High Acutance/Fine Grain Developer for Fuji Neopan Acros 100?

[pgwerner]

I've been shooting a lot on Fuji Acros recently. I like its fine grain and its versatility,

especially not having worry about reciprocity failure when I'm shooting under low light.

 

I'm trying to settle on the best developer for it. I like something that develops both good

contrast and acutance. However, I realize there's a trade-off here; Acros already has good

grain structure, so I'd like to use a high acutance developer, but not something that's

going to make the film more grainy. A nice balanced trade-off between high acutance and

tight grain would be best. I also put a lot of weight on developers that best bring out the

full tonal range in a well-exposed negative.

 

So far, I've tried XTol. The results seem a little flat. Maybe I just need to increase

development time. Or maybe I need to try a different developer. I hear good things about

Microphen and Diafine. Also Acufine, but that seems to be used more for pushing film -

I'm not sure if I can use it to get negatives with optimal grain structure and acutance. I also

hear good things about the acutance value of Rodinal, but have also heard that it increases

grain size.

 

In any event, advice is appreciated. I was just given a color analyzer that can be used as a

densitometer, so I plan to extensively test exposure and development times at some point.

But I really want to have an optimal film + developer combo first.

 

(I also shoot Ilford FP4+ and PanF once in a while, so advice on these is also welcome.)

 

Peter

[chris_waller]

Try rating Acros 100 at 50 ASA and devving in Rodinal, 1:50, 20 C, 8 minutes. Rodinal doesn't actually exaggerate grain but is is an acutance developer so it doesn't minimise it either. However, Acros is fine grain anyway, like TMX.

[Julio Fernandez]

I would try T-Max developer for Acros 100.

 

For Pan F+ I am satisfied with Rodinal 1:50. Or D-76 1:1 if you want to blow large and do not want to see grain at all.

 

FP4 works nicely both with Rodinal 1:50 and with D-76 1:1 (results do look different, Rodinal gives higher contrast and apparent sharpness, D-76 smoother tonalities).

[stephen sullivan]

Across 100: Like you, I find it to be a bit flat in Xtol (Stock). I do like the results in D76 1:1 But I know that there is something else on the market that will do this film justice.

 

Ilford FP4+: I like Rodinal 1:25 with this film. Lately, I've come to like Xtol (stock), but want to try Xtol 1:1 before I make my desigion.

[jay_de_fehr]

Hi Peter.

 

The best grain/sharpness characteristics I've seen from any developer are from Hypercat. Craig Schroeder posted some very revealing scans of Pan F+ in Hypercat here:

 

http://www.apug.org/forums/showthread.php?t=15484&page=2

 

Hypercat must be made from bulk chemicals, but it's very easy to do, and well worth the effort.

 

Jay

[jeffcallen]

I've used Rodinal at 1:100 for 18-20 minutes with Acros. Nice, tight grain, and it didn't

seem as grainy as when I developed it at 1:25 for much less time. In my rather

unscientific tests, less agitation and all solutions at 68 degrees gave me tighter, smaller

grain and better highlights than 1:25 at 72F. I tried Acros in Diafine, highlights seemed

muddy, Diafine with TMX seemed more predictable.

[terry_m1]

I soup it in Microdol-X diluted 1+3 at 75 degrees and develop it for 18 minutes with 5 subtle agitations each minute (as I do with Delta 100) and get gorgeous tonality, wonderful acutance, and superb grain control. Highly recommended!

[bruce_watson1]

Get a copy of <i>The Film Development Cookbook</i> by Anchell and Troop. It will tell you about the properties of solvent and acutance developers so that you can make an informed choice.

<p>

Basically, graininess and acutance are a trade off. Solvent developers minimize grain and cost you some acutance. Acutance developers improve acutance at the cost of more graininess. Both types of developers change the effective film speed; solvent developers loose speed, acutance developers gain speed.

<p>

If you want to try something blind, consider Acutol, aka FX-14.

[frank.schifano]

I think you're on the right track with XTOL. You're already familiar with the developer since you're using it and it is capable of producing very good results either full strength or diluted. So before you go off experimenting with several different developers you might want to try adjusting your variables with the one you know already. Assuming that you are using at least 100ml. of stock solution for each roll of film you develop, the only other two variables contributing to the lack of contrast are time and temperature. Your thermometer could be reading a bit on the high side or it may be that you just need to add a bit more time. Keep careful notes and you'll get where you need to be in short order without wasting time and money chasing after a "magic bullet." And yes, the developer works very well with PanF+ and FP4+ as well.

[david_grasby]

I have to agree with Terry M.'s recommendation. I also develop Acros in Microdol-X at a 1:3 dilution and (interestingly) have arrived at precisely the same time/temp combination and agitation regime.

 

Certainly worth a try.

[robert_grasing]

I have also had excellent results with Microdol-X 1+3 (actually, I use the very similar Ilford Perceptol 1+3). FWIW, Fuji's own primary recommended develpers for Acros are its own Microfine and Perceptol, not its phenidone-ascorbic acid Fujidol-E. Perhaps Acros is a high tech film that prefers traditional developers.

 

I also like Rodinal 1:100. Very sharp but the grain is much more noticeable than Microdol-X or Perceptol 1+3. Not a problem in small prints.

[elek_ludvigh]

Hi,

 

I have tried a lot of combinations with this wonderful film and have settled on Acutol 1:14 for 9 min at 68 degrees. Wonderful tonality and very fine grain.

 

Jay L.

[gonzalo_echeverria]

rodinal 1:100 is great... beutler's high acutance formula or neofin blau... xtol's a bit

mushy.

[jim_thompson6]

Hello,

 

Well, I have been developing Acros in Neofin Blau (Blue) with excellent results: 14 min @ 20 C. The acutance is stunning and the grain (in my opinion) is more than acceptable. If you are interested in more information (with respect to pushing and pulling Acros), please feel free to contact me.

 

Ciao,

Jim

[peter_fitzsimons]

Another vote for developing Acros in Tmax developer.

[User_502260]

I develop in Fuji Microfine at the recommended time. ACROS has very fine grain and very high sharpness by itself. It does not need a high acutance developer like Rodinal or R09 or FX-39 to look sharp. You can get good results with these developers but they are not necessary. I think that if Microfine were more readily available more people would use it. It can be purchased at the unicircuits.com website in Japan.

[pgwerner]

When I first started using Acros, I also noticed that their own Microfine was a

recommended developer, but also found that it wasn't sold outside Japan. Subsequently

I've read that its close to Microdol-X and Perceptol. Is Microfine different enough from

Perceptol that its worth going through the extra trouble to find?

[Fotohuis RoVo]

Maybe an unusual combination: CG512 1+4 at 24 degrees C. and Fuji Acros at E.I. 50.

The only problem is to find any grain to focus on with the Peak. Even with 35 mm we can go up to 40x50 cm photos.

CG512 is also sold as Rollei low speed developer.

 

Best regards,

 

Robert

[paulh]

I liked it (120 film) exposed at 100 & developed in Rodinal 1+100 at 20C for 18 minutes with reduced agitation. Excellent tones, very sharp and no grain.

 

I've also done FP4+ (120) in Rodinal 1+100 and it too was very nice - sharp, good tones and practically grain free. I used the same reduced agitation scheme.

 

Paul

[robert_grasing]

For Peter Werner, regarding Fuji Microfine and Perceptol. Ryuji Suzuki says Microfine is a cross between D25 and Microdol (silvergrain.org/Photo-Tech/film-dev-JP-formulae.html). Judging from the generally shorter developing times, Microfine must be more active than the other two. I have not done actual side-by-side comparisons of Perceptol and Microfine, but my impression has been they give similar, if not identical results. I use Perceptol because it is much cheaper than Microdol-X, and comes in a 600ml package, which Microfine does not (I like to mix small batches). In other words, I don't find much difference between them. But, of course, you might.

[User_502260]

I have a bunch of packets of Microfine in the 600ml size. A friend got them for me in Japan a few years ago. When I ordered it through the Megapearls (unicircuits.com) website it came in 1 Liter packets. I have used it with the method of developing several rolls in each batch and adding 1 minute for each roll already developed. It has worked for 4 rolls of 35mm film with either 600ml or 1 Liter.

[pgwerner]

I just picked up a brick of Konica IR 750 and I'd also like to get recommendations about a

developer for that. I've started a separate thread about that topic here:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00DKVR

[anthony_weir]

I process Fuji Acros in HC-110, B solution. Beautiful tonalities.

[Alan Johnson]

It is an interestig comment that an ascorbate developer is not Fuji's first recommendation for Acros. I found using Gainer's PC-TEA that it worked OK for Acros but 100 T-max gives finer grain and and is possibly better with ascorbate in this respect.

[robert_grasing]

Getting fine grain from Acros seems to be unusually dependent on the developer used, more so than other films, such as 100TMax. With ID11/D76, it seems to me that 100TMax is at least as fine grained as Acros, possibly finer. However, with Perceptol, Acros does seem to have slightly finer grain. And Fuji's granularity rating for Acros is based on development in undiluted Microfine, not D76 which Kodak uses.

 

Fujidol-E differs from XTOL in that it has the same pH as D76, 8.5. XTOL is about 8.2 and this is supposed to be one reason for its finer grain. So perhaps XTOL deserves inclusion in the best developer group for Acros but was not included because of Fuji-Kodak rivalry. (I've never tried Acros in XTOL, I don't know how well that combination works). In other words, it may be the higher pH of Fujidol-E that keeps it out of the best group of developers for this film, and not something to do with ascorbic acid formulas.

 

One more interesting thing: HC110 and Fuji's Super Prodol (a PQ version of D76) are rated as only 'fair' for Acros. Reason? Lower film speed, higher contrast.