I need to shoot some fast moving events under poor lighting conditions and need film rated at no less than 800. I only use Rodinal. Any suggestions on what film pushed or therewise will give me some shadow detail without outragious grain?

-- John Galloway (jgall30125@aol.com), April 11, 2002

Answers

You can't make a silk purse out of a sows' ear. Haul off and get a speed increasing/retaining developer like Acufine, Microphen, DD-X, Tmax, etc.

-- Tim Brown (brownt@flash.net), April 11, 2002.

Try HP5+ and add about 50g/L sodium sulfite to your Rodinal working solution; this will less the speed loss of using Rodinal and will take the graininess down just a tad.

But I do agree with Tim; what you want just isn't going to happen with Rodinal.

-- John Hicks (jhicks31@bellsouth.net), April 11, 2002.

Forget the Rodinal. Use Tmax P3200, set meter between ISO 800-1200, develop in Xtol 1:1 according to your set ISO.

-- Mark Sampson (MSampson45@aol.com), April 12, 2002.

Thanks for those responses. I have some Ilfosol S around. Anyone had experience with that and Neopan 1600 or Tri-x pushed?

-- John Galloway (jgall30125@aol.com), April 12, 2002.

Ilfosol doesn't work too well with fast film either. Microphen's probably your best bet.
Get the right tool for the job. You wouldn't use a hammer to fit a screw, just because it was handy, would you?

-- Pete Andrews (p.l.andrews@bham.ac.uk), April 19, 2002.