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DO NOT BUY DELTA 3200 FROM ADORAMA


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I use Delta 3200 for my subway and interior shots. Grain isn't too bad at a 6x7 neg size. Still, the fog issue interests me. Just what does fogged film look like? I buy my film from Freestyle and like mentioned only the color film is kept cool. When I get home the film goes straight into my freezer until I go to use them.

 

Over the summer I noticed some streaks on some of my Delta 3200 negs like the ones below. I thought maybe they were over-delveloped areas due to film kinks. However the film looks smooth. They can't be light leaks either. Maybe fogged areas?<div>00Is41-33616584.jpg.88c64b5c118dcfb3628abee6d319437a.jpg</div>

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I grabbed a few rolls, both 120 and 35mm, of Delta 3200 from a counter box of expired films ($1.00 USD a roll) at a small local camera shop a few months ago, obvioulsy not refrigerated. Developed in Diafine, Xtol and Exactol Lux and the stuff looks fine. Maybe those two rolls were "baked" in transit or something...
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I've read that cosmic radiation is the culprit, and extremely high speed films are extremely sensitive to it. This radiation is everyplace. There's no way to avoid it, even inside your freezer. Back in the 1960's we used to soup Kodak Royal-X Pan Recording in Acufine to get 3200. Agfa Isopan Record wouldn't come close! But they both also had huge grain and a fogging problem. I shoot a bit of Delta 3200 on occasion and it does have a high base fog. You just need to give the prints more exposre because of the increased negative density.
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I developed it in PC-TEA. PC-TEA isn't the lowest fog developer - I'd imagine HC-110 or another restrainer rich developer would work better with highly fogged film. But when the film is fogged why should we blame the developer? PC-TEA produces excellent relatively low fog negatives with film that isn't fogged. HC-110 would probably be better for fogged Delta 3200, but HC-110 gives less shadow speed than D-76 (probably because it is so restrained), and is counterintuitive for pushing.

 

I've had very fresh Delta 3200 before, with very little fog which scanned and printed beautifully.

 

Here's an example: http://www.photo.net/photo/3894446

 

That was developed in Xtol.

 

What's interesting about that specific negative is just how fine and sharp the grain is. Not typical of Delta 3200. The 11x14 inch print is detailed and looks great tonally. The blacks are black, unlike this foggy Delta I bought from Adorama that looks like a Xerox copy from a newspaper.

 

By comparison, here's the scan from the foggy rolls from Adorama. There are no blacks in these negatives. It's just ugly.<div>00IsDM-33618984.jpg.c7378f9afff307c8ddae1c543460f82b.jpg</div>

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Here are two examples from my expired Delta 3200.

 

This one is from a roll of 120:

 

http://static.flickr.com/107/288013614_1b90e87040_o.jpg

 

This one from a roll of 35mm:

 

http://static.flickr.com/11/91791148_02d32991e0_o.jpg

 

I cannot remember the exact expiration but I'm fairly sure it was over a year, and like I said, I bought it out of a box sitting on a counter at room temp.

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No wonder The only High speed films are T types.. you all bitch too much about them.... I usd to love the Kodak Recording film Royal-X and alot of others like GAF Hyper pan but NOOOOOOOOO you wanted better.... and you got it..... No I think for my high speed I will stay with my Pushing of traditional films...... I used to get 6400 yes with Royal-X in A push with Unaversal Developer made by Kodak.....

 

Damn quit bitching..... Life is good and I ever doubt Digital will ever figure it out......

 

Larry<div>00IsaS-33629584.jpg.cf9f248465e28b99387f3093ebf290ef.jpg</div>

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Dan

 

Retailers where I live do because they care... All film over 400 is refrigerated or frozen from the Store I get it at.....

 

Sometimes Small town people listen to you some times Big Stores just don't know.... And remember .. Money back if not satisfied at Freestylephoto.Biz Also Smaller Stores can't afford to sell wasted film.....

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Well Dan that may not be the only culprit..exposing Delta 3200 at 3200 like I do is a one stop or more push. Until I learned this I would wonder what happend to my shadow detail. Then there's the fact I've still got a ways to go in the darkroom printing wise. I'll have to pull some of these negs out and try reprinting them with fresh developer and some better contrast control. As for the fogging...well when you need the speed you got to put up with some downsides I guess.

 

So I guess the rule of thumb is not to stockpile Delta 3200, just buy enough for your immediate needs.

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YUP

 

Even close dated is not that good but we never found out what Developer Dan was using..... Many Developers add fog you don't notice it much with slower films.... But Higher speed films seem to get nasty with some of the old stand bys..... HC-110 is darn good at supressing it...... Diafine brings it out real bad..... But That is only with T-Grain and real outdated films Diafine does that...

 

Larry

 

Larry

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How much Delta 3200 do I shoot Dan? Depends. I have three remaining rolls in my freezer exp. date 6/07. I have been thinking of picking up some more. I plan to start shooting in downtown LA again and I like to keep a roll of Delta 3200 in one back in case I want to shoot on the subway or some indoor area.

 

As for developer for Delta 3200 I'm using Clayton F76+. I recently picked up a new bottle so as soon as I figure out how many rolls I can develop with a new bottle that will determine how much Delta 3200 I'll pick up. Then I'll shoot the rolls so I can develop until the bottle is gone. I once had a half full bottle sitting around that had lost it's activity so it's best to decant and use up quickly.

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