Controlling HP5+ grain...agitation to blame?

Could constant agitation possibly be the cause of the increased grain I'm seeing with HP5+ in D76? I'm processing the stuff at the recommended 20 degrees in a Jobo processor. I've finally controlled the contrast to an acceptable level by reducing development time, but the grain is still slightly more apparent than I prefer. Before the purchase of the Jobo, I've been developing Tri-X in Xtol and D76...both with very nice tone and grain. A friend turned me onto this HP5+ stuff, so I thought I'd give it a try. I really like the tone, and the stuff is extremely cheap and versitile. However, is the grain normally this much a factor with this film, or is the constant agitation of the Jobo to blame? My understanding is that agitation influences contrast, not grain. Incidentally, I'm over-exposing the stuff 2/3 stops more than the recommended 400. Thanks in advance for your info.

[ Previous | Next ]