards combos with TriX/APX100/Neopan400 and Rodinal/Diafine/D76/HC110. That alone brings up 12 possibilities.

BTW, I did not hear anything anywhere about Pan F. Any thoughts ?
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Sorry to say I have no experience with Pan F, but I know many people like it quite a bit. I definitely have never tried it in Diafine - sorry!
 
You'll get more answers than there are combinations of film and developers, but my favorite is Tmax100 in HC-110h. Some people don't like HC-110 but the only draw back for me is it isn't as sharp as some developers, but on the other side there really is minimal grain. I'd recommend you try one developer and one film. Get it the way you want it. And then branch out to other films, conquer them, and then go to other developers.
 
PanF in Rodinal 1+50
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2020/2188749432_408a261d90.jpg

PanF (120) in HC110 dilH
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/206/447692497_e6e71e3d7f.jpg

The grain is very fine in HC110, and a pain to focus while printing. :bang:

My choice of films -
PanF+, FP4+, TriX all in Rodinal 1+50 for everyday usage
TriX pushed to 1600 in HC110 for other occasions.
This print has been popular. TX400 pushed to 1600.
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1353/752921384_c978b6964f.jpg

And, developers I would really like to try in the near future are pyrocat, diafine (after reading bmattock's commentary), and perceptol.
 
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i only use ddx, gotta try others!

2240166435_eeff1b237e.jpg

this is neopan400 developed at 400 in ilfotec ddx (35mm)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xax/2240166435/

from here it's only 120
447822927_f6d2e291ae.jpg

tmax400 pushed 1/3rd of a stop to iso 500
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xax/447822927/in/set-72157600050804704/


447807146_3e67b4ea38.jpg

delta3200 pulled to 1600 in ddx
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xax/447807146/in/set-72157600050804704/

2192592744_ee86fd453f.jpg

pan25 pushed to iso 50 in ddx
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xax/2192592744/in/set-72157600050804704/
i really like the tonality of this combination...

2219959186_f592403ab6.jpg

neopan 400 at 800 in ddx, thats what my standard development
http://www.flickr.com/photos/xax/2219959186/in/set-72157600050804704/

i ordered rodinal to try, have microdol-x and want to try diafine, but i am so comfortable with ddx.. you just gotta try it! :)
 
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BW400CN
box_bw400cn.jpg

and C41

:)
Kidding! I rarely shoot B&W any more as I have no DR or DR equipment. I've got a freezer full of dated K25 and Supra800 for the Leica and dated NPH400 for the Rollei. If I REALLY want B&W prints I have it scanned and take it to Photoshop get what I want and print carbon on cotton.
 
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