DO NOT BUY DELTA 3200 FROM ADORAMA

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

I just wasted $12 on two rolls of Ilford Delta 3200 Exp. date Apr. 2007 from

Adorama. Horrible base fog (probably because they do not store it cold), the

negatives have a quality of a news print.

 

You have been warned.

[pico_digoliardi]

How about sharing the lot number with us?

 

It should be right above the expiration date.

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

Too bad I discarded packaing/canisters. Don't believe me? Buy the film.

[pico_digoliardi]

I neither doubt nor believe.

 

I was going to order some, and would ask for the same batch, and then another to see what's going on.

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

Just buy the one expiring Apr 2007. Delta 3200 suffers from high base fog way before the expiration date. This isn't something uncommon. What baffles me is the retailers' ignorance. They just plainly refuse to store this film cold, while their color film is in the fridge.

[bobmichaels]

Dan: I remember your previous post about Delta 3200 having high base fog. I even looked at some I purchased that was close to it's expiration date and I knew was stored at room temp in the camera shop. I shot it anyway and developed it in DDX. Actually it was pushed just a tad. Yes, the base fog was a bit more than I am accustomed to. But it scans and prints just fine.

 

I know you can't tell much from a JPG, but here is one of the frames. f4.5 (wide open) 1/30th (metered to e.i. 4000) , DDX 75 degrees 8 minutes.<div></div>

[john_elder1]

Buy from B+H. I have for over 20 years. The 2 problems I had with them were solver ASAP

[frank.schifano]

Bob,

 

Well, if the film suffered from a little base fog, you'd never tell from the image you oulled out of the negative. Looks good to me! Nice PJ shot too.

[underexpos]

This is VERY normal for Delta 3200. I work at a pro lab in NYC and have seen and printed

hundreds of rolls of the stuff and it ALWAYS has a high base fog. I am a high speed film

junky, using neopan 1600 developed in acufine so when I tried the Delta years ago I had the

same reaction. Try printing some of it and see what you think about the end result. In my

experience most high speed films will fog because of the films reaction to heat or the air over

time. I have noticed that fogged film will have a heavy fog at one end or the edges but will

not have it on the other end. This is a simple way to tell. Adorama my have its faults and they

don't store the high speed film in the cooler but a heavy base fog for Delta 3200 is normal.

[pics]

I wouldn't be so quick to blame Adorama although I personally buy from B+H. I don't think any retailer bothers to keep B+W film in cold storage. Whenever I've been to B+H and bought film it was simply grabbed from bins in room temperature. This film has to have the poorest keeping qualities of any out there. I shot a roll that was not even a year past expiration and the results were barely printable with tremendous fog. This roll had also been frozen since new. Nevertheless I much prefer Delta3200 to its TMAX counterpart. I just buy from a place that turns it over quickly (like B+H) and keep a close eye on the expiration date. Definitely not a film you want to buy in large quantities unless you plan on using it up quick.

[don_mckeith]

Just for my own information/curiosity-

 

 

I usually shoot 100-125 speed film----fast film for me is 400.-

 

Under what conditions does one need 4000 speed film?---or what is the attraction/what do you like about?

[pics]

"what is the attraction/what do you like about?"

 

 

Being able to shoot handheld in low light for one. Technically its really a 1000 ISO film (or thereabouts) that is designed to be pushed to 3200.

[terence_spross1]

<i> Ryan - I have noticed that fogged film will have a heavy fog at one end or the edges but will not have it on the other end.</i><p><p>This sounds to me like light piping fog. Does it have a polyester base that is vwery ckear if the emulsion is stripped? If so the film should be loaded in very darkened room or else light "pipes" down the base and inside the cassette and fogs the film but doesn't reach the other end as much as the first several frames. I personally haven't used this film as years ago I used Kodak recording speed film 2475 but haven't needed fast B&W since. However, I assume within the year I'll be purchasing some.

<p> If this is the characteriastic of the film, then doen't blame the retailer.

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

Does Ilford say this ridiculous amount of fog is "natural?" If the retailers can prevent the fog from building up while they have the film, why shouldn't they? They don't mind storing color film refrigerated.

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

"Under what conditions does one need 4000 speed film?---or what is the attraction/what do you like about?"

 

Hand-held in low light. You can't shoot at higher speeds - the light is too low, so you must shoot at these speeds to get an image - any image.

[jim_appleyard]

I don't know if they do so now, but Adorama used to advertise that they stored film at 55F.

[bobmichaels]

Dan, I'm curious what you are using for a developer with Delta 3200. Could that be some difference?

[ralf_j.]

Never had a problem with emulsions bought at Adorama, then again I shot a delta 3200 only once in a concert where flash was prohibited(had no problems other than the grain the size of a golf ball :-)). What Dan says it's true, they only store professional grade E6 and the Kodak portra line in the fridge, everything else is in the shelf, basement or in their new warehouse in New Jersey. Personally, film that won't be used for some time, I always store in the freezer and have no issues, even when they go past the expiration date.

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

"Dan, I'm curious what you are using for a developer with Delta 3200. Could that be some difference?"

 

No, there couldn't.

[gaius1]

Have you ever used Delta 3200 before?

 

I mean, buying *two whole rolls* suggests not... there are people here who regularly buy that film dozens of rolls at a time, and don't see this problem.

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

"Have you ever used Delta 3200 before?"

 

Yes I have, and I understand what is and how much there is base fog.

 

This isn't the first time I've used very foggy delta, and quite frankly at $6 a pop it sucks to have to deal with it. Don't ya think?

[larrydressler]

Have you tryed HC-110? It tends to keep fog down I am using it with some outdated TMZ and though there is some fog not anywhere close to when I used D-76 or Rodinal.

 

Larry

[bljkasfdljkasfdljskfa]

"there are people here who regularly buy that film dozens of rolls at a time"

 

So where do those people buy that film? Maybe then I can find a reliable Delta 3200 film store? And who are the people here? Thanks!

[pete_andrews10]

Ilford's own curves in their tech-pub show that Delta 3200 has a B+F density of around 0.35, rising to close to 0.4D on push-processing.

 

Link to Ilford's Tech notes on P3200 here:

 

http://www.ilfordphoto.com/Webfiles/200613019405339.pdf

 

So is the B+F of your film much greater than 0.4D Dan?

 

My own experience with Delta 3200 is that it does indeed have a high B+F, and that the grain is really nasty. Coupled with its poor image sharpness, it wouldn't be my first choice of film at all. From any source.

[larrydressler]

TMZ in Rodinal 1-100 Stand 60 minutes...... Try that......

 

Just to experement.

Larry