Delta 3200 in Rodinal 1:50...

Yes -- I want huge grain with printable highlights. I'm trying EI 1600 and was hoping for some advice on times to begin with. Thanks in advance!

-- John O'Connell (boywonderiloveyou@hotmail.com), July 27, 2000

Answers

Ilford recommends 9 minutes at 68 degrees for Rodinal (1:25) at EI 1600. I would recommend about 14 minutes for Rodinal (1:50). That is an educated guess based on the times they give for Delta 400 in Rodinal.

-- Ed Buffaloe (edbuffaloe@unblinkingeye.com), July 27, 2000.

You might throw in 25g sodium sulfite per liter of working solution.

This will give a tad more "real" speed and I guarantee that small amount won't affect graininess; you'll still have grain the size of meteors.

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), July 27, 2000.

Well, I tried 14 minutes at 70 degrees F, Rodinal 1:50 on two rolls of Delta 3200: one metered by my refurbished F3, one incident metered by my Luna Pro sbc (which agrees with the F3).

I now know that the shutter in my old Leica M3 will see no more service until it is serviced -- its negs look at least a stop underexposed.

The F3 negatives are denser but need a little more punch -- 14 min @ EI 1600 looks to be almost N-1. A little better mid-tone separation & I'll be happy.

The grain was smaller than what I'm used to on TMZ, and quite attractive. I'd love the explanation as to why the larger grain patterns of TMZ & Delta 3200 are more attractive than the sci-fi look of TMY & Delta 400...

-- John O'Connell (boywonderiloveyou@hotmail.com), August 04, 2000.

I've wondered that too... I've oversimplified an explanation for my own peace of mind and it's so shamefully unscientific I'm sure one of the dektol atom splitters here will yell out loud when they read it. I think that the huge silver clumps of grain are large enough to look roundish, or dash-ish and not like that of the t-bone steak shaped smaller grain of the slower "t" films. I know delta 400 doesn't "bother" my eyes through my loupe as much as tcrap 400.... and maybe I've just gotten used to it?

-- Trib (linhof6@hotmail.com), August 07, 2000.

18 minutes, 71 F, Rodinal 1:50 yeilds sufficient negative density. Grain appears no worse than TMax developer at 1:4.

I personally found Delta 400 almost as distasteful as TMY in 8x10s from 35mm negatives. And your explanation, Trib, is as good as any I've heard offered as to why the T-films suck in 400 speed.

Painting with sand for the next 50 rolls,

-- John O'Connell (boywonderiloveyou@hotmail.com), August 18, 2000.

I think the problem with the T-grain type EI 400 films is low acutance.

Yes the grain's smaller, yes the RP is higher...and they just don't look sharp compared to other films such as TX and HP5+ that many of us are used to.

-- John Hicks (jbh@magicnet.net), August 18, 2000.