More Neopan 1600 @ 800 in Rodinal 1:50

M6TTL, CV 35 1.4 SC, Neopan 1600, D76 1:1

This is the first roll of Neopan 1600 I’ve shot in a couple of years. In the past, I’ve had good luck shooting Neopan at 1250 or 1600, but I’d always developed it in speed enhancing or compensating developers like T Max or Diafine, neither of which I’ve got at the moment. With that in mind, I shot the roll at 800 and developed in D76 1:1 expecting the down rating to more than compensate for the D76′s lack of toe boost. Time and temp were based on Fuji’s own data sheet, 6 minutes at 72 degrees. Although the results were fine, there’s not nearly as much shadow detail as I expected. Part of this may be the choice of subject, Kate dressed in black in patchy sunlight, but I suspect that the more likely culprit is underdevelopment/under exposure. Internet fora are filled with folks who’ll maintain that Neopan 1600 is really more like a 650 film that pushes well. Before this roll, I viewed this position as suspect, although now I’m inclined to believe that I underestimated how important a role the choice of developer played in my previously favorable impressions of this film. I’m giving D76 another go, with a slight time increase, but if that doesn’t prove fruitful, I’ll look at other developers for my remaining rolls of Neopan 1600.