Do you guys stick to any set of combinations?

[RaymondC]

<p>Hi all, I just got into b/w processing both rolls successful. Do you guys stick to any method or look that you are seeking?</p>

<p>I'll probably continue to shoot Velvia but may get into the older style films for that gritty look. Tried HP5+, I like it, may look into pushing that. I read that Ilford ID-11 which is what I have now does allow pushing at stock (undiluted) developer. Would that give me an idea what to expect instead of say getting something like Microphen just to do it. I have a roll of Tmax and Delta 100 to have a look too. I don't expect to shoot of a lot of it but would like to get a very clean smooth sharp images with slow film, what's your fav for this?</p>

<p>Also could you guys give me a run down on push and pulling b/w film please?<br /><br />A sample of my 2 rolls:<br>

http://www.flickr.com/photos/31194022@N00/tags/ilfordhp5/</p>

<p>Many thanks.</p>

[bgelfand]

<p>Push Processing:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.ilfordphoto.com/applications/download.asp?n=431">http://www.ilfordphoto.com/applications/download.asp?n=431</a></p>

<p>Pull Processing:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.ilfordphoto.com/applications/page.asp?n=89&t=Developing+Black+and+white+film">http://www.ilfordphoto.com/applications/page.asp?n=89&t=Developing+Black+and+white+film</a></p>

<p> </p>

[RaymondC]

<p>I read those, thanks. The last one said it was not recommended. Other than a speed change for the job, I was thinking about push or pull it to get a different look deliberately ... What's the general theme we will see if we push or pull it? I have the datasheets so various films can be done so with ID-11.</p>

<p>Out of interest do any of you guys stick to a or a few certain recipes that you have settled on?</p>

<p>Well I heard about coffee and stand development instead of continous agitation, lol.</p>

[ian_watson1]

<p>Rodinal at 1+50 is my favourite for FP4+. I get sharp negatives with nice contrast in the midtones and the grain, while more noticeable than with HC-110, is far from unpleasant. I'm guessing that stock ID-11 would smooth the grain but take a bit of the sharpness with it. </p>

<p>Pushing is basically underexposing the film and extending the developing time to drag the highlights up to where they should be. The result is lost detail in the shadows, higher contrast and more grain. I have exposed HP5+ at 1600 and pushed it in HC-110. If I want gritty then its a good start. Try it with the ID-11 you have. Experimenting is part of the fun!</p>

[dave_redmann]

<p><em>I ... would like to get a very clean smooth sharp images with slow film, what's your fav for this?</em><br>

<em> </em><br>

TMX (T-Max 100) is almost certainly your best best for this purpose. Its tonality / spectral response is somewhat different from most other films, and not everyone likes it; judge for yourself, but it was fine for me / my taste. TMX's combination of very fine grain (smooth) and potentially high sharpness sounds like just what you want. Understand that, to some extent, smooth and sharp are at odds with each other. I always liked TMX exposed at EI 64 and developed in Rodinal 1+50, which was extremely sharp and still not really grainy up to about a 12x enlargement (e.g., 11x14 from 35mm). I think Rodinal is gone, but there are a variety of similar developers. As I recall Lex (the moderator) is a big fan of D-76 / ID-11 at 1+1 for TMX, on the basis of making in more 'normal' looking. Your ID-11 at 1+1 should be not quite as sharp as Rodinal 1+50, but also less grainy. Going to stock with ID-11 would further reduce grain at the expense of somewhat further reduced sharpness.</p>

<p>If so some reason you don't like TMX, Delta 100 and (reportedly) Fuji Neopan Acros 100 are films in generally the same category, with overall similar design characteristics. Just maybe not quite as sharp, not quite as fine grained, and maybe not quite as atypical.</p>

 

[dave_redmann]

<p><em>[D]o any of you guys stick to a or a few certain recipes that you have settled on?</em></p>

<p>Back when I shot a lot of 35mm, my standard, general-purpose B&W combination was Delta 400 exposed at EI 400 and developed in HC-110 dilution B. But these days my use of film is much less, when wanting a specific type of shot / capture, and 645 instead of 35mm, all of which IMO calls for different trade-offs. So I've been using 120 Tri-X exposed at EI 400 and developed in DD-X 1+4. I really like the overall look / tonality, find DD-X slightly better than HC-110, and in 645 I'm fine with the slight extra graininess of Tri-X over Delta 400 (not to mention the extra expense of DD-X over HC-110).</p>

<p>But especially if you use mostly 35mm, and depending on what you want, I've heard almost nothing but good things about the newer-type of TMY (T-Max 400). Also, I suspect you would find that HC-110 gives results quite similar to ID-11, without the hassle of mixing up a power, and with better longevity (especially with the highly-concentrated US-market syrup). When you're ready to develop, just mix some syrup 1+32 to get Dilution B, and you're set.</p>

 

[lex_jenkins]

I'm still a fan of TMX, Dave, but prefer it in

Microphen, usually 1+1. Seems to handle contrast

more easily with 35mm and 120.

 

Microphen is my favorite for pushing T-MAX 400,

usually to 1600 - I just like the look, even if I

don't actually need the push.

 

If TMX and TMY disappear I'll get by with Ilford

FP4+ and HP5+; the latter looks great at EI 200

in ID-11 @ 1+1, and pushes reasonably well in

Microphen.

[craig_shearman1]

<p>When I shot B&W film regularly, I almost always shot Tri-X and developed in D-76. Tri-X is Kodak's equivalent of HP-5 and D-76 is identical to ID-11. <br /><br />I occasionally pushed in order to get higher film speed for low light situations but I can't recall that I ever pulled. I know that some photographers have all sorts of combinations of personal film speeds and development times they like to use but I tend to think of "pulling" as something you do in an emergency when you've overexposed a roll by mistake. Tri-X and HP-5 have quite a bit of exposure latitude, especially on the overexposure end, so I don't think emergency pulling would even be necessary in most situations.<br /><br />There are all sorts of film and developer combinations to explore. But if you're only on your second roll, I strongly recommend sticking to one film/developer combation for quite a while until you learn its pluses and minuses before moving on to anything else. Kind of the learn to walk before you learn to run philosophy. the HP-5 and ID-11 are a good basic combination that is all many people ever need, so it's a good one to learn with. There are so many variables in photography that if you are changing film and developer every time you go out, you won't know if problems are because of a mistake you made, your camera, the film, the developer, etc.</p>

<p> </p>

[bgelfand]

<p>If you want "gritty":</p>

<p>Try Delta 3200, expose at 1600 and develop in ID11 (stock) as if it were exposed at 3200. That will give you grain. If you want higher contrast develop as if it were exposed at 6400; that will give you grain and contrast.</p>

<p>The same should work for HP5+ except deveop in ID11 1+ 3. That will give a sharper negative, but grainer.</p>

<p>ID11, like D76, is a "solvent" developer. The more dilute the solution is, the more grain. The more over developed, the higher the contrast. To get really gritty, shoot a high contrast scene - bright sun light or harsh indoor lighting (point source, not diffuse). </p>

[SCL]

<p>I second Craig's comments - it makes good sense to learn the film/developer characteristics of a specific combination before aimlessly trying all sorts of different combinations. I's say after 40-50 rolls you just MIGHT have gained enough experience with a particular film/developer combo to be reasonably comfortable with and understand the nuances.</p>

[chris_waller]

<p>FP4/Rodinal. Typically I downrate to 50 in bright weather and dev in Rodinal at 1/50 dilution. I print on Ilford MG IV RC satin finish paper, devved in Ilford PQ Universal. I selenium tone final prints.<br>

<br />FP4 downrated to 50: Rodinal 1/50, 20 C, 8 minutes. Six inversions in the first 30 seconds then one inversion every 30 seconds after that. (This is for a diffuser-head enlarger.)</p>

[Mike Gammill]

I use Kodak's HC110 dilution B for the majority of my negative processing.

[User_502260]

<p>I have used may combinations. For smoothness and very fine grain try ACROS in undiluted Fuji Microfine.</p>

[scotty_elmslie]

<p>If I were starting out, I would pick one film (FP4, HP5, TMX or TMY) and one developer (ID11/D76 1+1, HC-110 dilution H, or Rodinal 1+50) and work with that for several months.<br>

Forget about push/pull for now and make your contrast adjustments with paper contrast (wet) or post-processing (scanned).<br>

Don't get adventurous with other combinations until you are confident with your initial choice.</p>

[keith_tapscott]

<p>Mostly HP5 Plus or FP4 Plus. I sometimes use T-Max films too. Ilford Multigrade papers for the prints.</p>