About to finish my ilfosol 3, I am looking for new developer for FP400 and HP5

Neofito · Dec 5, 2023

I think ilfosol works fine, but is a bit on the expensive side and well, I want to try new things. I shoot FP400 for my street but I am about to start a long portrait project using HP5 at 400 that I particulary want to keeps the middle tone in place and a bit more the "creamy" character compared to FP400 (like the rich black or dark tones). Also I will use some hp5 for other uses pushed to 800 or 1600.

I live in Berlin, so I can get ADOX alternatives for kodak developers without even shipping costs.

Maybe is a good idea to get two developers? I was thinking to go cheap and dirty with rodinal for my fomapan rolls. I like the texture fomapans gives for example in pictures like this, I guess that shouldnt be a problem with rodinal. Which dilution should i try?

Thank you in advance for your comments.

Sirius Glass · Dec 5, 2023

I found that XTOL or its equivalents are very fine grain developers, are very forgiving and provide a small speed boost [READ: slightly more shadow detail] than other developers. I have used it as stock XTOL and replenished XTOL which has better tonality and even finer grain plus being more cost effective. This is a comparison of Kodak film developers.

Alan9940 · Dec 5, 2023

Rodinal with Fomapan 400 will provide crisp grain which might be preferred for street photography. For many years, I used it primarily at 1:50, but, lately, I've been experimenting with 1:100 stand development. I've had a couple of minor issues doing this so I'll probably agitate at the 30 min mark and see how that fairs.

Since you have ready access to Adox products, you couldn't go wrong with XT-3 for either film.

Good luck!

Neofito · Dec 5, 2023

Alan9940 said:
Rodinal with Fomapan 400 will provide crisp grain which might be preferred for street photography. For many years, I used it primarily at 1:50, but, lately, I've been experimenting with 1:100 stand development. I've had a couple of minor issues doing this so I'll probably agitate at the 30 min mark and see how that fairs.

Since you have ready access to Adox products, you couldn't go wrong with XT-3 for either film.

Good luck!

Sirius Glass said:
I found that XTOL or its equivalents are very fine grain developers, are very forgiving and provide a small speed boost [READ: slightly more shadow detail] than other developers. I have used it as stock XTOL and replenished XTOL which has better tonality and even finer grain plus being more cost effective. This is a comparison of Kodak film developers.

View attachment 355775

Then could be a good combination, XTOL/XT3 + rodinal for some fun. But if I use XTOL in stock, then is a reusable developer? otherwise it would be quite expensive, ahahahah.

Sirius Glass · Dec 5, 2023

Neofito said:
Then could be a good combination, XTOL/XT3 + rodinal for some fun. But if I use XTOL in stock, then is a reusable developer? otherwise it would be quite expensive, ahahahah.

Follow the XTOL directions. Many rolls can be developed from a 5 liter XTOL package. Even more can be developed in the replenished XTOL. XTOL is one of the least expensive developers per roll.

Neofito · Dec 5, 2023

Sirius Glass said:
Follow the XTOL directions. Many rolls can be developed from a 5 liter XTOL package. Even more can be developed in the replenished XTOL. XTOL is one of the least expensive developers per roll.

I will dig a bit on that, first time using a developer like XTOL. I think this weekend I can actually already try it.

Keith Tapscott. · Dec 6, 2023

Neofito said:
I think ilfosol works fine, but is a bit on the expensive side and well, I want to try new things. I shoot FP400 for my street but I am about to start a long portrait project using HP5.

View attachment 355751

Thank you in advance for your comments.

Do you mean FP4 film?

koraks · Dec 6, 2023

@Neofito, whatever developer you choose, I'd look into the problem of the density gradient in that example image you posted. The right edge of the image is noticeably lighter than the center and the left edge also seems a little lighter, but less so. It's probably related to scanning, but I'd exclude the possibility of a development problem.

Neofito · Dec 6, 2023

Keith Tapscott. said:
Do you mean FP4 film?

no, fomapan400

koraks said:
@Neofito, whatever developer you choose, I'd look into the problem of the density gradient in that example image you posted. The right edge of the image is noticeably lighter than the center and the left edge also seems a little lighter, but less so. It's probably related to scanning, but I'd exclude the possibility of a development problem.

i think it war the horrible ap plastic cartridges for bulk loaded film... many light leaks on the firsts pictures of each roll and on the edges in a couple of rolls. Now I've got the ones that fomapan sells, made from metal.

koraks · Dec 6, 2023

Oh yeah, I remember now! Maybe that's it.

Keith Tapscott. · Dec 6, 2023

Neofito said:
no, fomapan400

Thank you. My mistake.

Lachlan Young · Dec 6, 2023

Short answer: you're going to struggle to get better results than Ilfosol 3 used in a well controlled way. XT-3/ Xtol balances off more towards finer grain without lowering sharpness - essentially everything else is more of a compromise in terms of the speed/ grain /sharpness balance.

Neofito · Dec 6, 2023

Lachlan Young said:
Short answer: you're going to struggle to get better results than Ilfosol 3 used in a well controlled way. XT-3/ Xtol balances off more towards finer grain without lowering sharpness - essentially everything else is more of a compromise in terms of the speed/ grain /sharpness balance.

so for HP5 you would stay in ilfosol?

Lachlan Young · Dec 6, 2023

Neofito said:
so for HP5 you would stay in ilfosol?

On the understanding that it'll make the grain a little more visible (because it's a bit sharper) than something like XT-3 or D-76, yes. This is likely due to stronger development inhibition effects (which is why developing to higher contrast/ highlight density in Ilfosol is slow) that help to keep highlight density under control. Rodinal just produces higher levels of granularity, it's not sharper or faster than anything else, but it may deliver a tonality that you want.

npl · Dec 17, 2023

I did some tests with rodinal 1:50 and Fomapan 400, you'll find them here : https://www.photrio.com/forum/threads/fomapan-400-in-rodinal-1-50-ei-35mm.198140/

Photo of a print in #22. It's a decent combo, but you might want to rate the film around 160 to keep shadow details.

Xtol / XT-3 will work fine for both films, but if you want grain and texture you may find the solvent aspect a bit much. 1+1 or 1+2 dilutions will increase sharpness and grain a bit, but at the cost of longer dev times. I rate fomapan 400 at 250 in xtol and hp5 at box speed.

kykr · Dec 17, 2023

I don’t have the amount of experience that some people here have, but I’ve been very impressed with XT-3. It’s even really easy to mix and not dusty, just as claimed. I just wish it was a little easier to get it over here in the US.

John Wiegerink · Dec 17, 2023

kykr said:
I don’t have the amount of experience that some people here have, but I’ve been very impressed with XT-3. It’s even really easy to mix and not dusty, just as claimed. I just wish it was a little easier to get it over here in the US.

+1

About to finish my ilfosol 3, I am looking for new developer for FP400 and HP5

Neofito

Sirius Glass

Alan9940

Neofito

Sirius Glass

Neofito

Keith Tapscott.

koraks

Moderator

Neofito

koraks

Moderator

Keith Tapscott.

Lachlan Young

Neofito

Lachlan Young

npl

kykr

John Wiegerink

About to finish my ilfosol 3, I am looking for new developer for FP400 and HP5

Moderator

Moderator

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency