Ilford (05060036)
I ordered another 10 rolls of FP4+ from B&H, which must mean that I’m liking it fairly well. Apart from a failed experiment with Diafine, I’ve only souped it in Rodinal so far, but I plan on trying it pushed to 200 in Tmax Developer. I’ve also got Xtol on hand and Microphen on the way, but if those fail to please the Rodinal seems to work with this film even if it is a bit grainier.
What is your time and ISO with Rodinal?
Chris, the ISO is 125. The time, temp and dilution are the same process as documented in my recent post about XP2. It’s just standing in Rodinal (1/120 or 5ml for 600ml tank) for about an hour. I don’t think the temp matters much within reason, but my working solution has been between 68 and 70. It’s the easiest process I’ve ever used, and I if I get started early enough in the morning, I can work it around my shower and breakfast.
Oh, I didn’t know you were using that standing technique with FP4. FP4 was all I shot for a long, long, time. It was the film that my undergraduate photo teacher taught with (his three basic truths at the time were Nikon, BMW and FP4). We developed it in Edwal FG7, which was the only B&W film developer I used for 95% of my work. I dabbled with Microphen a little, as I remember, but FG7 worked so well for me that I didn’t feel like I needed to experiment. We exposed it at ISO 100, but the development times were ones he passed out on a photocopied piece of paper and (I suppose) were times he had worked out himself. Its only been since my film renaissance began this spring that I’ve done anything like experimented with films (I never shot Tri-X in my life, ever until this week) or developers. Actually, until your discussions of developers and how they work here on your site I never really understood the process that well, Thanks for that.
Chris, after while, I think everyone that develops their own b&w compiles a holy-grail table of times and temps. Glad the discussion of developers was useful. I wish I knew more about the subject, as I know just enough to be dangerous.
Three basic truths: Leica, Birkenstock, Smartwool
While I do think a Leica is in my future, I just bought a Bessa R2a and a Zeiss 35mm Biogon to begin my travels in rangefinder land. I shot two rolls of FP4 and I’m hoping to develop them tonight and see what I’ve got. I figured that if using a rangefinder just isn’t my thing I’ll sell it on RFF. If it is, I can start to save for the Leica.
If its of any interest I use FP4+ at EI250 in Rodinal at 1:100 or 1:200 with 30s initial agitation then stand for 2 hours. Wash and fix in the usual manner. For me, great results, excellent shadow detail and held highlights – a contrast range the digital fanboys can only dream of. Delta as speed, Neopan and Tri-X up EI1600 no problem. The grain is a little more than a standard development but the gains are worth it. Devastating in Medium Format. Then I used HC-110 with stand development and also Moersch tanol also with great results. There is a little compression of the mid tones, but, for scenes where there is a large subject-brightness range, ideal.